Venezuelan socialite Michelle Troconis struts into Connecticut court as her trial gets underway for ‘helping her boyfriend cover up murder of his wife’
Michelle Troconis was spotted heading to the Connecticut Superior Court as the first day of her criminal trial ended the disappearance of her ex-boyfriend’s ex.
The 49-year-old glamorous American-Venezuelan former ESPN anchor denies charges related to the suspected murder, including conspiracy to commit murder, tampering with evidence and hindering prosecution.
Flanked by her legal team, family and close supporters, Troconis was seen arriving at the court as her five-day trial began
Jennifer disappeared on May 24, 2019 at the age of 50 and her body was never found. Judge William P. Osterndorf declared her “officially dead” on Wednesday.
At the time of her disappearance, Jennifer was involved in bitter divorce and custody proceedings with her Greek husband Fotis Dulos. He was accused of her murder but died by suicide in January 2020 at the age of 52.
Prosecutors allege that Fotis, a luxury real estate developer, brutally murdered Jennifer in her New Canaan home before disposing of her body in several garbage bags with the help of Troconis.
Flanked by her legal team, family and close supporters, Troconis was seen arriving at the court as her five-day trial began
Michelle Troconis, pictured in October, faces 20 years in prison if found guilty of murder
Jennifer Farber Dulos disappeared in May 2019. Her remains were never found, but police believe she was murdered by her husband Fotis Dulos, and that his new girlfriend Michelle Troconis conspired with him to help him cover up the crime.
Troconis — who is accused of helping lover Fotis Dulos kill his wife in 2019 — is currently free on $2 million bond and faces 20 years in prison if convicted
Jennifer disappeared on the morning of May 24, 2019 after dropping off her beloved children at New Canaan Country School. The mother of five, who made her living as a writer for Patch.com, was last seen arriving home at 8:05 a.m. on a neighbor’s security camera.
She missed two doctor’s appointments in New York City scheduled for later that day, and two of her friends, including her nanny Lauren Almeida, reported her missing after being unable to contact her.
State police launched an investigation, starting with a search of her home, where they found her blood splattered on the exterior of a Range Rover in her garage and on several surfaces in the kitchen.
Officials said there was evidence of an attempted cleanup, and the sheer amount of blood made it clear that Jennifer could not have survived.
She was going through a messy divorce with Fotis at the time, and arrest warrants show he was also $7 million in debt while living with Troconis and her daughter in the Farmington, Connecticut, home he once shared with his wife and children.
The Dulos children – Petros, Theodore, Constantine, Christiane and Cleopatra Noelle – were between eight and thirteen years old at the time.
Prosecutors believe Fotis drove an employee’s Toyota Tacoma pickup from that property to New Canaan before riding his bicycle to Jennifer’s home and attacking her in the garage.
He put her body in her Chevrolet Suburban and drove about three miles, police say. The vehicle was found abandoned near Waveny Park in New Canaan.
Jennifer Dulos is pictured in a photo released by police when she went missing
Jennifer, a 50-year-old writer and mother of five from New Canaan, near Stamford, disappeared after dropping her five beloved children off at school on May 24, 2019.
Fotis (pictured) committed suicide in his mansion at the age of 52 while awaiting trial in January 2020, leaving Troconis to face the music alone
Jennifer Dulos went missing in May 2019 and her body was never found despite extensive searches by investigators. Her husband Fotis committed suicide in January after being charged with murder
That evening around 7:30 p.m., Fotis and Troconis were seen on surveillance cameras in his pickup truck stopped at various locations in Hartford. Fotis got out of the vehicle to throw away several garbage bags, while Troconis remained inside.
Police recovered some of the bags several days later and found bloody clothing, zip ties and other items with DNA matching Jennifer and Fotis. One bag also contained Troconis’ DNA, authorities said.
In police interviews, Troconis said she believed the bags contained goods from one of the homes Fotis was selling at the time.
Agents also discovered what became known as ‘the alibiscripts’: two pages written by Fotis and Troconis, which detailed their activities on a nearly hourly basis on the day Jennifer was last seen, but did not include the time for clearing the bags.
Troconis claimed they detailed their actions on the advice of Fotis’ attorney.
But her arrest warrant also alleges that she told conflicting stories to police during three interviews about whether she saw Fotis the morning Jennifer died.
That morning, Fotis was supposed to meet with Kent Mawhinney, his friend and attorney, but they never actually met. Mawhinney was also charged with conspiracy to commit murder and is awaiting trial. He has pleaded not guilty.
Meanwhile, Troconis’ attorney, Jon Schoenhorn, has accused police of lying to and misleading his client during interviews and questioning her in English without an interpreter present, even though her primary language is Spanish.
Venezuelan socialite Troconis (left with Dulos and right with her daughter) has always denied any involvement in Jennifer’s death
Schoenhorn has also disputed much of the evidence in the case. Judge Kevin Randolph recently ruled that police’s seizure of Troconis’ cellphone was illegal and that any evidence obtained from it cannot be used at trial.
But Randolph allowed other evidence that Schoenhorn tried to block, including a video of Troconis’ police interrogation and DNA test results.
Dulos’ family and friends hope the trial will provide accountability for her death and provide answers to lingering questions.
“As this process begins, it is critical to remember who is at its center: Jennifer, whose five children have lost their mother and, where appropriate, both parents,” her friend Carrie Luft said in a statement on behalf of family and friends . friends.
“Jennifer’s family and loved ones have lost a loving daughter, sister, cousin and lifelong friend.”