Police: Suspect arrested in D.C. quadruple homicide

Delia Goncalves, WUSA-TV, and Doug Stanglin, USA TODAY | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption Suspect in D.C. quadruple mansion murder arrested Daron Dylon Wint has been arrested and is suspected of torturting and murdering a family and their housekeeper in northwest Washington, D.C. Police say Wint once worked for Savvas Savopoulos at the company he founded.

A suspect charged in the killing of three family members and a housekeeper last week in a $4.5 million mansion in Washington, D.C., was taken into custody late Thursday, police said.

Daron Dylon Wint, age 34, of Maryland was taken into custody in Northeast D.C., Chief Cathy Lanier confirmed.

Wint was named in an arrest warrant charging him with first-degree murder while armed.

Earlier, Washington police said they believed Wint fled Washington for New York City, but they had not ruled out the possibility that others might be involved in the brutal killings.

Police are looking into the possibility that Wint took a bus to New York at some point, stayed with his girlfriend Wednesday night and left during the early morning, WNBC-TV reports.

"We do believe the person (Wint) was in Brooklyn at some point," said Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce, The Daily News reports. "He has some relatives and some friends here."

Savvas Savopoulos 46, his wife, Amy, 47, their son, Phillip Savopoulos, 10, and housekeeper Veralicia Figuaroa, 57, were found dead on May 14 at the family's home near the National Cathedral in Northwest D.C.

Police said the victims -- held for two days -- were beaten or stabbed before the killer or killers set fire to the house.

Police alleged that Wint tortured the younger Savopoulos before extorting $40,000 from his wealthy father. The money was delivered to the house just hours before the multimillion-dollar mansion was torched, police said.

Wint was identified as the suspect after detectives allegedly found his DNA on a leftover pizza crust at the home, WUSA-TV reports. Police say he ordered Domino's Pizza while he allegedly held the family and their housekeeper hostage overnight.

Metropolitan Police Department Chief Cathy Lanier said at a news conference in Washington that investigators believe Wint, a certified welder, once worked for American Ironworks, the company that Savopoulos founded.

The Savopouloses lived in Washington's toney Woodley Park area where mansions are protected by fences and elaborate security systems and local and federal law enforcement officers are a constant presence, in part because Vice President Joe Biden's official residence is nearby.

"For residents of the District who are rightfully scared and want answers as to why and how this family may have been involved, we want to give you as many answers as we can," Lanier said. "What we can tell you right now is that we do believe there is a connection between the suspect in this case through the business. So right now it does not appear that this was a random crime."

According to police documents and law enforcement officials, The Washington Postreports, Savopoulos made numerous calls to his assistant, an accountant, a bank and business associates during the ordeal.

Figuaroa's husband, Bernado Alfaro, reportedly went to the mansion on Thursday morning to look for his wife. He said he thought someone was home, but no one answered the door.

A short time later, Savopoulos contacted Alfaro saying he needed Figuaroa to stay at the house because Amy Savopoulos was sick and might need to go to the hospital.

Alfaro told CBS News that that made little sense to him because his wife could not drive or speak English well.

The Savopoulos family also includes two daughters, but both were away at boarding school during the murders.

Contributing: Delia Goncalves, WUSA-TV, Washington, D.C.