Michelle Troconis trial shown photos of bloody clothing after alleged murder: Live updates
Michelle Troconis is facing trial in Stamford, Connecticut for her alleged role in helping her lover Fotis Dulos conceal the murder of his estranged wife and mother of his five children, Jennifer Dulos.
At the time of her disappearance in May 2019, Jennifer – whose remains have never been found – was in the midst of a bitter divorce and custody battle with her estranged husband Fotis Dulos. Investigators believe Fotis killed her in the garage of her home and that Ms Troconis, Fotis’ then-girlfriend, helped him cover up the murder.
On Tuesday, prosecutors showed pictures of bloody clothing recovered from garbage containers. The court was previously shown surveillance video of Dulos and Ms Troconis driving around Hartford and disposing of the recovered garbage bags as Troconis sat in the vehicle.
Among the items recovered by law enforcement were zip ties, two blood-soaked plastic ponchos and a bra, as well as a white t-shirt with blood-like stains.
Police said the bags contained Jennifer Dulos’ DNA, and one of them had Troconis’ DNA on it.
Fotis killed himself in 2020 after being charged with murder.
Ms Troconis is charged with conspiracy to murder, tampering with evidence and hindering prosecution.
Warning: Graphic images
Key points
Michelle Troconis’ family show their support outside courtroom
What happened to Jennifer Dulos?
Who is Kent Mawhinney?
How did Fotis Dulos die?
Court takes lunch recess
18:17 , Andrea Blanco
Det Reilly is expected to continue his testimony.
Court is expected to adjourn early as there are no more witnesses for the day.
Law enforcement searched two residences where Dulos once lived
17:59 , Andrea Blanco
Det Reilly is walking jurors through his investigation at an abandoned Deer Cliff property owned by Fotis Dulos. The detective said that he and other law enforcement were looking for any evidence regarding Jennifer Dulos.
The detective also searched a home in Mountain Spring, which was previously dug.
Court sees photos of contents found in Chevy Suburban
16:53 , Andrea Cavallier
Photos of several items, including the weather tech liner from the rear cargo area of the Chevy Suburban, were shown to the court.
Blood detected in cargo area of Chevy Suburban after it illuminated when sprayed with luminol
16:47 , Andrea Cavallier
Det Reilly is testifying about the Chevy Suburban that was also seized in the investigation.
Focus is on the rear cargo area where splotches are seen on the weather tech liner in photos shown to the court.
Det Reilly testifies that the rear cargo area illuminated when it was sprayed with luminol. It was tested and a small part came back positive. It was sent out for further analysis.
Court is on morning break until 11.35am ET
16:22 , Andrea Cavallier
State shows photos of contents found in Fotis' Jeep Cherokee
16:21 , Andrea Cavallier
As the state showed the court photos of Fotis Dulos’ Jeep Cherokee, which was seized early in the investigation, the defence objected multiple times to its relevance.
Attorney Schoenhorn at one point even objected to evidence in favour of his client. Det Reilly had testified that a potential blood stain came back negative and Mr Schoenhorn objects arguing that it should be “stricken from the record if it came back negative, because it’s irrelevant”.
After several objections, the state pointed out that the Jeep Cherokee is indeed relevant and that additional details will come out in later testimony.
Prosecutors show pictures of pickup truck to jury
15:48 , Andrea Cavallier
Det Reilly said that he tested the driver’s door of the pickup truck with luminol, but a presumptive DNA test came back negative.
Det Reilly resumes testimony
15:40 , Andrea Cavallier
The prosecution has called Det Reilly, who was in charge of processing the vehicle used by Fotis Dulos to dispose of evidence, back to the stand.
Det Reilly said that while processing the vehicle, he was looking for an Adidas ball cap and black and yellow gloves. After removing the items inside, Det Reilly said that he swabbed parts of the vehicle.
Only one witness expected to take the stand today
15:21 , Andrea Blanco
Prosecutors said that only one witness will be testifying on the ninth day of Michelle Troconis’ trial.
Michelle Troconis trial shown bloody clothes and tools dumped after Jennifer Dulos murder
14:30 , Andrea Blanco
A blood-soaked bra recovered from trash bins along with zip ties, gloves and a razor – also splattered with a “blood-like” substance – were presented in court as evidence that prosecutors say links Michelle Troconis to the alleged murder of Jennifer Dulos.
The Independent’s Andrea Cavallier reports
Michelle Troconis trial shown bloody clothes dumped after Jennifer Dulos murder
Michelle Troconis and Fotis Dulos seen on new video hours after alleged murder
13:00 , Andrea Blanco
Michelle Troconis remained expressionless in court as jurors were shown surveillance video of what appeared to be the socialite riding around with her then-boyfriend Fotis Dulos as he disposed of several trash bags on the same day his estranged wife vanished.
At the time of Jennifer Dulos’s disappearance in May 2019, the Connecticut mother-of-five was in the midst of a bitter divorce and custody battle with Mr Dulos. Investigators allege he killed her in the garage of her home and Ms Troconis helped him cover up the murder.
Michelle Troconis and Fotis Dulos seen on new video hours after alleged murder
WATCH: Michelle Troconis and Fotis Dulos seen dumping trash bags after alleged murder
11:30 , Andrea Blanco
Prosecutors show shirt, bra, zip ties they say link defendant to woman’s disappearance
10:00 , Andrea Blanco
Prosecutors in Connecticut‘s infamous “Gone Mom” case presented evidence Tuesday that they say links defendant Michelle Troconis to the 2019 disappearance of her boyfriend’s estranged wife, Jennifer Dulos.
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.
The items were pulled from Hartford trash receptacles where, according to prosecutors, surveillance video shows Troconis sitting in a vehicle with boyfriend Fotis Dulos as he tossed trash into the same bins shortly after Jennifer Dulos disappeared.
Troconis, 49, is charged with conspiracy to commit murder, tampering with evidence and hindering prosecution. She’s accused of helping Fotis Dulos cover up the killing of his wife, whose body has never been found.
Second juror dismissed from Michelle Troconis trial after comparing case to ‘Gone Girl’
07:00 , Andrea Blanco
A second juror in the Michelle Troconis murder conspiracy trial has been dismissed after reportedly comparing the high-profile Jennifer Dulos death case to the psychological thriller Gone Girl.
