Ten years have passed since one of the most horrifying crimes in Washington, D.C.’s recent memory — the brutal slaying of the Savopoulos family and their housekeeper, Veralicia Figueroa. The case, now widely known as the “D.C. Mansion Murders,” shocked the nation with its chilling details and left a lasting impact on the community.
The Crime That Stunned a City
On May 14, 2015, first responders were called to a house fire at a grand residence in the upscale Woodley Park neighborhood. Inside the burning home, authorities discovered the bodies of 46-year-old Savvas Savopoulos, his wife Amy, their 10-year-old son Philip, and their longtime housekeeper, Veralicia Figueroa.
The investigation quickly revealed the horrifying truth: the victims had been held hostage for nearly 18 hours. During that time, the family was tortured in an attempt to secure a $40,000 ransom. After the cash was delivered, the victims were killed, and the house was set ablaze in an attempt to destroy evidence.
A Calculated Crime with Traces Left Behind
Details from court documents painted a disturbing picture. While the victims were being held captive, Amy Savopoulos had ordered pizza to the house. It was a clue that would later become critical in the investigation.
Daron Wint, a former welder who had worked at Savopoulos’ company, American Iron Works, became the prime suspect after investigators found his DNA on the crust of a partially eaten slice of pepperoni pizza. The pizza box had been found close to where the bodies of the adults were discovered.
Wint’s connection to the family through his previous employment and the DNA evidence made for a compelling case. He was arrested, tried, and ultimately convicted in 2018. Today, he is serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
A Case That Shook the Nation
The D.C. Mansion Murders became a national headline not only because of the brutality involved but also due to the calculated and deliberate nature of the crime. The idea that a family could be held hostage in their own home, tortured for money, and then murdered, rattled the sense of safety for many in the city and beyond.
Friends, neighbors, and the wider community continue to remember the Savopoulos family and Veralicia Figueroa as kind, generous people whose lives were cut tragically short.
A Decade Later: Justice Served, But Scars Remain
Though justice was served with Wint’s conviction and life sentence, the pain left behind remains for the victims’ families and those who knew them. The mansion where the murders occurred has long since been sold, but the memory of what happened there lingers in the city’s collective memory.
Ten years on, the D.C. Mansion Murders remain one of the most haunting chapters in the capital’s criminal history — a reminder of how quickly and tragically life can change, even in the most secure of settings.
Leave a Reply