Washington, DC couple allegedly told housekeeper not to come before they were killed at home

A prominent Washington DC couple found murdered in their multimillion-dollar home allegedly called and texted a housekeeper to not come to work on the day they were killed. The couple, along with their 10-year-old son and another housekeeper, were found dead on 14 May in the home that was intentionally set ablaze.

According to ABC News, 46-year-old Savvas Savopoulos called one of the housekeepers and left a voicemail saying she did not need to come on Thursday because his wife Amy was ill. Savopoulos added that a different housekeeper had offered to help his wife because they were having some issues with their son Phillip.

Amy Savopoulos then messaged the housekeeper, confirmed her illness and reiterated that she should not come to work. Fox News reported that the couple's home was in flames just three hours after that message. The fourth victim was identified as housekeeper Veralicia Figueroa.

The housekeeper, who was identified as Nelitza Gutierrez by the Washington Post, told reporters that the messages left her feeling something was wrong with her employers of 20 years. "I don't understand why. God saved my life," Gutierrez told ABC News.

Savas Savopoulos originally told Gutierrez that his wife had made plans to go out. However, his later call said she was sick in bed. "It was something very suspicious because I felt his voice was really tense," she said in Spanish. "And it was different than what he had said to me before."

Gutierrez allegedly called Amy to check in but did not hear back. She also said it was unlike Figueroa to stay the night. "Never, never did she stay over," Gutierrez said.

According to ABC News, police named a running man in a hooded sweatshirt as a person of interest in the mysterious murder.