The Independent’s Andrea Cavallier reports:
Second juror dismissed after comparing Jennifer Dulos case to ‘Gone Girl’
Mom-of-five murdered, husband dead by suicide and his lover on trial: The Jennifer Dulos case
04:30 , Andrea Blanco
“I am afraid of my husband,” Jennifer Dulos wrote in 2017 court documents as she filed for divorce from husband Fotis Dulos.
“I know that filing for divorce and filing this motion will enrage him. I know he will retaliate by trying to harm me in some way.”
Two years later, the mother-of-five’s ominous prediction appeared to come true.
The Independent’s Andrea Cavallier reports:
Michelle Troconis and Fotis Dulos seen on new video hours after alleged murder
WATCH: Michelle Troconis and Fotis Dulos seen dumping trash bags after alleged murder
02:30 , Andrea Blanco
N PICTURES: Michelle Troconis’s conspiracy murder trial
00:30 , Andrea Blanco
Michelle Troconis trial shown bloody clothes and tools dumped after Jennifer Dulos murder
Tuesday 23 January 2024 23:30 , Andrea Blanco
A blood-soaked bra recovered from trash bins along with zip ties, gloves and a razor – also splattered with a “blood-like” substance – were presented in court as evidence that prosecutors say links Michelle Troconis to the alleged murder of Jennifer Dulos.
The Independent’s Andrea Cavallier reports:
Michelle Troconis trial shown bloody clothes dumped after Jennifer Dulos murder
Court is adjourned for the day
Tuesday 23 January 2024 21:30 , Andrea Blanco
The proceedings will resume tomorrow morning.
Crime analyst Krista O’Reilly walks jurors through Fotis Dulos’ steps after killing
Tuesday 23 January 2024 20:08 , Andrea Blanco
Defence suggests Michelle Troconis couldn’t see bloody clothes through black plastic bags
Tuesday 23 January 2024 19:38 , Andrea Blanco
During cross-examination, defence attorney Jon Schoenhorn suggested that just as law enforcement was not able to determine that a blood-soaked bra was inside the black plastic bag Fotis Dulos disposed of until it was brought to a lab and cut open - his client wouldn’t have been able to see what was inside.
“You couldn’t see through that,” Mr Schoenhorn asked Sgt Duggan.
Mr Schoenhorn also asked whether Sgt Duggan could tell what items had touched each other. Sgt Dugga said he couldn’t.
It appears the defence is to point out a scenario in which Michelle Troconis’ DNA accidentally ended up in one of the bags also with Jennifer Dulos’ DNA.
Prosecutors showed the court the blood-soaked bra previously shown in pictures
Tuesday 23 January 2024 19:21 , Andrea Blanco
The bra was cut on the front, Sgt Duggan testified.
Court is on lunch break until 2.05pm ET
Tuesday 23 January 2024 18:04 , Andrea Cavallier
Jury is shown woman’s blood-soaked bra and shirt
Tuesday 23 January 2024 18:03 , Andrea Cavallier
A woman’s white bra and striped shirt were presented in court – both completely covered in what Sgt Duggan testified to be blood like substance.
The evidence was admitted shortly after a broken razor blade and blade holder were shown in court.
The blade along with the clothing was seized from the trash bag recovered from where Fotis Dulos and Michelle Troconis allegedly dumped bags on the same day as Jennifer Dulos’ disappearance.
All of the items were sent to the lab, Sgt Duggan testified.
Two sets of gloves covered in ‘what appears to be blood’ recovered from trash bins
Tuesday 23 January 2024 17:34 , Andrea Cavallier
The state presented to the court two different sets of black gloves that were admitted into evidence.
Both pairs were covered in “what appears to be blood,” Sgt Duggan testified.
The gloves were seized from the trash bins where Fotis had been throwing out bags of items in the area of Albany Avenue and Green Street.
White towel and broken mop handle with blood-like substance shown in court
Tuesday 23 January 2024 17:24 , Andrea Cavallier
The state is holding up a large white bath towel with faint blood-like stains on it.
Sgt Kevin Duggan confirmed that both items were found in bins at Albany Avenue and Green Street.
Court is shown pictures of bloody-soaked clothing items recovered from trash
Tuesday 23 January 2024 16:17 , Andrea Blanco
Another garbage bag contained several zip ties, a blood-soaked bra and long shirt, and two plastic ponchos also with blood-like stains.
Sgt Kevin Duggan takes the stand
Tuesday 23 January 2024 15:50 , Andrea Blanco
Sgt Kevin Duggan, with the CT State Police’s crime division, told the court that law enforcement seized the content in the garbage cans that Fotis Dulos stopped at.
Sgt Duggan said that among the items seized from the trash can was a white t-shirt with what appeared to be blood stains.
WATCH: Michelle Troconis and Fotis Dulos seen dumping trash bags after alleged murder
Tuesday 23 January 2024 15:05 , Andrea Blanco
Second juror dismissed from Michelle Troconis trial after comparing case to ‘Gone Girl’
Tuesday 23 January 2024 14:00 , Andrea Blanco
A second juror in the Michelle Troconis murder conspiracy trial has been dismissed after reportedly comparing the high-profile Jennifer Dulos death case to psychological thriller Gone Girl.
The Independent’s Andrea Cavallier reports:
Second juror dismissed after comparing Jennifer Dulos case to ‘Gone Girl’
Jennifer Dulos hired armed bodyguard before filing for divorce from alleged killer husband
Tuesday 23 January 2024 12:30 , Andrea Blanco
The nanny who cared for Jennifer Dulos’s five children revealed in court on Wednesday that the slain Connecticut woman was so terrified of her husband, Fotis Dulos ,that she hired an armed bodyguard to stand outside her hotel room while she filed for a divorce.
“She was afraid of what Fotis would do to her and the kids if she filed for divorce while they were living under the same roof,” Lauren Almeida told jurors in Stamford. “She was terrified.”
Jennifer Dulos hired bodyguard before filing for divorce from alleged killer husband
WATCH: Michelle Troconis defended by her family at Jennifer Dulos murder conspiracy trial
Tuesday 23 January 2024 11:00 , Andrea Blanco
Alternate juror dismissed from Michelle Troconis trial after reportedly telling prosecutors ‘We love you’
Tuesday 23 January 2024 09:30 , Andrea Blanco
Judge Kevin Randolph dismissed the alternate juror who reportedly said “We love you” to two prosecutors involved in the case. The comment gave the appearance of favouring the prosecution, the judge explained.
