NEW HAVEN -- Norm Pattis is busy building a defense for his client, Fotis Dulos, who is charged in connection with the disappearance of his estranged wife, Jennifer Dulos, who has not been seen since Friday, May 24.
Pattis insists Fotis is a loving father of five who is very concerned about his children and his estranged wife, and thinks the public has painted Fotis as a murderer.
“I was in touch with [Fotis’s] family in Greece this morning,” said Pattis. “They tell me that in Greece, people think he’s innocent, whereas in the United States they think he’s guilty.”
On Tuesday, during Fotis’s appearance in Stamford Superior Court, prosecutors revealed they found Fotis’s DNA mixed with Jennifer’s blood in her kitchen sink in New Canaan.
Pattis said Fotis was at the New Canaan home two days before Jennifer disappeared, playing basketball outside with his children. Pattis said, to his knowledge, Fotis did not go inside the house. He said the DNA found inside the house could be what is called “transfer DNA,” which means that Fotis having had contact with people who have contact with the kitchen sink could have led to his DNA being found on the sink.
“We are looking at the possibility of foul play at someone else’s hands,” said Pattis.
Investigators obtained surveillance video from the day Jennifer disappeared, which allegedly showed a vehicle matching the description of Fotis’s truck driving down Albany Avenue in Hartford and stopping at more than 30 locations. Police found garbage bags full of items with blood-like stains, including clothing and a kitchen sponge.
“I know a tradesman of his was up in the area that day driving that very truck,” said Pattis. “Is it really Mr. Dulos in the car? Is it someone else? I don’t know.”
Pattis said his client has an alibi, but his team is working on the details between the hours of 9 in the morning and 1:30 in the afternoon.
“Suppose we could not account for him from 9 to 1:30,” said Pattis. “Can you get from Farmington to New Canaan and back and kill somebody and clean up an extensive mess in a garage that included a lot of blood splattered on a couple cars, dispose of a body, dispose of a car… can all that really be accomplished in broad daylight in four and a half hours without a witness?”
Without traffic, the drive in each direction takes roughly 75 minutes.
Pattis said Fotis and his girlfriend, Michelle Troconis, had a dinner party the night Jennifer disappeared and the next morning, Troconis was in and out of the Farmington house. According to Pattis, Fotis and Troconis have not communicated since they were both charged in connection with Jennifer’s disappearance.
Pattis described Fotis as “a fighter,” and therefore is not worried about his mental health. Pattis added that Fotis has family and friends traveling from overseas to spend time with him while he is out on bond.
“Every day that police fail to find a link, they’re proving my case that there is no link,” said Pattis. “So I encourage the broadest and most robust investigation possible.”
