DC - Savvas Savopoulos, family & Veralicia Figueroa murdered; Daron Wint Arrested #22

[zencompass]

I am anticipating an update from Melanie Alnwick within an hour or so.


Melanie Alnwick (@fox5melanie) | Twitter

 

[zencompass]

Reporting from the trial this morning:

1. Keith L. Alexander‏Verified account @keithlalexander 31s31 seconds ago
   In Monday testimony in quadruple murder trial, jury saw for the first time the sword prosecutors believe was used on 10yr old Philip Savopoulos. Officer said sword was found in bathroom toilet. 2 jurors looked over at Savopoulos grandparents sitting in front row #MansionMurders.
   
   
   
2. 
   Melanie Alnwick‏Verified account @fox5melanie 1m1 minute ago
   A kitchen knife used to prop open a basement window of the Savopoulos home, and a samurai sword were 2 pieces of evidence discussed this morning in the #MansionMurders trial. @fox5dc
   

 

[zencompass]

Also,

1. Meagan Fitzgerald‏Verified account @MeaganNBCDC 2m2 minutes ago
   Day 10 (week three) of #MansionMurders trial. Day begins with continued testimony from lead forensic tech w MPD discussing evidence collected from scene, including a knife propping open basement window. Another evidence tech now on witness stand discussing evidence he collected.
   

 

[Inthedetails]

Reporting from the trial this morning:

1. Keith L. Alexander‏Verified account @keithlalexander 31s31 seconds ago
   In Monday testimony in quadruple murder trial, jury saw for the first time the sword prosecutors believe was used on 10yr old Philip Savopoulos. Officer said sword was found in bathroom toilet. 2 jurors looked over at Savopoulos grandparents sitting in front row #MansionMurders.
   
   
   
2. 
   Melanie Alnwick‏Verified account @fox5melanie 1m1 minute ago
   A kitchen knife used to prop open a basement window of the Savopoulos home, and a samurai sword were 2 pieces of evidence discussed this morning in the #MansionMurders trial. @fox5dc

The sword was found IN the toilet? The actual toilet? Or does he use "toilet" to mean "bathroom." Some people do use that word to mean a bathroom without a tub - with just the toilet and sink.

IDK. Seems an odd place to put a sword when you can just toss it anywhere.

jmo

 

[zencompass]

I agree, this is odd.

Unless it was put in water with the intent to wash away any touch DNA from perpetrator? Did the sword touch the perpetrator's arm? I don't know.

 

[jjenny]

I agree, this is odd.

Unless it was put in water with the intent to wash away any touch DNA from perpetrator? Did the sword touch the perpetrator's arm? I don't know.

That be my guess, he put it into water to wash away the evidence.

 

[Inthedetails]

I agree, this is odd.

Unless it was put in water with the intent to wash away any touch DNA from perpetrator? Did the sword touch the perpetrator's arm? I don't know.

Makes sense. He probably had to shove down into the hole or it would topple out, I would think. So, probably some disdain going on as well since I'm sure it was a very nice sword.

Lowly actions. Not surprised, really, but just sad at how base this crime is.

jmo

 

[CarnegieHall]

I have a question about hair DNA. Does anyone with more WS experience know in order to test for DNA matches, does strands found at a crime scene have to have hair follicle still attached or will loose hairs do?

 

[OTPTarheel2018]

The sword was found IN the toilet? The actual toilet? Or does he use "toilet" to mean "bathroom." Some people do use that word to mean a bathroom without a tub - with just the toilet and sink.

IDK. Seems an odd place to put a sword when you can just toss it anywhere.

jmo

Since the article states “in the bathroom toilet” I interpret that as the actual toilet/ commode/ throne one would find in most America homes/ apartments.

 

[SpanishInquisition]

Why would DW actually manage it all on his own? Defense claims his brothers were there. That's what I don't get, has prosecution looked into brothers. Lots of evidence that DW was there, but that doesn't mean he was there alone. Now defense claims his brothers were there.

