Savvas Savopoulos, his wife Amy and their three children had already booked their vacation to Mykonos, Greece. Unfortunately, the family will not be able to enjoy their vacation after the tragic May 14 incident, where three of its five members were murdered by Daron Dylon Wint, an African-American welder that used to work for Savopoulos.
Police were able to solve one of the most heinous crimes that has ever occurred in Washington. Wint tortured the Greek-American businessman, his wife Amy, their ten-year-old son Philip and one of their two housekeepers, Veralicia Figueroa, in order to extract money. In the end, he managed to get 40,000 dollars, he murdered the four victims and burned down the house to cover his tracks.
The Greek community of Washington was shocked by the tragic incident and is still mourning the loss of such an important member.
After the Asia Minor Catastrophe, during the population exchange between Greece and Turkey, Savopoulos’ grandfather moved from Cappadocia to Chalkis in Greece. After marrying his wife, he had two children, Philip and his younger sister. Philip Savopoulos finished school in Chalkis and then moved to the United States to study engineering at the University of Maryland. In 1948, Philip Savopoulos founded the family company, American Iron Works, specializing in large metal structures.
Twenty years ago, Savvas Savopoulos took the company reins, making its profits to drastically increase. Now, the company only undertakes large construction projects, worth several millions of dollars.
Even though Philip Savopoulos is fluent in Greek, his son never managed to learn the language. Nevertheless he made sure that his three children knew about their Greek heritage and culture, and always brought them to Greece during their summer holidays. Mykonos was their favorite destination.
Savvas and Amy Savopoulos actively participated in establishing American Institute of Welding, an organization offering a fresh start to people who have lost their jobs. The Greek-American philanthropist was always trying to help others and his charity work was mostly concentrated in Greece and the United States.
Savvas Savopoulos studied Law at the American University of Maryland but he never practiced the profession. From a young age he worked alongside his father in construction. At the age of 25 he married his American wife Amy and the couple later had three children, 19-year-old Abigail, 16-year-old Catherine and 10-year-old Philip, who was murdered along with his parents.
U.S. authorities have not yet been able to solve the mystery behind Wint’s motive. Police speak of a sadistic killer who enjoyed what he did and even ordered a pizza on May 13, while he was torturing the family. That was his biggest mistake, since the forensic laboratory found his DNA on the pizza crust, which led to his arrest a few days later.
Abigail and Catherine Savopoulos were not at the house at the time of the crime since they were both away at boarding school.
The Savopoulos family ties to Greece were never broken. He often visited his relatives in Chalkis, where his aunt lives. His family still cannot believe that a man who was so keen on helping others was suddenly murdered for the sum of 40,000 dollars.
Friends and family will bid farewell to the couple and young Philip on June 1 at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Washington.
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