Washington: The prime suspect in a grisly killing of a wealthy Washington family-of-three and their maid did not act alone, prosecutors said Friday, as he was formally charged with first-degree murder.
Daron Dylon Wint, 34, was arrested Thursday following a massive manhunt after police found his DNA on a pizza crust in the family mansion where the four bodies, including that of a 10-year-old boy, were discovered bound and bludgeoned. The home had been set ablaze.
The case has shocked the city because it took place in an affluent area of the US capital and appeared to have involved brutal violence -- investigators found sharp force trauma on all the bodies.
Three men and two women were arrested with Wint and later released, but court documents said "Wint and others" were suspected in the May 14 killings in the upscale neighborhood that is lined with multimillion-dollar homes.
"The crimes described in this affidavit required the presence and assistance of more than one person," the formal charge sheet said.
Wint, who appeared in court shackled at the waist, wrists and ankles, is charged with first-degree felony murder while armed.
Court documents said "a strong odor consistent with that of gasoline was present throughout the home."Savopoulos was the CEO of American Iron Works, a building materials company in neighboring Maryland state.
Police launched a search for Wint after they found his DNA on partially eaten pizza delivered to the home.
Wint used to work for American Iron Works, officials said, but the motive for the killing is not known.
Police said while the family was being held, Savopoulos`s assistant delivered $40,000 in cash to the home.
Savopoulos`s blue Porsche was also reported missing, and court documents said it was later found abandoned and burned several miles from the crime scene.
The US Attorney for the District of Columbia, Vincent Cohen, said they would continue to pursue the case and did not rule out further charges.
"Though Mr Wint is now incarcerated and held without bail, all work is not done. We will continue to investigate this case and bring all charges that are appropriate in the coming weeks," he told reporters.
But a state-appointed defense lawyer said Wint was not guilty and was being targeted unfairly.
Wint`s next court appearance is scheduled for June 23.
The Washington Post reported that Wint has a criminal history, allegedly involving violent behavior.
But Wint`s former attorney said on CNN the police have the wrong man.
"It`s not his act. He`s a nice guy. He`s patriotic," lawyer Robin Ficker said. He said he had defended Wint in six cases from 2005 to 2006 and he was never found guilty.
He also challenged the pizza evidence, saying authorities have not revealed where the food was when it was found.
"I`ve had many cases where the DNA results were thrown out of court because they simply were not valid. And they may well have been contrived in this case," he said.
