GUILTY DC - Savvas Savopoulos, family & Veralicia Figueroa murdered; Daron Wint Arrested #23

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dixiegirl1035 said:
But I thought Washington DC has the felony murder rule? Well it may not be called that but something comprable. Even if he didn't kill anybody he's responsible legally if somebody was murdered during a felony, isn't that correct?
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That's my understanding. Here is Felony Murder Rule explained:

Felony Murder Overview :: Justia
The felony murder rule is a rule that allows a defendant to be charged with first-degree murder for a killing that occurs during a dangerous felony, even if the defendant is not the killer. The felony murder rule applies only to those crimes that are considered “inherently dangerous,” as the rationale underlying the felony murder rule is that certain crimes are so dangerous that society wants to deter individuals from engaging in them altogether. Thus, when a person participates in an inherently dangerous crime, he or she may be held responsible for the fatal consequences of that crime, even if someone else caused the actual death.
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more...
 
Keith L. Alexander‏Verified account @keithlalexander 10m10 minutes ago
"Federal prosecutor Laura Bach says Daron Wint alone killed 3 members of Savopoulos family and housekeeper. Attacking and restraining each one by one. Says housekeeper Vera Figueroa tried to fight him with a baseball bat. Her dna found on bat’s handle."
I had not heard that before
 
I'm back from court. I heard the prosecution closing argument, but I left before defense. I have a cold and I was struggling to contain my coughing all morning, and just didn't feel up to staying all day. Sorry about that everyone! I'll write up a summary of my notes. Closing argument ended with showing autopsy photos of Amy, Savvas, and Vera (no Phillip). Amy's and Savvas's parents were crying - very sad. Some court spectators who were sitting behind me said that the prosecution didn't do a good job, but I disagree. These particular people have been anti-prosecution all along, so I don't take them too seriously - just hope people on the jury aren't thinking the same. Ok, going to write up my notes now.

Also adding that both Bach and Pipe told the judge this AM that their arguments are longer than they initially expected, and that they could potentially go into tomorrow. Defense was slated to begin at 2PM, but Pipe said she was prepared to break partway through her argument and conclude tomorrow morning, if needed.
 
patriciah said:
I'm back from court. I heard the prosecution closing argument, but I left before defense. I have a cold and I was struggling to contain my coughing all morning, and just didn't feel up to staying all day. Sorry about that everyone! I'll write up a summary of my notes. Closing argument ended with showing autopsy photos of Amy, Savvas, and Vera (no Phillip). Amy's and Savvas's parents were crying - very sad. Some court spectators who were sitting behind me said that the prosecution didn't do a good job, but I disagree. These particular people have been anti-prosecution all along, so I don't take them too seriously - just hope people on the jury aren't thinking the same. Ok, going to write up my notes now.

Also adding that both Bach and Pipe told the judge this AM that their arguments are longer than they initially expected, and that they could potentially go into tomorrow. Defense was slated to begin at 2PM, but Pipe said she was prepared to break partway through her argument and conclude tomorrow morning, if needed.
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I hope you feel better after a night's sleep, patriciah!

And I hope the jury finds the prosecution's case strong enough to convict.

Looking forward to your notes....but take care of yourself as priority!
 
Patriciah I hope you will feel a lot better very soon. You are a trooper for going even though you weren't feeling well.

Take your time writing up your notes. Your own health is what is of most importance.

Get plenty of rest and stay hydrated.

Take good care of yourself.
 
Melanie Alnwick FOX 5 DC
Melanie Alnwick FOX 5 DC
31 mins ·
Closing arguments in the #MansionMurders trial: The Prosecution.
>>>
Laura Bach practically gutted the defense’s theories, reminding the jury that in opening statements, public defender Jeffrey Stein first said that Daron Wint was in a house with no WiFi on 5/13 & 5/14, then the story changed to “he lost his phone”. That Stein said the case would show how Daron Wint was tricked by his two brothers into going to the Savopolous home “to clean up their mess”, and that “when he saw what the brothers had done, he walked out in horror”. Yet Daron Wint never claimed during his testimony that Steffon Wint was ever at the house, and Wint testified he didn’t even know about “the mess”, claiming to have never even gone upstairs. Bach also reminded jurors that Stein promised evidence that the hair found in the home came from Steffon Wint. “Where is the evidence?” she asked out loud. Bach listed several other defense promises: that evidence would show Jordan Wallace was “a man who knew about the alarm system”, who “had many connections to people in this case”, and that “the phone Darrell Wint was using disappeared.” None of the evidence, said Bach, pointed to that. “Make no mistake. They have tried to blame three completely innocent men!”

