STAMFORD, Conn. — After a short break, the Michelle Troconis trial is officially in motion again.
On Wednesday, jurors heard about the detailing of the truck allegedly used in the crime. Other testimony planned for the afternoon, however, was barred by the judge.
Prosecutors allege Fotis Dulos and his then-girlfriend, Michelle Troconis, took the Toyota Tacoma that belonged to one of his employees, to a car wash in Avon to get it detailed. Police said the Tacoma was used in the commission of the crime.
Prosecutors showed video of what looks like Fotis going in, signing papers, and coming back hours later.
They also said the service sheet from that day leaves out a name, lists Troconis’ cell number, the vehicle is labeled as a Toyota Sienna, and they paid in cash.
“It could be many reasons—the customers are in a rush, they may not want to give it to us,” said Cedric Candiotti, General Manager for Russell Speeder’s Car Wash.
In previous testimony, Pawel Gumienny, Fotis’ former employee and owner of the Tacoma, said this was the first time Fotis had washed Gumienny’s vehicle. Gumienny had also testified he was growing suspicious of his boss, as Fotis kept insisting on changing the Tacoma’s car seats after Jennifer's disappearance.
In an interview with police, Troconis says the two went to and from the car wash together.
Monday afternoon, the state planned to put the chief medical examiner on the stand—to testify about his opinion of how Jennifer was killed.
The defense, filing a motion to suppress that testimony—said it’s all based off hearsay, and police reports.
Jon Schoenhorn, Troconis’ defense attorney said, “Medical examiners cannot testify about a body without having seen it.”
The judge agreed.
Jurors also saw video showing a person dressed in all black riding away from Waveney Park the day Jennifer went missing.
The person on the bike, police say, was Fotis Dulos.
But it’s video Schoenhorn feels is irrelevant, “And more importantly, nothing with regard with my client. So, it’s little pieces that, in my view, don’t even fit together in the puzzle.”
Earlier in the day, the state and the defense took care of a few motions—one in which some of Troconis’s cellphone records will now be allowed.
The judge will also allow testimony about a specific conversation Fotis Dulos had with his divorce attorney back in March 2019—just before Jennifer Farber Dulos went missing.
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Jennifer Farber Dulos, New Canaan mother of five, was last seen on May 24, 2019, dropping her children off at school. She was reported missing that evening, and an investigation was started.
Troconis is the one-time girlfriend of Jennifer’s estranged husband, Fotis Dulos, who was charged with Jennifer’s murder before he took his life in January 2020.
Troconis faces six charges:
- Conspiracy to commit murder
- Conspiracy to commit tampering with physical evidence – In connection to May 24, 2019
- Tampering with physical evidence – In connection to May 24, 2019
- Conspiracy to commit tampering with physical evidence – In connection to May 29, 2019
- Tamping with physical evidence – In connection to May 29, 2019
- Hindering prosecution
Julia LeBlanc is a reporter at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jleblanc@fox61.com Follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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