STAMFORD, Conn. — The woman at the center of the criminal investigation into the disappearance of a Connecticut mother-of-five who vanished in 2019 was sentenced on Friday to 20 years in prison; she will be released after 14 and a half years and then serve five years of probation.
Michelle Troconis, 49, was convicted for helping her then-boyfriend Fotis Dulos, who authorities believe killed his estranged wife, Jennifer Dulos, as they battled each other in divorce and child custody proceedings.
Jennifer Dulos, 50, vanished on May 24, 2019, after dropping off her five children at school.
Fotis Dulos killed himself in January 2020, shortly after being charged with murder. He had denied the allegations. At the time, she was living with the children in New Canaan while Fotis Dulos stayed in the family’s spacious home about 70 miles away in Farmington.
Who is Michelle Troconis?
The 49-year-old is a dual American and Venezuelan citizen. She has described herself as a co-founder of horse-riding therapy programs in different parts of the world who once had her own TV production company in Argentina and hosted a snow-sports show for ESPN South America.
At the time of Jennifer Dulos’ disappearance, Troconis and her teenage daughter were living with Fotis Dulos in his home in Farmington.
What were the charges against Michelle Troconis?
Prosecutors alleged Troconis must have known about the plot to kill Jennifer Dulos beforehand because she answered Fotis Dulos’ cell phone on the morning of May 24 when he allegedly was in New Cannan – suggesting she helped him with an alibi. He had left his phone at their home in Farmington, prosecutors said.
Troconis was accused of:
- Conspiracy to commit murder
- Conspiracy to commit tampering with physical evidence
- Tampering with physical evidence
- Conspiracy to commit tampering with physical evidence
- Tampering with physical evidence
- Hindering prosecution
On March 1, 2024, a jury found Troconis guilty of all charges.
She was sentenced on May 31 to 20 years in prison; she will be released after 14 and a half years and then serve five years of probation. Before the sentencing, Judge Kevin Randolph ruled to vacate one of the counts of conspiracy to commit tampering with physical evidence.
The sentencing comes one week after Jennifer's five-year mark of her disappearance.
What did prosecutors say during the trial?
On the day Jennifer Dulos went missing, Troconis accompanied Fotis Dulos to Hartford, where he disposed of several garbage bags in random locations — a trip partially recorded by surveillance cameras.
Police found some of the bags and said they contained clothing, zip ties and other items containing Jennifer Dulos’ DNA. Some of the items, including a shirt and bra, had blood-like stains on them. Some items had Fotis Dulos’ DNA on them, and a portion of one bag tested positive for Troconis’ DNA, a state forensics expert testified at the trial.
The prosecutors also said Troconis helped Fotis Dulos write up a timeline of their activities to prepare for potential police questioning. Troconis told police she only did that at the request of Fotis Dulos and his lawyer. And she also went with him when he had the employee’s truck cleaned and detailed at a car wash, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors also said Troconis lied to police during the first of her three interviews with them in 2019 when she said Fotis was at their home the morning of May 24. They say she acknowledged in a subsequent interview that she hadn't seen him.
What did Michelle Troconis’ attorney say during the trial?
Her lawyer, Jon Schoenhorn, said the prosecution did not prove any of their allegations beyond a reasonable doubt, including whether Fotis Dulos killed Jennifer Dulos or even if he was in New Canaan that morning.
Schoenhorn said Troconis had no idea what Fotis Dulos was doing or what was in the bags. He also said Fotis Dulos could have touched her and spread her DNA to one of the bags.
He said there could have been miscommunications because the interviews were in English instead of Troconis' primary language, Spanish. A defense expert also testified that traumatic events, such as being interviewed by police, can affect people's memory and recall of events.
Troconis did not testify during the 27-day trial.
What did the jury find?
The jury found Troconis guilty on all charges.
She sat with her head down and cried as the jurors were polled as to whether they agreed with the verdict. She later rested her head on the table and could be heard sobbing before marshals cuffed her and led her from the courtroom.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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