Bach told the jury that they should bring common sense with them into the deliberation room, and to accept that there will be some questions that can’t be answered - such as why Daron Wint wanted to order a pizza, and who was the guy on surveillance video running with a bucket - the one who we’re to believe helped Daron burn the Porsche. Bach said it wasn’t Darrell Wint - because phone records show Darrell Wint was in Montgomery County the whole time. “He has nothing to do with this.” she said.

It was during Bach’s final arguments that family members, and some jurors, wept.
Each victim’s long list of injuries was detailed, often punctuated with flashes of gruesome autopsy and crimes scene photos: a plastic bag filled with blood on the floor - Bach said was used to asphyxiate one or more of the victims. Close ups of the wrists of Vera Figueroa and Amy Savopolous - bruised red and purple from restraint with specks of duct tape evident. Bloodied skulls, battered faces, and deep stab wounds. These photos, it seemed, caught Amy and Savvas’ family off guard. They sat with their eyes closed or covered. One woman doubled over on the bench and sobbed quietly.

Prosecutor Laura Bach’s own voice cracked when she said 10- year old Philip deserved to grow up. “It is time for you to hold Daron Wint accountable for what he did,” she told the jury. Bach added that Amy and Savvas were subjected to emotional torture few parents could bear - and raised her voice at Daron Wint: “Even though they gave him everything he wanted - all $40k! There was nothing they could do to save their little boy.”
Fox 5 DC
 
DC mansion killings: Daron Wint on trial
Oct. 22, 2018 — Day 20
Emotional closing arguments: Wint turned family's house 'into a graveyard, prosecutor says
In emotionally charged closing arguments, a federal prosecutor in the first-degree felony murder trial of the Maryland man charged with killing three members of a D.C. family and their housekeeper told jurors it was time to hold Daron Wint accountable for turning the family's Woodley Park mansion “into a graveyard.”

Daron Wint is the lone defendant on trial in the killing of Savvas and Amy Savopoulos; their 10-year-old son; and Vera Figueroa, the family's housekeeper in May 2015. The victims were beaten and stabbed after $40,000 was extorted from the businessman father. The family's house was later set ablaze.

In closing arguments that lasted several hours Monday morning and afternoon, Assistant U.S. Attorney said greed drove Wint to kill — and that all the evidence pointed to him as the sole assailant.

“Daron Wint wanted things that he couldn't have. And keep in mind that he had been backed into a corner at this point,” Bach said, relating that Wint, who had recently been kicked out of his brother's house, didn't have a place to stay and was facing the prospect of sleeping in his minivan. “He decided he was going to take from the Savopoulos family, she said.

As the trial in D.C. Superior Court enters its seventh week, Bach wove together reams of evidence and testimony — from call records, crime scene photos and witness testimony — aiming to show Wint, alone, carried out the hostage-taking and killing.

Wint's team of public defenders have argued since the start of the trial that it was actually Wint's two brothers, Darrell and Steffon Wint, who carried out the elaborate crime. The defense also sought to raise suspicions about Savvas Savopoulos' former assistant, Jordan Wallace, who dropped off the $40,000 ransom while the victims were being held inside the house.

“Make no mistake that they have tried to blame three completely innocent men,” Bach told jurors.

In her recounting of the crime, Bach laid out how Wint took the victims captive, essentially one by one, starting with Figueroa and 10-year-old Philip on the afternoon of May 13, 2015, while Amy Savopoulos was out on a Starbucks run. Savvas Savopoulos was called back to the house later that evening.

“It's tough when you've got four people all at once,” Bach said. 'It's not so tough when you take them one at time."

Still, Bach acknowledged some gaps in prosecutors' timeline, telling jurors there were some elements of the crime — such as what door Wint used to get inside the house — that would likely remain unexplained. She urged jurors to use common sense.