If you read the preliminary hearing, the prosecution themselves says they don't deny others were/could be involved, just that doesn't change the guilt or innocence of DW and also LE has previously said others were involved. I view it that way too where at best DW was like a getaway driver for a bank robbery where he didn't know or intent for a bank teller to get killed in cold blood, but would still be guilty of felony murder anyway.

If DW was leaving hostages all by themselves - as testified by the prosecution witness that DW was seen arriving on foot on the 14th - that would have been extremely risky as by the time he got back to the house, the hostages could have escaped or otherwise create an alarming situation. DW couldn't just say there's someone downstairs so don't do anything nor give free access to cell phones while he's away, so if someone showed up at the door, the Savopouloses would have waited for prompt to respond and if they didn't get a prompt from an imaginary co-conspirator they would have remained silent causing the visitor to panic or if they knew they were alone, they'd straight up tell the visitor that they're being held hostage. Whoever was involved was clearly controlling telephone access and wouldn't allow SS or anyone else to freely use their cell phones, if not some of the messages actually sent by whoever controlled the phones. This also potentially puts DW not even being at the house when the money was delivered.

 

[jjenny]

If you read the preliminary hearing, the prosecution themselves says they don't deny others were/could be involved, just that doesn't change the guilt or innocence of DW and also LE has previously said others were involved. I view it that way too where at best DW was like a getaway driver for a bank robbery where he didn't know or intent for a bank teller to get killed in cold blood, but would still be guilty of felony murder anyway.

If DW was leaving hostages all by themselves - as testified by the prosecution witness that DW was seen arriving on foot on the 14th - that would have been extremely risky as by the time he got back to the house, the hostages could have escaped or otherwise create an alarming situation. DW couldn't just say there's someone downstairs so don't do anything nor give free access to cell phones while he's away, so if someone showed up at the door, the Savopouloses would have waited for prompt to respond and if they didn't get a prompt from an imaginary co-conspirator they would have remained silent causing the visitor to panic or if they knew they were alone, they'd straight up tell the visitor that they're being held hostage. Whoever was involved was clearly controlling telephone access and wouldn't allow SS or anyone else to freely use their cell phones, if not some of the messages actually sent by whoever controlled the phones. This also potentially puts DW not even being at the house when the money was delivered.

I view DW more like a mastermind with accomplices.
Just hope in a crime as brutal as this all involved would be arrested/charged.

 

[zencompass]

I agree that the pizza crust is the key in this case because the saliva contained "nuclear DNA" as opposed to "mitochondrial DNA".



Nuclear DNA matches a certain individual. It "includes" only one person.

Mitochondrial DNA will "include" individuals who share the same maternal blood line. It can "include" thousands. Cousins, brothers, anyone who shares the same lineage to a materal grandmother will be "included".

The saliva contained nuclear DNA and that's why only D.W.'s DNA showed up on CODIS.

The hairs found likely contain Mitochondrial DNA which will "include" whomever shares the same maternal lineage. However, it can make a difference if the hair root is attached, along with skin cells.

Excerpt from the following article:


"Mitochondrial DNA is found in cell mitochondria – cell organelles located in cytoplasm responsible for supplying the cell with energy. Mitochondrial DNA is far more abundant than nuclear DNA with a typical human cell containing many thousands of copies of MtDNA as opposed to just one single copy of nuclear DNA."

"In many countries, governments have access to DNA databases where the profiles of thousands of prosecuted criminals are stored. The DNA profiles are however, nuclear DNA profiles and not mitochondrial DNA profiles. This again contributes to the increased distinguishing power of nuclear DNA in crime solving.

"Further to this, mitochondrial DNA has no discriminating power between individuals as all people sharing a common maternal blood line will also share the exact same MtDNA profile. This means that one cannot distinguish between individuals from the same maternal line based upon analysis of their respective MtDNA profiles as profiles will be identical between maternal blood relatives."


Challenges in DNA Testing and Forensic Analysis of Hair Samples

Quoted a previous post of mine because it contains a link about forensic analysis of hair samples.

