WASHINGTON – The man suspected of killing a D.C. family and their housekeeper has fired his defense team and will be represented instead by public defenders.
Daron Wint was in D.C. Superior Court Thursday for what was supposed to be a preliminary hearing. Instead the hearing was postponed and a judge dismissed Wint’s second attorney Sean Hanover and co-counselor Abby Archer.
Hanover, who was named Wint’s attorney two weeks ago, said he didn’t know about Wint’s decision before the hearing began. “It was a difference of opinion that requires us to no longer represent him,” he says.
Hanover said it wasn’t due to financial concerns but wouldn’t say Wint’s decision was related to the defense’s strategy.
However, Hanover said he believes that Wint was set up and that others were involved in the kidnapping, robbing and killing of the Savopoulos family. And he added that Wint was “heartbroken just like everybody else at their deaths.”
Wint will return to court July 20 when prosecutors could present some of the evidence they say they have against Wint.
Wint has been charged with the murder of Savvas Savopoulos, whose body was found along with his dead wife and son in the family’s burned multi-million dollar home on Woodland Drive. Their housekeeper was also killed.
WTOP’s Megan Cloherty contributed to this report.
