The family of murdered Connecticut mother Jennifer Dulos has issued a somber statement after her estranged husband's girlfriend, Michelle Troconis, was convicted of conspiring to murder her.
“Today’s verdict is a critical demonstration of accountability, not a victory.” “There can be no victory when five children grow up without their mother,” said Carrie Luft, spokeswoman for the Farber family.
“This verdict represents the careful collection, analysis and presentation of evidence to solve an unreasonable series of crimes.” This immense body of evidence also serves to highlight the gaps that remain in this case – most importantly Jennifer Farber Dulos still hasn't been found.
“We have lost a mother, a daughter, a sister, a cousin and a treasured friend.” “Jennifer's loved ones cannot bury her next to her father.”
Troconis, 49, was convicted on all six counts, including conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with evidence in connection with the May 2019 disappearance of the mother of five.
Michelle Troconis, 49, was convicted of all six counts, including conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with evidence in connection with the disappearance of the mother of five
Michell Troconis, 49, collapsed and sat with his head in his hands as the guilty verdict was announced Friday morning
Jennifer Farber Dulos disappeared in May 2019. Her remains have never been 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 murder to help crime
Troconis was found guilty of helping his lover Fotis Dulos kill his wife in 2019. Fotis killed himself before he could be tried
The Farber family added: “Many questions remain unanswered as we approach the five-year mark.” We hope that the renewed public interest in this case will produce new, viable leads. In the meantime, Jennifer’s grace, kindness and light live on through her children and by honoring her memory.”
The American-Venezuelan collapsed and sat with her head in her hands as the guilty verdict was announced Friday morning.
The missing mother was in the midst of a bitter divorce from Troconis' lover Fotis Dulos, who was charged with her murder but committed suicide before his trial.
Before Troconis was led out of the courtroom in handcuffs, the judge reportedly set her bail at $6 million cash only. She is scheduled to be sentenced on May 31 and faces up to 50 years in prison.
Troconis' trial began in early January when prosecutors argued that she helped dispose of Jennifer's body in trash bags after Fotis killed her in their Connecticut home.
Jennifer disappeared on May 24, 2019, after dropping her children off at school, and her body was never found.
The mother, whose children were between eight and 13 years old at the time, was reported missing because she failed to show up for several appointments in New York City.
Because Fotis Dulos killed himself before he could stand trial, the details of Jennifer's disappearance were left to Troconis' conspiracy trial.
Prosecutors said Fotis attacked his wife in the garage of their home and stuffed her body into their Chevrolet Suburban before driving it three miles where it was later found abandoned.
Later on the day of her disappearance, Troconis, along with Fotis, were seen on surveillance footage around 7:30 p.m. stopping at several locations around Hartford, Connecticut, with the businessman seen dropping several bags of trash along the way.
A few days later, police recovered some of the bags and found bloody clothing, zip ties and other items that contained DNA matching Jennifer and Fotis. Troconis' DNA was also found on one bag.
At the trial, jurors were shown grisly images of blood-spattered evidence, including stains around Jennifer's Connecticut home.
Surveillance video showing Dulos and Troconis “disposing of bloody items” was among the damning evidence that led to Friday's guilty verdict
A “red stain” on the grill of Jennifer Dulos' Range Rover on May 24, 2019, the day she disappeared. Police who searched the home said they noticed it and did not appear to be the result of a deer attack
Police also found a bloody footprint in the garage where they believe Jennifer's body was taken
Investigators said they also found red stains in Dulos' kitchen, including on the inner tube of a paper towel roll, on the faucet at her sink and on the edge of a countertop
The grisly evidence included a bloodstain in Jennifer Dulos' Range Rover, which was parked in her garage
Jennifer and Fotis Dulos are pictured before their murder and suicide
Former State Police investigator Matthew Reilly testified that he discovered blood stains on several surfaces in Jennifer's kitchen, including a paper towel roll, a sink faucet and a countertop – and in her garage.
Jurors were also shown photos of blood stains on Jennifer's abandoned Chevy Suburban.
Blood was also found on the outside of a Range Rover in her garage and officers found evidence of an attempt to clean it.
Due to the significant amount of blood that was apparently removed from the crime scene, it was clear that Jennifer was deceased – Judge William P. Osterndorf declared her “officially dead” during the ongoing trial.
Troconis, a former ESPN anchor in South America, lived with Fotis and their daughter in their Farmington, Connecticut, home that the businessman once shared with his wife and children.
After Jennifer was reported missing, Troconis was brought in for questioning, where she claimed she believed the bags shown in the surveillance footage contained goods from one of the homes Fotis was selling at the time.
Jennifer Dulos is pictured in a photo released by police when she went missing
Fotis, a luxury real estate developer, allegedly attacked and killed his wife in their garage but committed suicide before he could face the music
Venezuelan socialite Troconis (left with Dulos and right with her daughter) continued to deny any involvement in Jennifer's death until her guilty verdict on Friday
Officers also uncovered the so-called “alibi scripts” – two pages written by Fotis and Troconis that detailed their activities almost hourly on the day Jennifer was last seen, but did not include the time when the bags were disposed of.
Troconis claimed they detailed their actions on the advice of Fotis' attorney.
But her arrest warrant also says she told police conflicting stories in three interviews about whether she saw Fotis the morning Jennifer died.