“Common sense gets to come into the courtroom with you, folks,” she said.

The prosecutor described in grisly detail the injuries to the victims bodies — accompanied by graphic autopsy photos — in an attempt to show jurors the killings were especially “atrocious, heinous cruel.”

Family members of the victims covered their eyes and stifled sobs as the photos were shown.
by WTOP 2:12 PM
 
Wow, sounds like the prosecution tore up the defense in closing. So defense way over-promised at start .... that’s got to count against them IMO.

And some new info - at least one victim asphyxiated with plastic bag, Vera may have tried to fight off DW with one of the bats, which had her DNA on the handle.
 
10/22 Notes:
  • before jury came in, discussion about issues raised over the weekend. Defense wanted a stipulation to jury about Darrell's testimony regarding his 2006 assault conviction - the assault was retaliation against someone for testifying in court and the person who was assaulted was not the same person who cooperated with the police. statements were agreed upon to read to jury, which were based on transcripts of Darrell's testimony in that case- that Darrell agreed that the charge was the result of a serious incident and that the assault was because of snitching - the word "gang" was omitted from the statement. Defense requested to strike the testimony of Officer Erd(sp?) who responded to Atlantic Ave. shooting, and portions of Mr. Ash testimony - that Phil S. was in VI at the time DW worked at AIW. judge denied this motion.
  • Prosecution closing argument - this was a nightmare situation
  • 4 people were beaten, stabbed and burned because of DW's greed, for 40K
  • DW was backed into a corner with nowhere to go - sister, brother, father had kicked him out
  • DW intent was to take - he convinced 4 people to do whatever he wanted - make calls, send emails, order pizza - but he killed them anyway
  • DW's first instinct was to lie, threw Darrell, Steffon, Jordan Wallace under the bus
  • Prosecutor's argument consists of 4 parts - timeline, show DW committed the crimes, defense's broken promises, and the offenses themselves
  • 5/13 began as a normal day - shows screen shot of Amy's messages with daughter at 6:59 AM, took Philip to doctor - shows receipt from parking 10:47AM. Amy and Philip are home, Amy's phone shows some phone calls around 11AM. Bach mentions that Amy is a mother, not a millennial, that she's not constantly on her phone.
  • 5/13 - sometime between 11:30 and 3:30, Amy leaves the house, leaving Vera and Philip home alone. Margaret Pressler sees Amy walking home around 3:30 PM. The date stood out in Pressler's mind because her daughter was to have surgery, went under anesthesia, but then surgery cancelled. Pressler took her daughter to school anyway. Remembers timing of seeing Amy because Pressler sent a text to her daughter that she was there to pick her up.
  • 3:14PM - Olde Town Pet Resort tries to call house, note that phone is disconnected - the phone wires were cut. Shows picture of cut wires, near door to kitchen. Bach says that this is the approximate time DW entered the house - says we may never know how he entered the house - forced in, broke in, which door - but he got in - and found a 57 year old woman (Vera) and 10 year old Philip in the house. Vera tried to fight with bat - bat found downstairs had Vera's DNA on handle - no blood. Showed picture of bat.
  • Amy home by 3:30PM so Vera can go home. Shows picture of Starbucks cup on table in entryway, LV bag next to the table. Shows picture of Starbucks bag on kitchen floor. Shows pictures of duct tape residue on 2 chairs in the upstairs bedroom & wrist bruises and residue on wrists - Vera and Amy bound with duct tape, shows picture of partially burned tie found under Philip's body - Philip bound with tie. During this time, the pet resort continues to try to call. 4:38 PM Amy calls Savvas to come home - sounds normal, trying to hold it together. Savvas leaves dojo sometime after 5PM. 5:34 PM Amy calls the pet resort, very quick convo. 6:25 (or 6:35 - can't read my own writing) Savvas home -shows gps data from Savvas' & Jordan Wallace phones. JW home in Annapolis by 7:02. We don't know where or how DW took down Savvas, but SS blood found on kitchen door. One person taking down 4 people is difficult, subduing them down 1 at a time, not difficult. Bach refers to DW's testimony that he was strong, could have taken down victims. Savvas bound with zip ties - shows wrist injuries consistent with zip ties, shows burn pile with zip ties.
