Michelle Troconis found guilty of conspiracy in Jennifer Dulos’ murder
Michelle Troconis has been found guilty of conspiring with her former boyfriend Fotis Dulos to kill Connecticut mother-of-five Jennifer Dulos and cover up the crime
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Michelle Troconis has been found guilty of all counts of conspiring with her former boyfriend Fotis Dulos to kill Connecticut mother-of-five Jennifer Dulos and cover up the crime.
The 49-year-old broke down as the verdict was read out on Friday, putting her head in her hands as she was comforted by her attorneys. She then slumped down to her seat,
The six jurors deliberated during four days following closing arguments on Tuesday after 27 days of testimony.
She had been charged with conspiracy to commit murder, two counts of conspiracy to commit tampering with physical evidence, two counts of tampering with physical evidence and one count of second-degree hindering prosecution. Jurors returned a guilty verdict on all counts. The jury found her guilty on all six counts.
The judge set her sentencing for 31 May.
Troconis could face between 1 and 20 years in prison if the sentences run concurrently, or up to 50 years if consecutive.
In a statement to WTNH, loved ones of Ms Dulos said the verdict was “a crucial attribution of accountability” but “not a victory.”
“There can be no victory when five children are growing up without their mother. This verdict represents the meticulous collection, analysis, and presentation of evidence to illuminate an unconscionable series of crimes. That immense body of evidence also serves to highlight the gaps that remain in this case—most important, that Jennifer Farber Dulos still has not been found. We have lost a mother, daughter, sister, cousin, and cherished friend. Jennifer’s loved ones cannot bury her next to her father.”
State’s Attorney Paul Ferencek expressed his condolences to the Dulos family and thanked the jury for their verdict.
“First and foremost, I want to offer my deepest condolences to the family of Jennifer Farber Dulos, particularly her five children, who had their mother violently taken from them on May 24, 2019,” he said in a statement. “I commend the hard work of everyone involved in this case and express my gratitude to the jury for their thoughtfulness and attention during this trial.
He also vowed that his office would continue to search for Ms Dulos’s body.
“While it’s our hope that today’s verdict brings Jennifer’s family and friends some peace, we also hope that someday we can provide resolution to the still unanswered question of where Jennifer rests,” he added. “I assure you the State of Connecticut and this office will never stop looking.”
The murder conspiracy trial of Troconis began in January, nearly five years after her then-boyfriend’s estranged wife disappeared after dropping their children off at school in New Canaan, Connecticut.
And while Jennifer’s body has never been found, she has been officially declared dead – with police finding that she died a violent death at the hands of Fotis, the man she had filed for divorce from just two years earlier.
In January 2020, Fotis died by suicide after being charged with Jennifer’s murder.
Troconis had long insisted that she did not know Fotis was doing anything nefarious as she watched him toss garbage bags into random bins, or as she helped him write up a timeline of their whereabouts on the day his estranged wife disappeared.
In closing arguments on Tuesday, Troconis’ defence attorney Jon Schoenhorn said that Fotis is “ultimately responsible” and that his client was not involved.
“It’s still unclear what happened, and unfortunately this trial will not solve that puzzle,” Schoenhorn said. “It will remain a mystery, an unfinished puzzle.”
However, the state argued in their closing arguments on Tuesday that Troconis ‘knew what was going on’ regarding Jennifer’s disappearance and that evidence points to Troconis actively trying to tamper with evidence stemming from her murder.
“The evidence proves beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant intended to end her and Fotis Dulos’ two years of torture by murdering Jennifer Farber Dulos,” said the state. “She acted as his alibi during the murder, she conspired to tamper with physical evidence of the murder.”
Authorities believe Fotis killed Jennifer at her home after she dropped her children at school and then disposed of her body.
Last month, a representative for Jennifer’s family released a statement asking people what is at the heart of this trial: “As this trial begins, it is crucial to remember who is at the center: Jennifer, whose five children have lost their mother and, as an eventuality, both parents. Jennifer’s family and loved ones have lost a loving daughter, sister, cousin, and lifelong friend. We do not seek closure, as nothing can bring Jennifer back. Our hope is that this trial provides for accountability and answers.”