Michelle Troconis: Connecticut woman convicted of helping BF and covering up murder of his estranged wife

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STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT: Michelle Troconis has been convicted by the jurors in Connecticut for helping her boyfriend, Fotis Dulos, 52, plot and cover-up the murder of his estranged wife, Jennifer Farber Dulos, 50, amid a bitter divorce, HuffPost reports. 

According to the prosecutors, the 49-year-old defendant aided in establishing an alibi and discard evidence. Charges against her included conspiracy to commit murder, and tampering with evidence. The verdict comes after 12 hours of deliberation following an eight-week trial. The real perpetrator, Fotis Dulos, took his own life in 2020 while out on bond.

Authorities have yet to find Jennifer Farber Dulos' remains

In closing arguments on Tuesday, February 27, assistant state’s attorney Michelle Manning told jurors that evidence shows that the victim was murdered. There was blood spattered throughout the garage of her home and on the undercarriage of two cars. 

There was also swipes of blood, she said. Jennifer’s blood-soaked shirt and bra were thrown away on the street of Albany Avenue. Other evidence included zip ties, sponges, and duct tape. “Jennifer is dead,” she said, adding “Let’s be very clear. She was murdered on May 24, 2019.”

How did Fotis Dulos kill his wife?

The state argued that Fotis Dulos, the owner of a construction business, had taken one of his employee’s cars out to the area of his wife’s home in the city of New Canaan, and rode a bike the rest of the way there, and he ambushed her.

Evidence at the scene showed a minimum of two impacts, the prosecutor said. She did not fall and hit her head. Instead, this was an “anger-driven assault” on Jennifer, Manning said.

Fotis Dulos left his phone behind to avoid getting tracked

Fotis had left his phone behind to avoid tracking and also for Troconis to manipulate it for his alibi, the prosecution said. Authorities pointed out that surveillance imagery showed smoke coming from Fotis Dulos’ Farmington home that day even though it was the middle of spring. Prosecutors suggested Troconis was burning evidence on the killer’s behalf.

Investigators have long said that Troconis and Fotis Dulos had an alibi script to sort out their stories, but Troconis’ tales shifted over time. For example, Manning said the defendant omitted the phone call from the first two interviews with police. Troconis lied or omitted any incriminating details, she said.

Michelle Troconis’ friend believes she is innocent

On Wednesday, jurors had asked to review testimony from Troconis’ friend Clara “Petu” Duperron, who had said that she had evidence that proved Troconis was innocent and that the defendant didn’t “trust the police.” Superior Court Judge Kevin Randolph ultimately did not allow Duperron to provide details of the alleged evidence.

Defense lawyer Jon Schoenhorn said his client is innocent, and he laid blame for the murder squarely at the feet of Fotis Dulos and whoever may have joined him that day. 

Troconis did not know that Fotis planned to harm Jennifer, and she did not know Fotis was capable of doing something like that, he maintained. Whatever secrets Fotis had, he took to his grave after dying in his garage from self-inflicted carbon monoxide poisoning.

“Fotis put a facade until his last poisoned breath, and he died without ever acknowledging his actions, or admitting his role even to his own children,” Schoenhorn said.