While I can understand why the pizza people didn’t suspect anything horrible (leaving money outside for the pizza guy probably happens from time to time), the assistant and the housekeeper’s husband should have acted…at least to call the police and ask for them to “check” on the home. There was also the reference to a bunch of frantic calls between the dad, the bank, the accountant and the assistant about the $40k. Didn’t that alert anyone?
I hope that separating each of the arrested, and interrogating them separately, they’re able to determine how the perps got into the home and who else was involved (the assistant?)
When I read that the mom had called the dad at work to tell him to come home so she could go out, I wonder if she was already being held hostage and forced to make that call. If so, too bad that they didn’t have a code word to use to indicate trouble.
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There most likely are federal crimes involved
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The feds are saying that they’re looking for federal charges to file.
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Gutierrez also knew Figueroa, the housekeeper who was found dead.
She told police that Savvas left a message saying Figueroa was staying overnight to help, saying that his wife was sick and his son was home with an injury.
Gutierrez said she had never known Figueroa to stay overnight.
‘Never, never did she stay over,’ Gutierrez said.
Police documents also show there were reports of unusual activity in the neighborhood.
Neighbors reported seeing a man banging on the door of one home.
There was an aggressive vacuum cleaner salesman at another house and reports of a prowler.
A witness also reported seeing what could have been [Mrs} Savopoulos’ blue Porsche speeding down the street the day before the deaths were discovered.
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It was also reported that there were no signs of forced entry.
I’m wondering if they either confronted Mrs. S at another location and forced her to take them to her home or if they confronted her outside her home?
These murders were so chilling and horrifying that I continued my two week long, self-imposed moratorium on watching the National news (that may seem like a strange thing to do, but when I feel my old nemesis, clinical depression, trying to claw its way around the edges of my consciousness, I know I have to limit the type of input I allow). Funny how CC has it’s tractor beam effect on me though. I specifically came here to read about this story. I don’t know why.
Anyway, I think the sad fact is that it may have been virtually impossible for this tragedy to have been circumvented. I think back on the Petit case, wherein the wife actually told the bank employees exactly what she was up against, the police were alerted and actually came to the house. But they DID NOT attempt to enter the home forcibly to try to rescue the family (I can’t quite remember the rationale they gave for not doing so). Would the DC police have done similarly? Gone to the home, and knocked, but receiving no answer, have simply waited outside until the killer(s) came out or the house was torched? It’s fairly certain that when all the strange phone and text messaging from the victims was sent, the killer(s) were already in the home, and engaging in unspeakable acts of cruelty. When the police arrived, they would not likely have come to the door, or allowed anyone else to answer the door (assuming they were even still alive at that point).
One reason why cases like this are so disturbing is because we assume that money and domicile in a seemingly secure neighborhood render you immune to certain kinds of crime (home invasion), even though you still remain vulnerable to many of life’s other misfortunes. We think, if it can happen to people such as these, it can happen to any of us. I still get chills thinking of the Sharon Tate murders, the randomness of it all…
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I think back on the Petit case, wherein the wife actually told the bank employees exactly what she was up against, the police were alerted and actually came to the house. But they DID NOT attempt to enter the home forcibly to try to rescue the family (I can’t quite remember the rationale they gave for not doing so).
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The reason given was that they were waiting for the SWAT team.
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Anyway, I think the sad fact is that it may have been virtually impossible for this tragedy to have been circumvented.
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I don’t know. Maybe not from outside people alerting, but as rich as they were, they didn’t seem to have adequate security. That said, I don’t know enough about security options for the very rich. I wouldn’t think that all 4 victims were in the same room when accosted.
The husband was not at home when it started. The perpetrators gained entry in the back of the home when she returned from walking the dog. Surprised and overwhelmed her. And then they got into the home. They had her call husband with a story that son was sick - and he rushed home. And then they had 4 hostages.
This story terrifies me. I agree that it is very similar to the Petit family murder in CT. That case really unnerved me as for the greater part of our marriage H travelled constantly and I was alone all the time with the children. When the Petit story broke, the brutality and sheer randomness of it was jolting and made me realize how vulnerable we all really are. Doesn’t matter where you live or what kind of alarm system you have. If they want to get into your home, they will. I am not sure that even a weapon would have helped the Savopoulos family as they were already there when the H arrived home. Doubt he ever had the chance to retrieve a weapon if he had one.
I realize this was not random - but it’s a good reminder to be careful when you return home and are preparing to re-enter your home. I think of what an easy target we are with arms full of groceries or whatever - unlocking the door to the house - oblivious to someone sneaking up behind us.
I don’t think the Petit case was random…weren’t they targeted because they were believed to have money?
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The husband was not at home when it started. The perpetrators gained entry in the back of the home when she returned from walking the dog. Surprised and overwhelmed her. And then they got into the home. They had her call husband with a story that son was sick - and he rushed home. And then they had 4 hostages.
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@rockvillemom Wow…where did you find that? And who told that story since they’re all dead?? oh wait…did the outside cameras indicate that? But where did the sick kid story come from?
One of the dad’s employees said that the dad was called home to watch the son so that the mom could go out that evening.
It’s really too bad that she couldn’t think of something odd to say to her H that wouldn’t have clued in the perps, but would have alerted her H.
I guess it is the working theory at this point. Heard it on the local news. The were no signs of forced entry. I don’t know if they found dropped items or some other clue at the rear entrance to support this theory.
I could not find a link to this - so could be wrong. I did see that husband was called home so she could go out - not that son was sick. Somewhere else I saw that son was recovering from a go-kart injury and I thought that was part of why she asked him to come home.
In any case - 3 were home at the time of initial entry to the house and husband arrived later.
It reminds me of the Goff case in Potomac MD 20 years ago. Several family members murdered - one at a time as they each returned home - with no idea of what they were walking into.
It is hard to think of how one can fight back against a planned, targeted ambush.
In the Petit case, I read on wiki that when the wife went to the bank and told tge teller they were being held hostage, she also said she “thinks they are just after money.” I wonder if Mrs. Savopoulos thought the same thing when she called her husband to come home.
I know common wisdom is to just give criminals what money etc they want and hope they’ll leave you with your life, don’t fight back, don’t escalate, but I guess really in a situation where your life is on the line you have to make your own judgment.
I saw an episode of Oprah years ago with a well known safety specialist - whose advise was the complete opposite. He said we should not assume that a criminal is going to keep his word and let you go once you comply with his demands. His advice was more along the run when you can, fight back, etc. But who knows what would be the best approach in any given situation.
Well, if they didn’t have outside cameras (front, back, side, etc) then they really were remiss. I’m thinking that maybe they did, and that’s where the theory of the back door is coming from.
I agree that when ambushed, one doesn’t have a chance to respond. I don’t know what high-tech security options are out there for wealthy people who are more likely going to be targeted for this sort of thing.
There are some cameras - I have seen footage of one male figure running from the house - you only see him from the back.
In a wealthy area with more land - like Potomac - multi million dollar mansions are gated - so that no one can simply walk up to a door or hide by a door. But nothing is foolproof. Look at the group of hs kids who repeatedly burglarized celebrity homes.
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I saw the camera footage, too. They seem to be showing what went on in the front. Maybe there is footage of what went on in the back, but that is not being shown.