Jennifer Dulos’ family speak out after ‘brutal’ evidence of tragic death shown in court

Jennifer Dulos’ family has spoken out about the devastating evidence introduced in the trial of the woman accused of conspiring to conceal the slain mother-of-five’s murder.

Nearly four years after Jennifer was last seen after dropping off her children at school on 24 May 2019, her loved ones are reckoning with the “brutal evidence” that suggests she suffered a very tragic death. Although a body has never been found, prosecutors believe that Jennifer was murdered by her estranged husband Fotis Dulos in the garage of her New Canaan, Connecticut home.

Fotis Dulos killed himself shortly after being charged, but his lover, Michelle Tronconis, is now facing trial in Stamford for allegedly helping dispose of evidence in the murder. On Tuesday, prosecutors showed jurors blood-soaked clothing recovered from garbage cans that Dulos and Ms Troconis stopped by while driving around Hartford on the evening of Jennifer’s disappearance.

The evidence included a shirt, bra, zip ties, gloves, plastic ponchos and other things with what State Police Sgt Kevin Duggan testified was a “blood-like” substance on them. Carrie Luft, a spokesperson for Jennifer’s family, called the evidence devastating, but simultaneously crucial in the trial.

“Witnessing Jennifer’s blood-soaked clothing, knowing that was the shirt, the bra, she wore on the last day of her life, made us imagine, again, what she must have endured,” Ms Luft said in a statement to NBC. “We hope that seeing this evidence in three dimensions can put an end to any suggestion that Jennifer is ‘missing.’ She died a tragic death, and her loss is felt beyond what words can express.”

Prosecutors have also introduced surveillance video that captured Ms Troconis sitting in the vehicle with Dulos as he allegedly tossed the evidence into the trash bins. Ms Troconis, who is not seen handling the trash in any of the videos, has vehemently denied knowing that Dulos was disposing of critical evidence in his wife’s murder.

Her attorney, Jon Schoenhorn, told CT Insider that Ms Troconis was distracted by her phone as Dulos repeatedly stopped near the trash receptacles and exited the vehicle to discard evidence. Mr Schoenhorn also argued in court that it was impossible for Ms Troconis to see the contents of the plastic bags because they were black.

“They were supposed to be going to Starbucks and you’ll see that’s where they eventually ended up,” Mr Schoenhorn said. “It’s not like it’s a long distance. So if you’re riding in the car, looking at your phone, doing whatever, you would not necessarily know. Whatever Dulos was up to, whatever he was planning, we’ll just have to wait and see.”

Ms Troconis, 49, is charged with conspiracy to commit murder, tampering with evidence and hindering prosecution. She has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

“We are grateful to the prosecution and the investigators for their meticulous collection and presentation of evidence in this case,” Ms Luft added in her statement. “Above all, we trust in justice, and we hope that this trial will help provide answers to, and accountability for, what was done to Jennifer that day.”