Assistant State Attorney Liz Moran brought the incident to the court’s attention upon returning from the lunch recess. Ms Moran said that she and fellow prosecutor Michelle Manning tried to go inside an elevator but realised two jurors and a bailiff were inside.
Ms Moran said she had heard the bailiff say “We love you,” to the two attorneys as the elevator doors closed. Judge Randolph and the defence first agreed that the exchange was inadvertent and that the juror would be advised to dismiss the remarks allegedly made by the marshal.
But moments after, Judge Randolph interrupted testimony from Jennifer Dulos’ nanny Lauren Almeida to note that the court had learned new information.
Once jurors were removed from the room, Judge Randolph explained that the comments made to prosecutors came from one of five alternate jurors.
“I was on the elevator, coming back from lunch with the two jurors and it made a stop on the second floor,” bailiff Christian Alvarado said under oath. “Attorneys Moran and Mannin tried to get in the elevator, they turned back around and in the midst of this I said, ‘Thanks, Liz.’ The juror stuck his head out and said, ‘We love you’. The door closed and we went on our way.”
The juror accused of making the remarks was questioned by Judge Randolph without cameras present in the courtroom. When cameras were brought back in, Judge Randolph announced that the juror had been dismissed.
“The appearance that there was a favourable opinion to the state’s case indicates to the court that it would be difficult to proceed with him as a juror because the impartiality and fairness of that juror can reasonably be questioned,” Judge Randolph said.
The judge also advised the other juror who was present in the elevator to dismiss the ‘We love you’ comments
Jennifer Dulos’ nanny testifies about Fotis’ affair with Michelle Troconis
Tuesday 23 January 2024 08:00 , Andrea Cavallier
For over a decade, the Dulos family nanny has helped care for Jennifer and Fotis’ five children – including the years after the beloved Connecticut mother disappeared and her estranged husband died by suicide after being charged with her murder.
On Tuesday, Lauren Almeida, 32, who still works as a nanny for the children, took to the witness stand in court in Stamford to testify at the trial of Fotis Dulos’ then-lover Michelle Troconis, who is charged with conspiracy to murder.
Ms Almeida told the court that she began babysitting for the Dulos children in September 2012, and became their full-time nanny in 2013 after graduating from college.
At that time, the oldest set of twins were six, the other twins were four and the couple’s youngest daughter had just turned one year old.
Over the years, Ms Almeida grew close to Jennifer before her sudden disappearance one day in 2019.
It was Ms Almeida who alerted police after discovering the mother-of-five was missing.
During courtroom testimony on Tuesday, Ms Almeida described Fotis as someone she used to think of as a “role model”, a “mentor” and a “friend”.
Other than her regular nanny duties, she had also been offered a part-time job at Fotis’ construction company.
“I saw him as like a role model and a mentor and I thought at the time that he’s giving me this really great opportunity so I really, I considered him a friend,” she told the jury.
When asked about the former couple, Ms Almeida said that they used to be “nice to each other”.
But then there was a “big dynamic change”, she said.
It happened in March 2017 when Ms Almeida said that Jennifer confided in her during a family vacation to Miami that she believed Fotis was having an affair.
“She said she had this feeling that he was acting weird. I didn’t really believe her at first,” Ms Almeida said. “I believed him to be an honest guy and I couldn’t imagine him having an affair when there were five little kids involved.”
“I told her I didn’t think it was true... she was very anxious, kind of tight and she seemed upset,” she continued.
Ms Almeida added: “She was my boss, but she was someone that I always just connected really well with. I confided in her with a lot of things. I just always trusted her. We had a really good relationship.”
When asked how Jennifer felt about her husband, Ms Almeida said she confided in her that he had a bad temper.
“He was harsh and she didn’t like conflict,” Ms Almeida testified.
Troconis’ family defends her outside court
Tuesday 23 January 2024 06:30 , Andrea Blanco
Ms Troconis’ family defended her outside of the courthouse, insisting she is innocent of having any involvement in Jennifer’s disappearance and murder.
Carlos Troconis, the defendant’s father, acknowledged how important of a day it was.
“For us, it’s a very important day,” he said. “We have been waiting for this opportunity for more than four years.”
He also proclaimed his daughter’s innocence.
“We know that she’s innocent. We trust that this is a fair trial and that the result is favourable for everybody,” Mr Troconis told reporters outside the courtroom in Stamford, Connecticut, on Thursday.
Her sister Claudia Troconis-Marmol said their family was unified and would continue to support Michelle throughout the trial.
“We stand together as a family, because that’s what we are, we’re in unity,” one of her sisters told reporters.
“We support my sister. She’s a mother, a daughter, a sister – she’s an amazing mother and just an amazing human being.”
She went on to say that the family is confident that the “truth will prevail and justice will be done because she is innocent.”
“My sister is innocent,” another sister spoke up. “This is a tragedy. For us, the other family and the children.”
Michelle Troconis defended by her family at Jennifer Dulos murder conspiracy trial
WATCH: Bodycam video of Jennifer Dulos search shows damage to SUV
Tuesday 23 January 2024 05:00 , Andrea Blanco
Floor mat missing from trunk of Jennifer Dulos’ abandoned SUV
Tuesday 23 January 2024 03:30 , Andrea Blanco
Jurors heard testimony from several law enforcement officers who responded to the scene of Jennifer’s home.
Sgt Jamie Pearston, with the Major Crimes Unit of Connecticut State Police, testified that she was involved in processing Jennifer’s black Chevy Suburban, which was found on Lapham Road the day she was reported missing near Waveny Park.
She took inventory of the SUV, documenting the vehicle’s mileage, damage and any personal items in the vehicle. The inventory report did not contain information about evidence police found while examining the vehicle, Ms Pearston said.
She testified that a weather tech liner – a type of rubber mat used to protect the floor of the vehicle – was missing from the trunk. However, the floor mats were in place for the front and back seats of the SUV.
What happened to Jennifer Dulos’ children?