  • By the morning of 5/14, normal communications with the family had stopped. A text from Katerina asking permission to go out after prom was unanswered. DW was directing all calls and SS and AS were holding it together.
  • DW directed calls about money - 7:59 PM 5/13 call from SS to Debbie Masser (sister) about money. she tells him he has to wait until AM when bank is open - SS sounds normal on this call. Bach plays voicemail from SS to JW telling him to go to Hyattsville in the morning instead of dojo, to check ebay listings and wait for a package delivery around 10AM. DW directed calls to keep people away - plays SS voicemail to Nellie to tell Vera's family not to worry, that her phone is dead, and she's staying to help Amy (note - the sound of a child screaming in background was not in this voicemail - was that authentic?) 9:14 PM call for pizza. Bach tells the jury they could be deliberating for years if they try to figure out why DW ordered pizza. Pizza was recovered in the room with the 3 adults. Shows photos of receipt and box. Bach says that it was at the time DW went to retrieve the pizza that he noticed the security camera pointed at the front door. Shows photo of camera. 10:08 PM AS phone records show repeated attempts to call security company, Eric Pellak. Eventually gets response that video is stored on hard drive. Access door from hard drive was recovered in the bedroom with the 3 adults, but other contents taken. This is the beginning of a very long night for the victims. During the night, DW takes several photos and deletes them.
  • 5/14 - 6:30 AM phone calls start again. 7:02 AM Amy repeatedly calling Eric Pellak about security - anything stored in cloud? 8:50AM Eric Pellak sends login instructions. SS calling Debbie Masser, AS texts Nellie not to come. 9:12AM David Arber from sprinkler company calls and talks to AS - she sounded frightened and scared - she's still trying to hold it together. 9:30 AM Bernardo Alfaro knocking on door, looking in windows for Vera. SS calls him - 3 consecutive misdials before reaching Bernardo's number -shows SS is struggling to hold it together. 9:45 AM - 10:15 AM - multiple texts/calls between JW and SS. 10:26 AM JW texts that the package was delivered.
  • Bach shows photo of knife propping open basement window. This is a storage room with a bathroom, window is right by the garage. Where did the knife come from? There is a kitchen in the basement. DW DNA on knife. DW propped open the window to listen to the $ being dropped off. JW then goes to Chantilly - shows receipts from Jimmy John's, Lowes, Arbys. 1:39PM house is on fire - shows multiple messages from JW to AS & SS asking if they are ok, heard house on fire, heading to house. Also JW call with Debbie Masser.
  • 5/14 - 11:47 AM "24 & K" entered into DW's phone. 11:54 SS phone pings in the area of 1605 Connecticut Ave NW. This is when the van was moved - DW left house to move van. DW seen at lunch hour by Aussie neighbors walking purposefully down sidewalk and opening garage. They can't see his hands. DW had the garage opener. DW in the house for another hour, hour and 15 minutes. DW lights match in room where Philip is, shows photo of matches and a gas soaked sweater on the stairs. 1:31 PM - calls about fire begin - Bach played several recordings of people calling 911 about the fire. DW drove off in Porsche. Shows picture of the burned Porsche - the seats are not reclined. Tow truck driver Duglas Ventura testified that DW gave him directions to the van. between 2:27-3:06 there are multiple calls from tow truck driver's phone to Darrell's phone -all calls to Darrell are to the same phone number - not multiple phone numbers - Darrell didn't have multiple phones. Van retrieved at 2400 Penn Ave NW- more calls to Darrell. Ventura testified that when he dropped off DW and the van, he was very uneasy because DW pulled out a phone and started using it, and DW got into the van and started it up - he had the keys. Video of La Fountainebleue shows 2 employees who testified cars pulling out - van is nowhere to be seen in the video despite DW testifying that it was parked there. Who brought the bucket of gas and who is running in the video? We might never know the answer, but the wooded area behind the shopping center is filled with drug users, would be easy to pay someone $100 to get a bucket of gas.
