New clues revealed in upscale D.C.-area murder
A brief, chilling voicemail could hold answers in the murder of a Washington, D.C., family and its housekeeper, reports CBS News correspondent Wyatt Andrews.
Nelitza Gutierrez, the family's second housekeeper of 20 years was warned not to come to the house the night before the family's home was set on fire.
She was supposed to report to their home on Thursday, but got an unusual message Wednesday night from the owner, and one of the victims, Savvas Savopolous, telling her she wasn't needed because their other housekeeper Vera Figeroa was staying the night.
"Like maybe they changed plans at the last minute? They say not to come," Gutierrez said.
In that voicemail, Savapolous says: "I hope you get this message. Amy is in bed sick tonight and she was sick this afternoon. ...Vera offered to stay and help her out."
But this was out of the ordinary, Gutierrez says, because the family had never asked either woman for overnight help.
"That Vera offered to stay overnight, which is not normal because she never stay in that place overnight, but I never got that message the same night," Gutierrez said.
Neighbors also tell CBS News the voicemail indicates something was very wrong Wednesday night.
The length of time the family was under duress and possibly held captive matters because of the chilling announcement from D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier - that three of the four victims had been physically abused before the house caught fire Thursday afternoon.
"There were injuries discovered that appear to be blunt-force or sharp-object injuries," Lanier said.
When the fire was extinguished police recovered the bodies of Savopoulos, his 47-year-old wife Amy, their 10 year-old son Phillip, along with Figueroa.
Police say there were no signs of forced entry.
This is a neighborhood where everyone knows each other. The community is in mourning because of the loss of close friends, but it's also in some fear. Until police have more answers, residents have no way to know if this was a planned attack targeting this one family or a more random home invasion targeting the affluence of the neighborhood.