Tuesday 23 January 2024 02:00 , Andrea Blanco
When Jennifer Dulos mysteriously vanished in Connecticut over four years ago in the midst of a custody dispute with her estranged husband Fotis Dulos, her five children were left behind.
By January 2020, their father was also gone, having died by suicide three weeks after being charged with murder in Jennifer’s disappearance and death.
Within just eight months, the children – who were ranging in age from 8-13 at the time – had lost both parents. They were taken in by their grandmother, Jennifer Dulos’ mother, Gloria Farber, who lived in New York City at the time.
What happened to Jennifer Dulos’ children?
WATCH: Nanny describes day Connecticut mother Jennifer Dulos disappeared
Tuesday 23 January 2024 00:30 , Andrea Blanco
Michelle Troconis trial: Key moments so far
Monday 22 January 2024 23:00 , Andrea Blanco
Four years after mother-of-five Jennifer Dulos vanished without a trace, her late ex-husband’s lover Michelle Troconis is now facing a judge and jury for her alleged role in the case.
The Independent’s Andrea Cavallier explains the key takeaways from court:
Michelle Troconis trial: Key moments so far
Court is dismissed for the day
Monday 22 January 2024 21:20 , Andrea Blanco
The proceedings will resume tomorrow.
Monday 22 January 2024 21:19 , Andrea Blanco
Detectives eventually realised that the characters on the plates had been altered with adhesive tape.
When they searched for the correct license number, they found records for a vehicle that was once registered to Fotis Dulos.
Sgt Beautom testifies on license plates discarded by Fotis Dulos
Monday 22 January 2024 20:31 , Andrea Blanco
Sgt Beautom said that the city sent a pump truck to the scene to empty the drain tank. K-9 units were also brought to the area to assist in the search for items that could have been discarded by Dulos.
Sgt Beautom said that detectives were shown an envelope that came during the search. Inside the envelope, there were two Connecticut license plates.
“They came back to nothing. There was no record found that such plates existed in the Connecticut database,” Sgt Beautom said.
Sgt Michael Beautom takes the stand
Monday 22 January 2024 20:24 , Andrea Blanco
One of the jurors informed the court that he had grown up in the same neighbourhood as Sgt Beautom - although they weren’t close friends.
Judge Randolph allowed the juror to stay.
Sgt Beautom processed the vehicle that Fotis Dulos drove around Hartford as disposed of garbage bags later found to contain Jennifer Dulos’ DNA. Sgt Beautom told the court that he reached out to the city for help recovering items that Fotis Dulos was shown in video throwing down the drain.
“The fact that I saw that individual throw those items in the trash but choose to discard whatever the other object was down the storm drain was interesting to me,” Sgt Beautom said.
Michelle Troconis defence raises questions about garbage collection
Monday 22 January 2024 17:50 , Andrea Blanco
The defence pointed out that Trooper Brett Attmore had not reviewed footage of a garbage truck’s stops between 24 May and 28 May 2019.
In a short redirect, the prosecution asked Trooper Attmore whether he had downloaded footage of a garbage collection at one of the stops, which he confirmed.
Court shown clip of homeless man removing seemingly bloody object from garbage can
Monday 22 January 2024 17:27 , Andrea Blanco
The prosecution showed another clip of what appeared to be a homeless man removing trash from a garbage can where Fotis Dulos had previously discarded something. The man appeared to remove an item with a large blood-like stain from the garage can.
When asked if law enforcement had been able to identify the person, Trooper Brett Attmore said yes.
Connecticut State Police crime analyst Joshua Quint takes the stand
Monday 22 January 2024 16:52 , Andrea Blanco
Mr Quint is testifying about the timeline of the surveillance video showing Fotis Dulos and Michelle Troconis disposing of plastic bags.
Fotis Dulos stopped more than 30 times to discard the bags - although the defence argued that Ms Troconis was not aware of their content.
Video evidence of Fotis Dulos and Michelle Troconis disposing of plastic bags shown in court
Monday 22 January 2024 16:05 , Andrea Blanco
Sgt Ventresca said that all employees at Fort Group, Fotis’ Dulos construction business, were interviewed after law enforcement realised that the vehicle Troconis and Dulos were seen in on surveillance video was not linked to them, nor Jennifer Dulos.
Sgt Kenneth Ventresca under cross-examination
Monday 22 January 2024 15:49 , Andrea Blanco
Mr Schoenhor is trying to undermine testimony about his client’s drive with Fotis Dulos through Hartford following Jennifer Dulos death.
Ms Troconis and Fotis Dulos were seen on police surveillance camera video driving around Hartford later in the day of the attack.
Fotis Dulos is seen getting out of his pickup truck and disposing of garbage bags as Troconis sits in the vehicle. Police said they later recovered some of the bags and found clothing, zip ties and other items with Jennifer Dulos’ DNA on them. One of the bags had Troconis’ DNA on it, police said.
When asked if Sgt Ventresca knew that Dulos owned construction businesses near Hartford, Sgt Ventresca said that he was not aware of that when he reviewed the surveillance video.
Court resumes, defence asks remarks by prosecution are dismissed
Monday 22 January 2024 15:16 , Andrea Blanco
Defence attorney Jon Schoenhorn argued before jurors were brought inside the courtroom that some comments from last week should be stricken from the record.
Mr Schoenhorn said that remarks by the prosecution suggesting that Ms Troconis was aware Fotis Dulos was disposing of evidence after killing his estranged wife should be disregarded by jurors.
“She told the police she was in the police,” Mr Schoenhorn said. “Suggesting that the only reason to go to Hartford is for some nefarious reasons because it is a “high crime area,” which hasn’t been true in 10 or 15 years.”
Second juror dismissed from Michelle Troconis trial after comparing case to ‘Gone Girl’
Monday 22 January 2024 14:00 , Andrea Blanco
A second juror in the Michelle Troconis murder conspiracy trial has been dismissed after reportedly comparing the high-profile Jennifer Dulos death case to the psychological thriller Gone Girl.