  • Evening of 5/14, DW goes home in the van, begins calling Darrell and Vanessa. Searches "how to beat a lie detector," texts Vanessa photos of iphones. Darrell picks up DW to go to Walmart 10:25PM - Bach points out that DW hair is pulled back in the Walmart video - looks like he has short hair. Darrell takes DW to get gas for the minivan - bucket, thinks DW is going to put the gas in van. 51st & Frolich - very close to Metal Fab, where DW worked for years. Pulls away and sees smoke. This is the debris fire - Bach says DW burned his backpack and other evidence, such as zip ties. DW and Darrell return to Walmart so DW can buy a new backpack.
  • 5/15 DW goes to the gym- shows D. Ayling $1200. 1:17PM he is searching for how to reset iphone, how to get rid of cloud. On 5/15 there are 27 calls from the landline where DW living to Darrell's cell. Darrell didn't answer - didn't want to know. 11:16PM DW asks D. Ayling to help him burn the van. Ayling declines. Van fire is ~1hr later, near Metal Fab, very close to debris pile from other fire.
  • 5/16 - Bach shows other receipts - immigration lawyer, cab driver Roger Hutchinson. DW searching for hideout cities, extradition cities.
  • On morning of 5/20, DW downloaded a photo of the 4 victims from the news.
  • 5/20-5/21 Darrell at work painting. Picked up DW on his lunch hour on 5/21. Darrell recruits girls to get money orders for Lonny Bramzon - defense atty. Eventually this gets to be too much for Darrell and he calls a detective to take DW to jail.
  • DW left no witnesses to what happened in the house
  • Reasonable doubt - prosecution doesn't have to prove every single detail - what door, how DW got in, why he ordered pizza, who was killed first - all open questions, but look at the testimony, physical evidence, digital evidence. DNA on knife in basement 1 in 90 billion, Louisville slugger - AS & SS blood - used to kill. Sword - Philip's DNA on tassle, Philip had large stab wound. Vera's DNA on downstairs bat. DW DNA on pizza crust - both on the edge, and on chewed part - 1 in 10 quintillion. Vest in Porsche - had DW DNA and SS DNA. Hard hat in garage - hair, upstairs bed hair - mitochondrial DNA - can't blame Darrell so blame Steffon. Bach mentions throughout the closing that DW's first instinct is to lie. Digital evidence: 3/23 DW pulled over, claims to be Steffon; 4/1 argument with Steffon, voicemail to Vanessa; 4/29 Dennis gives DW 30 days to move out; 5/13-14 messages from Vanessa and Seanna (sister) asking where DW is; 5/13-5/14 DW took and deleted photos on his phone.
  • DW is not required to testify or prove anything - but if defendant does testify, present evidence jury can evaluate.
  • Broken promises from defense - changing explanations. Steffon, Jordan mentioned in opening statement, DW testified nothing about them. no evidence Steffon was in the house. JW knew nothing about the alarm system. Darrell's phone did not disappear, he had it the whole time and it pinged nowhere near the house. No connection between Chelsea Nunez and JW - Chelsea didn't go to Autobahn until after JW was fired.
  • Bach explains charges - Burglary, kidnapping, extortion, arson, theft of 40K. Explains felony murder - no intent necessary. For felony murder, it doesn't matter if anyone else was involved - all evidence is against DW - not someone else. Bach explains aid & abetting & felony murder. Explains 1st degree murder - intent, premeditation, deliberation. DW had plenty of time to deliberate overnight 5/13. Bach explains aggravating circumstances: kidnapping, more than one offense of 1st degree murder committed during course of event, Philip's age, heinous, atrocious, cruel
  • Shows autopsy photos (I didn't list every injury for each victim, there were more than I wrote)
  • Vera - asphyxia by plastic - shows photo of plastic bag in pool of blood - says Vera could have been held under the plastic bag multiple times
  • Savvas - soaked with gasoline, also evidence of asphyxia
  • Amy - covered in gasoline, stabbed 3x in the next (showed 3 precise wounds in the front of her neck, like a necklace), stabbed 5x in torso, 3 gaping injuries to head (showed this as well)
  • Philip - did not show photo of Philip's body, but did show photo of the bed/room where Philip was held - bed is nothing but metal coils, room completely burned up.Philip was restrained, entire body burned, stabbed 3x in abdomen. Shows picture of sword in bathroom. Amy and Savvas did everything DW wanted, got him the money, still couldn't save their little boy.
  • Bach's voice breaking by end, several jurors were crying, families crying
 
