A 34-year-old man with a criminal history has been identified as a suspect in the brutal May 13 torture and murders of a wealthy family in Northwest Washington, D.C. thanks to a pizza crust found in their home.
Law enforcement sources told the Washington Post that they've ID'd the man, Daron Dylon Wint, using DNA evidence that came from the crust of a Domino's pizza. It was ordered to the family's home the night before the bodies were found and wasn't destroyed in the fire.
The DNA analysis was conducted at a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms lab, the AP said. Gwendolyn Crump, a spokesperson at the Metropolitan Police Department, told Mashable, "We cannot comment on evidence in this ongoing investigation."
A local Fox affiliate, Fox 5, is reporting that the pizza chain's delivery man said he left two pizzas at the Washington mansion's front door and "there was an envelope with cash left outside" to pay for the meal.
The ATF fire investigations team is on site of the house fire yesterday that killed four people near the Naval Observatory. A photo posted by Paul Rigney (@paulrigney) on May 15, 2015 at 10:31am PDT
The next day, May 14, firefighters were called to Savvas Savopoulos's Washington mansion, where they found the bodies of the 46-year-old wealthy executive, his wife, Amy, 47; their son, Philip, 10; and a housekeeper, Veralicia Figueroa. All were slain before the fire was set, police said, and three had been stabbed or bludgeoned. Police believe there is a connection through the man's business. "We do not believe this is a random crime," said DC Police Deptartment Chief Cathy Lanier on Thursday.
Breaking: D.C.Firefighters find 4 bodies inside a burning home in the 3200 block of Woodland Drive NW. More to come.— Paul Wagner (@Fox5Wagner) May 14, 2015
A person who answered the phone Thursday morning at a Domino's about two miles from the house told the Associated Press that a pizza had been delivered there from that store but directed further questions to a company spokesman, who did not immediately return a message.
An arrest warrant has been issued for Wint on charges of first-degree murder, and the U.S. Marshals Service has joined the search for the suspect, said Drew Wade, an agency spokesman. Wint had ties to New York, and the NYPD is working with District of Columbia authorities to help track him down, but so far he has not been spotted in the metropolitan area.
"We believe Mr. Wint is currently in Brooklyn," Lanier said.