The Independent’s Andrea Cavallier reports:
Second juror dismissed after comparing Jennifer Dulos case to ‘Gone Girl’
WATCH: Michelle Troconis defended by her family at Jennifer Dulos murder conspiracy trial
Monday 22 January 2024 13:00 , Andrea Blanco
Alternate juror dismissed from Michelle Troconis trial after reportedly telling prosecutors ‘We love you’
Monday 22 January 2024 11:00 , Andrea Blanco
The incident happened on Wednesday afternoon outside the Stamford, Connecticut courtroom where Ms Troconis is standing trial on charges in connection to the murder of her ex-boyfriend Fotis Dulos’ estranged wife Jennifer Dulos, who disappeared on 24 May 2019. Investigators believe Dulos killed Jennifer in the garage of her home and that Ms Troconis helped him cover up the murder.
Ms Troconis faces charges of conspiracy to murder, tampering with evidence and hindering prosecution. Fotis killed himself in 2020 after being charged with murder.
Judge Kevin Randolph dismissed the alternate juror who reportedly said “We love you” to two prosecutors involved in the case. The comment gave the appearance of favouring the prosecution, the judge explained.
Assistant State Attorney Liz Moran brought the incident to the court’s attention upon returning from the lunch recess. Ms Moran said that she and fellow prosecutor Michelle Manning tried to go inside an elevator but realised two jurors and a bailiff were inside.
Ms Moran said she had heard the bailiff say “We love you,” to the two attorneys as the elevator doors closed. Judge Randolph and the defence first agreed that the exchange was inadvertent and that the juror would be advised to dismiss the remarks allegedly made by the marshal.
But moments after, Judge Randolph interrupted testimony from Jennifer Dulos’ nanny Lauren Almeida to note that the court had learned new information.
Once jurors were removed from the room, Judge Randolph explained that the comments made to prosecutors came from one of five alternate jurors.
“I was on the elevator, coming back from lunch with the two jurors and it made a stop on the second floor,” bailiff Christian Alvarado said under oath. “Attorneys Moran and Mannin tried to get in the elevator, they turned back around and in the midst of this I said, ‘Thanks, Liz.’ The juror stuck his head out and said, ‘We love you’. The door closed and we went on our way.”
The juror accused of making the remarks was questioned by Judge Randolph without cameras present in the courtroom. When cameras were brought back in, Judge Randolph announced that the juror had been dismissed.
“The appearance that there was a favourable opinion to the state’s case indicates to the court that it would be difficult to proceed with him as a juror because the impartiality and fairness of that juror can reasonably be questioned,” Judge Randolph said.
Michelle Troconis and Fotis Dulos were captured in surveillance disposing of bags
Monday 22 January 2024 10:00 , Andrea Blanco
After Jennifer Dulos went missing, Fotis Dulos and Troconis were recorded on city video cameras in Hartford stopping at several locations, with Dulos getting out of his pickup truck and disposing of garbage bags as Troconis sat in the cab.
Police recovered some of the bags several days later after seizing Fotis Dulos’ cellphone and obtaining its location information and city video footage. In the bags, investigators said they found clothing, zip ties and other items containing Jennifer Dulos’ DNA.
Some of the items had blood on them, police said. Other items had Fotis Dulos’ DNA on them.
And one bag had DNA from both estranged spouses as well as Troconis on it, authorities said.
Troconis later told police she had no idea what was in the bags.
She has said she thought they were from one of the homes Fotis Dulos was selling.
ICYMI: What happened to Jennifer Dulos?
Monday 22 January 2024 06:00 , Andrea Blanco
The disappearance of Jennifer Dulos drew international attention and was the subject of a made-for-TV movie.
She was a member of a wealthy New York family whose father, the late Hilliard Farber, founded his own brokerage firm. Fotis Dulos, who denied any role in the killing, was a luxury home builder originally from Greece.
State police believe Fotis Dulos drove an employee’s pickup truck to New Canaan, rode a bicycle to Jennifer Dulos’ home and attacked her in the garage when she got back from dropping the children off at school. He then put her in her SUV and drove off, police said.
What happened next has never been made clear. The SUV was found abandoned at a park in New Canaan. Police searched the park and several other locations, but never found Jennifer Dulos’ body.
Police said they found a bloody scene in Jennifer Dulos’ garage and evidence of an attempted cleanup. Officials said the amount of blood made it apparent she could not have survived such injuries.
Full timeline of Jennifer Dulos’ disappearance as her love rival faces trial over murder
Monday 22 January 2024 02:00 , Andrea Blanco
After almost five years, the tragic case of Jennifer Dulos has finally made its way into a courtroom in Connecticut as the trial of her dead husband Fotis Dulos’ lover Michelle Troconis gets under way.
The Independent’s Rachel Sharp reports:
Timeline of Jennifer Dulos’ case as love rival faces trial over murder
Mom-of-five murdered, husband dead by suicide and his lover on trial: The Jennifer Dulos case
Sunday 21 January 2024 22:00 , Andrea Blanco
“I am afraid of my husband,” Jennifer Dulos wrote in 2017 court documents as she filed for divorce from husband Fotis Dulos.
“I know that filing for divorce and filing this motion will enrage him. I know he will retaliate by trying to harm me in some way.”
Two years later, the mother-of-five’s ominous prediction appeared to come true.
The Independent’s Andrea Cavallier reports:
The Jennifer Dulos case: Murder, suicide and Michelle Troconis on trial
WATCH: Bodycam video of Jennifer Dulos search shows damage to SUV
Sunday 21 January 2024 18:00 , Andrea Blanco
Jennifer Dulos hired armed bodyguard before filing for divorce from alleged killer husband
Sunday 21 January 2024 14:00 , Andrea Blanco
The nanny who cared for Jennifer Dulos’s five children revealed in court on Wednesday that the slain Connecticut woman was so terrified of her husband, Fotis Dulos ,that she hired an armed bodyguard to stand outside her hotel room while she filed for a divorce.
“She was afraid of what Fotis would do to her and the kids if she filed for divorce while they were living under the same roof,” Lauren Almeida told jurors in Stamford. “She was terrified.”
Jennifer Dulos hired bodyguard before filing for divorce from alleged killer husband
Jennifer Dulos found about husband’s affair through emails
Sunday 21 January 2024 06:00 , Andrea Blanco
Ms Almeida told the court that Dulos stayed behind with Michelle and her daughter in Miami, while Ms Almeida returned to Farmington with the children.
Upon returning home, Jennifer reportedly told Ms Almeida that she had confirmed her suspicions that Fotis Dulos was having an affair.