Last edited:
patriciah said:
10/22 Notes:
  • before jury came in, discussion about issues raised over the weekend. Defense wanted a stipulation to jury about Darrell's testimony regarding his 2006 assault conviction - the assault was retaliation against someone for testifying in court and the person who was assaulted was not the same person who cooperated with the police. statements were agreed upon to read to jury, which were based on transcripts of Darrell's testimony in that case- that Darrell agreed that the charge was the result of a serious incident and that the assault was because of snitching - the word "gang" was omitted from the statement. Defense requested to strike the testimony of Officer Erd(sp?) who responded to Atlantic Ave. shooting, and portions of Mr. Ash testimony - that Phil S. was in VI at the time DW worked at AIW. judge denied this motion.
  • Prosecution closing argument - this was a nightmare situation
  • 4 people were beaten, stabbed and burned because of DW's greed, for 40K
  • DW was backed into a corner with nowhere to go - sister, brother, father had kicked him out
  • DW intent was to take - he convinced 4 people to do whatever he wanted - make calls, send emails, order pizza - but he killed them anyway
  • DW's first instinct was to lie, threw Darrell, Steffon, Jordan Wallace under the bus
  • Prosecutor's argument consists of 4 parts - timeline, show DW committed the crimes, defense's broken promises, and the offenses themselves
  • 5/13 began as a normal day - shows screen shot of Amy's messages with daughter at 6:59 AM, took Philip to doctor - shows receipt from parking 10:47AM. Amy and Philip are home, Amy's phone shows some phone calls around 11AM. Bach mentions that Amy is a mother, not a millennial, that she's not constantly on her phone.
  • 5/13 - sometime between 11:30 and 3:30, Amy leaves the house, leaving Vera and Philip home alone. Margaret Pressler sees Amy walking home around 3:30 PM. The date stood out in Pressler's mind because her daughter was to have surgery, went under anesthesia, but then surgery cancelled. Pressler took her daughter to school anyway. Remembers timing of seeing Amy because Pressler sent a text to her daughter that she was there to pick her up.
  • 3:14PM - Olde Town Pet Resort tries to call house, note that phone is disconnected - the phone wires were cut. Shows picture of cut wires, near door to kitchen. Bach says that this is the approximate time DW entered the house - says we may never know how he entered the house - forced in, broke in, which door - but he got in - and found a 57 year old woman (Vera) and 10 year old Philip in the house. Vera tried to fight with bat - bat found downstairs had Vera's DNA on handle - no blood. Showed picture of bat.
  • Amy home by 3:30PM so Vera can go home. Shows picture of Starbucks cup on table in entryway, LV bag next to the table. Shows picture of Starbucks bag on kitchen floor. Shows pictures of duct tape residue on 2 chairs in the upstairs bedroom & wrist bruises and residue on wrists - Vera and Amy bound with duct tape, shows picture of partially burned tie found under Philip's body - Philip bound with tie. During this time, the pet resort continues to try to call. 4:38 PM Amy calls Savvas to come home - sounds normal, trying to hold it together. Savvas leaves dojo sometime after 5PM. 5:34 PM Amy calls the pet resort, very quick convo. 6:25 (or 6:35 - can't read my own writing) Savvas home -shows gps data from Savvas' & Jordan Wallace phones. JW home in Annapolis by 7:02. We don't know where or how DW took down Savvas, but SS blood found on kitchen door. One person taking down 4 people is difficult, subduing them down 1 at a time, not difficult. Bach refers to DW's testimony that he was strong, could have taken down victims. Savvas bound with zip ties - shows wrist injuries consistent with zip ties, shows burn pile with zip ties.
  • By the morning of 5/14, normal communications with the family had stopped. A text from Katerina asking permission to go out after prom was unanswered. DW was directing all calls and SS and AS were holding it together.