Challenges in DNA Testing and Forensic Analysis of Hair Samples

I am greatly interested in hearing the DNA evidence that the investigative team has collected and the results of the DNA analysis.

Many times single hairs with no follicle attached can provide mitochondrial DNA which cannot exclude anyone who shares "maternal blood relatives".

Whereas, if a follicle or skin cells are attached to the hair there is a greater possibility for nuclear DNA to be present - which can directly point to one and only one individual.

Saliva can present nuclear DNA which, in this case, matched directly to D.W.'s DNA found in CODIS.

Perhaps more DNA directly linking this crime to D.W. will be introduced during this trial.

I will have to wait and see what the DNA testimony is. It will be interesting.

 

[jjenny]

Yes, in mitochondrial DNA, it would not be possible to tell DW from his siblings if those siblings had the same mother as DW, whereas nuclear DNA can tell siblings apart, unless they are identical twins.

 

[jjenny]

Defense alleges that brother and half brother of DW were present at the house? Do we know if half brother is from the same mother or father? Mitochondrial DNA is inherited from the mother. So half brother with the same mother would have the same mitochondrial DNA, but half brother with the same father would not.

 

[oceanblueeyes]

How long ago was the PH held? The reason I ask that can be the belief at the beginning of a case where they 'think' or 'believe' something but as the investigation proceeds and more evidence is gathered that belief can change based on finding no evidence to support that early assumption.

Investigators at the time when 8 family members were murdered in Georgia were convinced there was more than one involved. However the final gathering of all evidence in its totality showed Guy Heinz Jr was the sole prepetrator of all 8 murders.

Jmo

 

[SpanishInquisition]

I view DW more like a mastermind with accomplices.
Just hope in a crime as brutal as this all involved would be arrested/charged.

Either way there's others, which my concern is focusing on how DW could potentially do this himself, it's letting others get away with murder and isn't supported by what either the DA or LE have said. Though it may be theoretically possible for DW to do this all himself, I just don't think it's the most likely explanation but instead the most likely situation is under one scenario or another others were involved.

My personal scenario is that it's a combination of what the prosecution and the defense have said - he was there as a subordinate to others (what the defense says), but his involvement was at a minimum felony murder if not outright murder (what the prosecution says).

 

[oceanblueeyes]

I view DW more like a mastermind with accomplices.
Just hope in a crime as brutal as this all involved would be arrested/charged.

I think if there was any evidence of others being involved the prosecutor would charge them in a heartbeat.

 

[zencompass]

How long ago was the PH held? The reason I ask that can be the belief at the beginning of a case where they 'think' or 'believe' something but as the investigation proceeds and more evidence is gathered that belief can change based on finding no evidence to support that early assumption.

Investigators at the time when 8 family members were murdered in Georgia they were convinced there was more than one involved. However the finally gathering of all evidence in its totality showed Guy Heinz Jr was the sole prepetrator of all 8 murders.

Jmo

Dear Oceanblueeyes,

Great post!

Preliminary Hearing was held July 20, 2015.

PH Transcript

 

[oceanblueeyes]

Either way there's others, which my concern is focusing on how DW could potentially do this himself, it's letting others get away with murder and isn't supported by what either the DA or LE have said. Though it may be theoretically possible for DW to do this all himself, I just don't think it's the most likely explanation but instead the most likely situation is under one scenario or another others were involved.

My personal scenario is that it's a combination of what the prosecution and the defense have said - he was there as a subordinate to others (what the defense says), but his involvement was at a minimum felony murder if not outright murder (what the prosecution says).

I think we have to wait until we have all testimonial evidence.

I have confidence the prosecutor is perfectly capable of refuting whatever the defense may claim by entering testimony and other evidence.

This trial is to take a few more weeks is it not? I think it's best to wait until all evidence is entered by both sides. Jmo

 

[oceanblueeyes]

Dear Oceanblueeyes,

Great post!

Preliminary Hearing was held July 20, 2015.

PH Transcript

Ah...thanks. thats a long time ago and an overwhelming amount of evidence has been collected in the three years following it.

Jmo