“Through email and receipts, she found out that he went to Utah with Michelle,” Ms Almeida said. “She was just like, ‘I knew it.’ She was, again, very soft-spoken. She seemed sad but also like she was trying to figure out what to do.”
Ms Almeida said that Jennifer told her she was no longer in love with Fotis but for the sake of their five children, the Dulos would “try to work out what they could.”
Michelle Troconis defended by her family at Jennifer Dulos murder conspiracy trial
Sunday 21 January 2024 02:00 , Andrea Blanco
“We know that she’s innocent. We trust that this is a fair trial and that the result is favourable for everybody,” Ms Troconis’ father Carlos Troconis told reporters outside the courtroom in Stamford, Connecticut, on Thursday.
Michelle Troconis defended by her family at Jennifer Dulos murder conspiracy trial
'My stomach just sank': Nanny describes frantic day Connecticut mother of five disappeared
Saturday 20 January 2024 22:00 , Andrea Blanco
Lauren Almeida testified in the trial of Michelle Troconis, who was the girlfriend of Dulos’ estranged husband, Fotis Dulos. Troconis is charged with conspiracy to commit murder and other crimes on allegations that she helped Fotis Dulos cover up the killing of Jennifer Dulos.
Missing Mother
Almeida said Wednesday she had four of their children with her — the other was at a friend’s — when she was supposed to meet up with Jennifer Dulos in Manhattan on the afternoon of May 24, 2019. She texted and called Dulos, but she didn’t respond.
“My stomach just sank. She never not answered her phone,” Almeida testified in Superior Court in Stamford, Connecticut.
Almeida went to a doctor’s office in Manhattan where Dulos had a scheduled appointment, hoping to find her there.
“And so when she wasn’t there, .. I was shocked but also like, OK, I have the four kids in front of me and don’t know what to do,” Almeida said. “I just walked outside, and I started to call people who could have heard from Jennifer.”
WATCH: Nanny describes day Connecticut mother Jennifer Dulos disappeared
Saturday 20 January 2024 18:00 , Andrea Blanco
Judge dismisses juror who compared Connecticut missing mom case to the 'Gone Girl' plot
Saturday 20 January 2024 14:00 , Andrea Blanco
A judge on Friday dismissed a juror in the trial of a Connecticut woman accused of helping her boyfriend cover up the murder of his estranged wife, after the panelist likened the case to the novel and movie “Gone Girl.”
Judge Kevin Randolph received an unsigned note note from a juror in the trial of Michelle Troconis Friday morning, accusing another member of the panel of making the comment in the presence of other jurors.
The juror “discussed something about the case and it was all over social media,” Randolph said the note read. “Said it was like ‘Gone Girl’ — a brief mention. Several other jurors said, ’Don’t discuss this.’”
Randolph then cleared the courtroom to question jurors about the comment. He ultimately dismissed the juror, identified only as “Juror 186,” who acknowledged making the “Gone Girl” comment, the judge said.
“Every (other) juror indicated that they would be able to afford the state and defense a fair and impartial trial,” Randolph said after reconvening the trial.
Prosecutors allege Troconis and Dulos created ‘alibi script’
Saturday 20 January 2024 10:00 , Andrea Blanco
Police said they found what they dubbed “the alibi script” — two pages written by Dulos and Troconis that detailed their activities on a nearly hourly basis the day Jennifer Dulos was last seen and the day after, but did not include the time in Hartford when the garbage bags were being disposed.
Troconis told police she and Fotis Dulos wrote down their actions for the two days at the direction of Dulos’ lawyer.
The arrest warrant accusing Troconis of conspiracy to commit murder also alleges she presented conflicting stories to police during three interviews about whether she saw Dulos at the Farmington home the day police believe he killed his wife.
That morning, he was scheduled to have a meeting with Kent Mawhinney, his friend and lawyer, according to arrest warrants, but Mawhinney told police they did not actually meet. Mawhinney was also charged with conspiracy to commit murder and awaits trial. He has pleaded not guilty.
Schoenhorn, Troconis’ lawyer, has accused police of lying to and misleading Troconis during the interviews, and questioning her in English with no interpreter present when her primary language is Spanish.
AP
Michelle Troconis trial: Key moments so far
Saturday 20 January 2024 06:00 , Andrea Blanco
Four years after mother-of-five Jennifer Dulos vanished without a trace, her late ex-husband’s lover Michelle Troconis is now facing a judge and jury for her alleged role in the case.
The Independent’s Andrea Cavallier explains the key takeaways from the court:
Michelle Troconis trial: Key moments so far
Jennifer Dulos ‘never raised her voice, never got angry,’ nanny says
Saturday 20 January 2024 02:00 , Andrea Blanco
Ms Almeida began babysitting for the Dulos in September 2012, when the Dulos’ oldest set of twins were six, the other twins were four and their youngest daughter had just turned one year old.
Ms Almeida took a full-time position as the nanny for the Dulos in 2013 after graduating college.
Ms Almeida told jurors that while the five children always followed their father’s orders, they had a “silly” relationship with their mother. Jennifer always took the children on activities, went water skiing, pumpkin picking and drew with them.
“They always wanted to be next to mommy,” Ms Almeida recounted. “She never raised her voice, never got angry. She was just so nurturing.”
Second juror dismissed from Michelle Troconis trial after comparing case to ‘Gone Girl’
Friday 19 January 2024 22:52 , Andrea Blanco
A second juror in the Michelle Troconis murder conspiracy trial has been dismissed after reportedly comparing the high-profile Jennifer Dulos death case to the psychological thriller Gone Girl.
The Independent’s Andrea Cavallier reports:
Second juror dismissed after comparing Jennifer Dulos case to ‘Gone Girl’
Expert explains ‘areas of convergence’
Friday 19 January 2024 21:27 , Andrea Blanco
Det Davison said that he had identified different areas of convergence from tracing the blood-like spatters on the garage floor.
One area of convergence was right in front of the Range Rover’s drive door. Det Davison also said he could not tell what was used to wipe the blood stains.
Court is shown pictures of ‘blood-like’ spatter in Jennifer Dulos crime scene
Friday 19 January 2024 19:59 , Andrea Blanco
Connecticut State Police Lt Mark Davison
Friday 19 January 2024 18:05 , Andrea Blanco
Lt Davison examined presumptive blood stains in Jennifer Dulos’ home and the Range Rover inside her garage.