  • DW directed calls about money - 7:59 PM 5/13 call from SS to Debbie Masser (sister) about money. she tells him he has to wait until AM when bank is open - SS sounds normal on this call. Bach plays voicemail from SS to JW telling him to go to Hyattsville in the morning instead of dojo, to check ebay listings and wait for a package delivery around 10AM. DW directed calls to keep people away - plays SS voicemail to Nellie to tell Vera's family not to worry, that her phone is dead, and she's staying to help Amy (note - the sound of a child screaming in background was not in this voicemail - was that authentic?) 9:14 PM call for pizza. Bach tells the jury they could be deliberating for years if they try to figure out why DW ordered pizza. Pizza was recovered in the room with the 3 adults. Shows photos of receipt and box. Bach says that it was at the time DW went to retrieve the pizza that he noticed the security camera pointed at the front door. Shows photo of camera. 10:08 PM AS phone records show repeated attempts to call security company, Eric Pellak. Eventually gets response that video is stored on hard drive. Access door from hard drive was recovered in the bedroom with the 3 adults, but other contents taken. This is the beginning of a very long night for the victims. During the night, DW takes several photos and deletes them.
  • 5/14 - 6:30 AM phone calls start again. 7:02 AM Amy repeatedly calling Eric Pellak about security - anything stored in cloud? 8:50AM Eric Pellak sends login instructions. SS calling Debbie Masser, AS texts Nellie not to come. 9:12AM David Arber from sprinkler company calls and talks to AS - she sounded frightened and scared - she's still trying to hold it together. 9:30 AM Bernardo Alfaro knocking on door, looking in windows for Vera. SS calls him - 3 consecutive misdials before reaching Bernardo's number -shows SS is struggling to hold it together. 9:45 AM - 10:15 AM - multiple texts/calls between JW and SS. 10:26 AM JW texts that the package was delivered.
  • Bach shows photo of knife propping open basement window. This is a storage room with a bathroom, window is right by the garage. Where did the knife come from? There is a kitchen in the basement. DW DNA on knife. DW propped open the window to listen to the $ being dropped off. JW then goes to Chantilly - shows receipts from Jimmy John's, Lowes, Arbys. 1:39PM house is on fire - shows multiple messages from JW to AS & SS asking if they are ok, heard house on fire, heading to house. Also JW call with Debbie Masser.
  • 5/14 - 11:47 AM "24 & K" entered into DW's phone. 11:54 SS phone pings in the area of 1605 Connecticut Ave NW. This is when the van was moved - DW left house to move van. DW seen at lunch hour by Aussie neighbors walking purposefully down sidewalk and opening garage. They can't see his hands. DW had the garage opener. DW in the house for another hour, hour and 15 minutes. DW lights match in room where Philip is, shows photo of matches and a gas soaked sweater on the stairs. 1:31 PM - calls about fire begin - Bach played several recordings of people calling 911 about the fire. DW drove off in Porsche. Shows picture of the burned Porsche - the seats are not reclined. Tow truck driver Duglas Ventura testified that DW gave him directions to the van. between 2:27-3:06 there are multiple calls from tow truck driver's phone to Darrell's phone -all calls to Darrell are to the same phone number - not multiple phone numbers - Darrell didn't have multiple phones. Van retrieved at 2400 Penn Ave NW- more calls to Darrell. Ventura testified that when he dropped off DW and the van, he was very uneasy because DW pulled out a phone and started using it, and DW got into the van and started it up - he had the keys. Video of La Fountainebleue shows 2 employees who testified cars pulling out - van is nowhere to be seen in the video despite DW testifying that it was parked there. Who brought the bucket of gas and who is running in the video? We might never know the answer, but the wooded area behind the shopping center is filled with drug users, would be easy to pay someone $100 to get a bucket of gas.
  • Evening of 5/14, DW goes home in the van, begins calling Darrell and Vanessa. Searches "how to beat a lie detector," texts Vanessa photos of iphones. Darrell picks up DW to go to Walmart 10:25PM - Bach points out that DW hair is pulled back in the Walmart video - looks like he has short hair. Darrell takes DW to get gas for the minivan - bucket, thinks DW is going to put the gas in van. 51st & Frolich - very close to Metal Fab, where DW worked for years. Pulls away and sees smoke. This is the debris fire - Bach says DW burned his backpack and other evidence, such as zip ties. DW and Darrell return to Walmart so DW can buy a new backpack.