He used the direction of the splatter to reconstruct what may have happened to Jennifer. The detective said he had found several “altered stains,” meaning that the initial stain had been wiped or smeared.
Second alternate juror dismissed
Friday 19 January 2024 17:00 , Andrea Blanco
A second juror has been dismissed. Judge Randolph said that the other jurors said they would remain impartial.
Second juror could be dismissed
Friday 19 January 2024 16:34 , Andrea Blanco
All jurors will be questioned to determine whether they can be “impartial” following social media remarks that the case was like Gone Girl.
Judge Randolph said he learned about it after receiving a note that read: “One of the jurors discussed something about the case and it was all over social media. Said it was like Gone Girl. A brief mention. Several other jurors said don’t discuss this.”
BREAKING: Juror questioned over social media post
Friday 19 January 2024 15:31 , Andrea Blanco
Judge Randolph revealed to the court this morning that a juror reportedly made a social media post saying the trial was like the movie Gone Girl.
The juror is being questioned and could be dismissed.
Alternate juror dismissed from Michelle Troconis trial after reportedly telling prosecutors ‘We love you’
Friday 19 January 2024 14:00 , Andrea Blanco
Judge Kevin Randolph dismissed the alternate juror who reportedly said “We love you” to two prosecutors involved in the case. The comment gave the appearance of favouring the prosecution, the judge explained.
Alternate juror dismissed from Michelle Troconis murder trial
Jennifer Dulos’ nanny testifies about Fotis’ affair with Michelle Troconis
Friday 19 January 2024 12:30 , Andrea Blanco
For over a decade, the Dulos family nanny has helped care for Jennifer and Fotis’ five children – including the years after the beloved Connecticut mother disappeared and her estranged husband died by suicide after being charged with her murder.
On Tuesday, Lauren Almeida, 32, who still works as a nanny for the children, took to the witness stand in court in Stamford to testify at the trial of Fotis Dulos’ then-lover Michelle Troconis, who is charged with conspiracy to murder.
Jennifer Dulos’ nanny testifies about Fotis’ affair with Michelle Troconis
What happened to Jennifer Dulos’ children?
Friday 19 January 2024 11:00 , Andrea Blanco
When Jennifer Dulos mysteriously vanished in Connecticut over four years ago in the midst of a custody dispute with her estranged husband Fotis Dulos, her five children were left behind.
By January 2020, their father was also gone, having died by suicide three weeks after being charged with murder in Jennifer’s disappearance and death.
Within just eight months, the children – who were ranging in age from 8-13 at the time – had lost both parents. They were taken in by their grandmother, Jennifer Dulos’ mother, Gloria Farber, who lived in New York City at the time.
What happened to Jennifer Dulos’ children?
WATCH: Nanny describes day Connecticut mother Jennifer Dulos disappeared
Friday 19 January 2024 10:00 , Andrea Blanco
Nanny describes terrified look on Jennifer’ face during argument with Fotis Dulos
Friday 19 January 2024 09:00 , Andrea Blanco
Ms Almeida said that she was playing with the Dulos’ youngest daughter when a terrified Jennifer came running inside the bedroom and closed the door behind her. She looked scared and Fotis Dulos was behind her, yelling and trying to push the door open.
When he managed to get inside the room, Dulos realised Ms Almeida and his daughter were inside.
“His demeanour changed. He was like, ‘Jennifer, I just want to talk,’ Like very soft-spoken.” Ms Almeida said. “It was very weird.”
WATCH: Michelle Troconis defended by her family at Jennifer Dulos murder conspiracy trial
Friday 19 January 2024 07:00 , Andrea Blanco
'My stomach just sank': Nanny describes frantic day Connecticut mother of five disappeared
Friday 19 January 2024 05:30 , Andrea Blanco
A nanny who cares for five children whose mother went missing in Connecticut in 2019 recalled in court on Wednesday the frantic day Jennifer Dulos vanished, kicking off a search that eventually turned into a murder investigation.
The nanny, Lauren Almeida, testified in the trial of Michelle Troconis, who was the girlfriend of Dulos’ estranged husband, Fotis Dulos. Troconis is charged with conspiracy to commit murder and other crimes on allegations that she helped Fotis Dulos cover up the killing of Jennifer Dulos.
Almeida said Wednesday she had four of their children with her — the other was at a friend’s — when she was supposed to meet up with Jennifer Dulos in Manhattan on the afternoon of May 24, 2019. She texted and called Dulos, but she didn’t respond.
“My stomach just sank. She never not answered her phone,” Almeida testified in Superior Court in Stamford, Connecticut.
Almeida went to a doctor’s office in Manhattan where Dulos had a scheduled appointment, hoping to find her there.
“And so when she wasn’t there, .. I was shocked but also like, OK, I have the four kids in front of me and don’t know what to do,” Almeida said. “I just walked outside, and I started to call people who could have heard from Jennifer.”
Jennifer Dulos hired armed bodyguard before filing for divorce from alleged killer husband
Friday 19 January 2024 04:00 , Andrea Blanco
The nanny who cared for Jennifer Dulos’s five children revealed in court on Wednesday that the slain Connecticut woman was so terrified of her husband, Fotis Dulos ,that she hired an armed bodyguard to stand outside her hotel room while she filed for a divorce.
“She was afraid of what Fotis would do to her and the kids if she filed for divorce while they were living under the same roof,” Lauren Almeida told jurors in Stamford. “She was terrified.”
Jennifer Dulos hired bodyguard before filing for divorce from alleged killer husband
Court ends for the day
Thursday 18 January 2024 20:45 , Andrea Blanco
Proceedings will resume tomorrow.
Ms Madel will return to the stand
Forensic scientist under cross-examination by defence
Thursday 18 January 2024 19:43 , Andrea Blanco
Under cross-examination by defence attorney Jon Schoenhorn, Ms Madel admits that presumptive blood testing can come back positive for substances other than human blood. Ms Madel also admits that many of the swabbings from “blood-like” stains taken from the scene were not tested for confirmation in the lab.
Court takes recess
Thursday 18 January 2024 18:14 , Andrea Blanco
The proceedings will resume at 2pm.
Madel says Fotis Dulos’ DNA found in crime scene
Thursday 18 January 2024 17:15 , Andrea Blanco
Michelle Troconis has been eliminated from the swabbings presented in court so far.
A blood-like stain in the garage had DNA from Fotis Dulos and Jennifer Dulos.
Michelle Troconis’ DNA was not found in crime scene
Thursday 18 January 2024 16:51 , Andrea Blanco
Ms Madel tells the court that Michelle Troconis was eliminated for DNA taken from the handle of a door in the mudroom of Jennifer Dulos’ home.
Results for Fotis Dulos came back inconclusive, meaning neither positive nor negative.
Forensic examiner Kristen Madel takes the stand
Thursday 18 January 2024 16:04 , Andrea Blanco
Ms Madel processed DNA sambples from Jennifer Dulos, Fotis Dulos, their five children and Michelle Troconis.
WATCH: Fz8o4E97
Thursday 18 January 2024 15:11 , Andrea Blanco
Full timeline of Jennifer Dulos’ disappearance as her love rival faces trial over murder
Thursday 18 January 2024 14:30 , Andrea Blanco
After almost five years, the tragic case of Jennifer Dulos has finally made its way into a courtroom in Connecticut as the trial of her dead husband Fotis Dulos’ lover Michelle Troconis gets under way.
The Independent’s Rachel Sharp reports:
Timeline of Jennifer Dulos’ case as love rival faces trial over murder
What happened to Jennifer Dulos’ children?
Thursday 18 January 2024 11:30 , Andrea Blanco
The slain mother had five children ranging in age from 8-13 at the time she disappeared in May 2019.
The Independent’s Andrea Cavallier reports:
What happened to Jennifer Dulos’ children?
WATCH: Bodycam video of Jennifer Dulos search shows damage to SUV
Thursday 18 January 2024 10:00 , Andrea Blanco
Judge strikes comment that Fotis Dulos had bought gun around time Jennifer went missing
Thursday 18 January 2024 08:30 , Andrea Blanco
Lauren Almeida testified that she and Jennifer Dulos had become afraid of Fotis Dulos, after Jennifer Dulos in 2017 found out about his affair with Troconis.
That year, Almeida said Fotis Dulos chased Jennifer Dulos outside the home with a piece of paper and had a screaming argument with her inside the Farmington home, where she ran into a room and he tried to barge open the closed door.
Fotis Dulos threatened to take the children to his native Greece and never come back, and he accused Almeida of kidnapping the children when Jennifer Dulos moved them and herself out of the house in 2017.
When Jennifer Dulos went missing, Almeida called friends and others who might know where she was. She also called hospitals, but had no luck. She called her mother, who tried to calm her down, she testified. Then she called New Canaan police.
“We told the police that a mother of five was missing and that she was in a very contentious divorce. And I knew that he (Fotis Dulos) had purchased a gun, and so I was afraid. And they were on it right away,” Almeida said.
Judge Kevin Randolph struck the comment about the gun from the record, after prosecutor Sean McGuinness said he was not claiming that Fotis Dulos had a gun. Troconis’ lawyer, Jon Schoenhorn, later called for a mistrial based on Almeida’s comment, but Randolph denied the motion.
Jennifer Dulos ‘never raised her voice, never got angry,’ nanny says
Thursday 18 January 2024 07:00 , Andrea Blanco
Ms Almeida began babysitting for the Dulos in September 2012, when the Dulos’ oldest set of twins were six, the other twins were four and their youngest daughter had just turned one year old.
Ms Almeida took a full-time position as the nanny for the Dulos in 2013 after graduating college.
Ms Almeida told jurors that while the five children always followed their father’s orders, they had a “silly” relationship with their mother. Jennifer always took the children on activities, went water skiing, pumpkin picking and drew with them.
“They always wanted to be next to mommy,” Ms Almeida recounted. “She never raised her voice, never got angry. She was just so nurturing.”
Court is dismissed
Wednesday 17 January 2024 22:07 , Andrea Blanco
The proceedings will resume tomorrow morning.
Det Thomas Patten of New Canaan Police takes the stand
Wednesday 17 January 2024 21:39 , Andrea Blanco
Det Patten testified that he found what he believed to be blood evidence and a partial shoe impression on the floor of Jennifer Dulos’ garage.
Authorities searched for Jennifer in the area near her home with the help of K-9 units.
The following day, Det Patten called Fotis Dulos and asked him to come down to the police station. Dulos arrived at the station with an attorney, who communicated to police that Dulos would not be speaking with police.
Det Patten seized Dulos’ phone without a warrant in order to protect evidence, the detective testified.
Juror is dismissed after telling prosecutors ‘We love you'
Wednesday 17 January 2024 21:12 , Andrea Blanco
Judge Randolph said the juror was dismissed because the court was concerned they were no longer impartial and favoured the prosecution.
BREAKING: Juror to be questioned after telling prosecutors ‘we love you’
Wednesday 17 January 2024 19:49 , Andrea Blanco
Judge Randolph said the court had learned one of the jurors had told attorneys for the prosecution, ‘We love you,” in the elevator when returning from lunch break.
The prosecution had brought up the exchange earlier, but said it was a bailiff who made the comment.
Testifying under oath, the bailiff said he was talking to prosecutors before the juror suddenly made the remark as the attorneys exited the elevators.
Judge Randolph said the juror will be brought in to be questioned and may be dismissed.
Cameras in the courtroom have been asked to leave.
Court is shown picture of Fotis Dulos, Michelle Troconis and their children at Miami water ski club
Wednesday 17 January 2024 19:41 , Andrea Blanco
Ms Almeida said he recognized Fotis Dulos, Michelle Troconis and two of the Dulos children in the picture shown by attorneys by Ms Troconis.
Ms Almeida said she had witnessed Ms Troconis being familiar with Fotis and his two oldest twins at the Miami wate ski resort several times.
Cleaning bucket missing from Jennifer Dulos’ garage
Wednesday 17 January 2024 17:56 , Andrea Blanco
When shown pictures of Jennifer’s garage by New Canaan police, Ms Almeida said she noticed a cleaning bucket she stored in the garage was missing.
Click here to read the full blog on The Independent's website