  • 5/15 DW goes to the gym- shows D. Ayling $1200. 1:17PM he is searching for how to reset iphone, how to get rid of cloud. On 5/15 there are 27 calls from the landline where DW living to Darrell's cell. Darrell didn't answer - didn't want to know. 11:16PM DW asks D. Ayling to help him burn the van. Ayling declines. Van fire is ~1hr later, near Metal Fab, very close to debris pile from other fire.
  • 5/16 - Bach shows other receipts - immigration lawyer, cab driver Roger Hutchinson. DW searching for hideout cities, extradition cities.
  • On morning of 5/20, DW downloaded a photo of the 4 victims from the news.
  • 5/20-5/21 Darrell at work painting. Picked up DW on his lunch hour on 5/21. Darrell recruits girls to get money orders for Lonny Bramzon - defense atty. Eventually this gets to be too much for Darrell and he calls a detective to take DW to jail.
  • DW left no witnesses to what happened in the house
  • Reasonable doubt - prosecution doesn't have to prove every single detail - what door, how DW got in, why he ordered pizza, who was killed first - all open questions, but look at the testimony, physical evidence, digital evidence. DNA on knife in basement 1 in 90 billion, Louisville slugger - AS & SS blood - used to kill. Sword - Philip's DNA on tassle, Philip had large stab wound. Vera's DNA on downstairs bat. DW DNA on pizza crust - both on the edge, and on chewed part - 1 in 10 quintillion. Vest in Porsche - had DW DNA and SS DNA. Hard hat in garage - hair, upstairs bed hair - mitochondrial DNA - can't blame Darrell so blame Steffon. Bach mentions throughout the closing that DW's first instinct is to lie. Digital evidence: 3/23 DW pulled over, claims to be Steffon; 4/1 argument with Steffon, voicemail to Vanessa; 4/29 Dennis gives DW 30 days to move out; 5/13-14 messages from Vanessa and Seanna (sister) asking where DW is; 5/13-5/14 DW took and deleted photos on his phone.
  • DW is not required to testify or prove anything - but if defendant does testify, present evidence jury can evaluate.
  • Broken promises from defense - changing explanations. Steffon, Jordan mentioned in opening statement, DW testified nothing about them. no evidence Steffon was in the house. JW knew nothing about the alarm system. Darrell's phone did not disappear, he had it the whole time and it pinged nowhere near the house. No connection between Chelsea Nunez and JW - Chelsea didn't go to Autobahn until after JW was fired.
  • Bach explains charges - Burglary, kidnapping, extortion, arson, theft of 40K. Explains felony murder - no intent necessary. For felony murder, it doesn't matter if anyone else was involved - all evidence is against DW - not someone else. Bach explains aid & abetting & felony murder. Explains 1st degree murder - intent, premeditation, deliberation. DW had plenty of time to deliberate overnight 5/13. Bach explains aggravating circumstances: kidnapping, more than one offense of 1st degree murder committed during course of event, Philip's age, heinous, atrocious, cruel
  • Shows autopsy photos (I didn't list every injury for each victim, there were more than I wrote)
  • Vera - asphyxia by plastic - shows photo of plastic bag in pool of blood - says Vera could have been held under the plastic bag multiple times
  • Savvas - soaked with gasoline, also evidence of asphyxia
  • Amy - covered in gasoline, stabbed 3x in the next (showed 3 precise wounds in the front of her neck, like a necklace), stabbed 5x in torso, 3 gaping injuries to head (showed this as well)
  • Philip - did not show photo of Philip's body, but did show photo of the bed/room where Philip was held - bed is nothing but metal coils, room completely burned up.Philip was restrained, entire body burned, stabbed 3x in abdomen. Shows picture of sword in bathroom. Amy and Savvas did everything DW wanted, got him the money, still couldn't save their little boy.
  • Bach's voice breaking by end, several jurors were crying, families crying
Click to expand...
Excellent work.

Whew. I'm exhausting reading all that. It's a lot to take in.

Initial reactions:
* DW's interest in the security cameras came after the pizza was delivered. He did not enter into the crime with knowledge or plans to dismantle the security cameras.
* I'm still confused about the van! DW left during the crime to move the van?! I suppose none of this matters now, but where was the van before he moved it?
* Horrifying to read about the injuries and to know that Amy and Philip were treated in a savage way (all four were, of course, both those two seem specifically targeted with brutality).

Thank you again, for being there and sharing the info with all of us.

jmo
 
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