'Dateline NBC': Who killed Jennifer Dulos? Ex-husband and lover in Connecticut case finally brought to justice
CONNECTICUT, U.S: NBC's longest-running weekly American TV series, 'Dateline NBC' Season 32 special episode titled, "A life interrupted" is scheduled to premiere on Friday, March 1, at 9 PM ET on NBC.
The upcoming episode will center around the verdict in the murder case of Connecticut mother Jennifer Dulos. Michelle Troconis, the girlfriend of Jennifer's husband Fotis, was recently found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder, tampering with evidence, and hindering prosecution, making it a pivotal moment in the unfolding story.
The episode promises an in-depth exploration of the case, featuring never-before-seen evidence, including extensive video and photos obtained from residential security systems and urban police cameras.
This evidence will offer viewers a detailed timeline of the crime, providing a closer look at the investigation and legal proceedings.
Who was Jennifer Dulos?
Jennifer, a mother of five from New Canaan, Connecticut, went missing in May 2019 after dropping her kids off at school. She was married to Fotis Dulos, and they tied the knot in Manhattan in August 2004, eventually settling in Farmington, Connecticut.
The couple had five children together, including two sets of twins: sons Petros, Theodore, and Constantine, and daughters Christiane and Cleopatra Noelle.
After five years of marriage, Jennifer expressed dissatisfaction with her married life in a blog post, revealing her feelings about Fotis having an affair. In response to their increasingly independent lives, she filed for divorce on June 20, 2017, in Stamford Superior Court.
Following the divorce filing, Jennifer rented a house in New Canaan and moved there with her five children. The problems escalated during the divorce proceedings, particularly concerning the custody of their children.
Despite Jennifer's emergency custody order request, temporary joint custody was granted until the divorce's conclusion. In early 2018, when Jennifer again sought an emergency custody order, this time around, the judge found Fotis in violation of multiple court orders.
Owing to this, in March 2018, Jennifer was awarded sole physical custody and Fotis received supervised visitation and monitored phone calls, leading to further disputes.
While Jennifer's remains were never found, evidence suggested that Fotis had been waiting for her to return home and attacked her. Troconis, his ex-lover, charged with helping Fotis cover up the murder, faced legal consequences in January 2020.
How did Jennifer Dulos die?
Jennifer's disappearance raised concerns when her friend and nanny, Lauren Almeida, reported her missing, unable to reach her. Unusual for Jennifer to leave without notice, her Range Rover was found in the garage, suggesting she had planned to use it for her appointments.
Similarly, detectives discovered blood spatter in the garage, on the Range Rover, and in the kitchen, with DNA tests confirming the majority belonged to Jennifer. Further evidence indicated a severe assault on Jennifer.
On the same night, Fotis and Troconis were captured on video disposing of trash bags in Hartford. The bags contained bloodied clothing and cleaning items with Jennifer's blood. Fotis' DNA was discovered on a glove and one of the bags.
These events strongly suggested the possibility of Fotis, along with his lover Troconis, being involved in Jennifer's disappearance and potential murder.
Was Fotis Dulos behind Jennifer Dulos’ murder?
Fotis Dulos was implicated in her murder based on the extensive evidence collected during the investigation. The presence of Jennifer's blood in their home, along with the discovery of bloodied items in trash bags discarded by Fotis and his lover Michelle Troconis, pointed to a violent assault leading to Jennifer's death.
Despite the mounting evidence, Fotis Dulos never admitted to his involvement in Jennifer's murder. The case took a tragic turn when Fotis, facing charges related to his wife's disappearance, attempted suicide. He later succumbed to his injuries and died, leaving behind a legal aftermath but without ever confessing to the crime.
Why was Michelle Troconis involved in Jennifer Dulos’ murder?
The motive behind Michelle Troconis's conspiring in Jennifer's murder was rooted in her alleged disdain for Jennifer Dulos. Jennifer was entangled in a costly divorce and custody battle with Fotis Dulos, who was Troconis's boyfriend at the time.
The jury concluded that Troconis conspired with Fotis to murder his estranged wife, providing false information to establish an alibi and assisting in the disposal of incriminating evidence.
During her interviews with Connecticut State Police, Troconis initially claimed to be at home with Fotis on the day of Jennifer's disappearance but later admitted that her initial statement was false.
Surveillance footage further implicated Troconis as she was seen wiping her hand on the ground while Fotis disposed of bloody evidence. Despite Troconis's assertion that she was merely removing gum from her hand, prosecutors argued that she was aware of the situation and actively participated in evidence disposal.
When did Fotis Dulos die?
Fotis Dulos died by suicide on January 30, 2020, inside his Connecticut home. He passed away at a New York City hospital two days after attempting suicide at his residence.
Dulos, aged 52, had been arrested and charged with capital murder, murder, and kidnapping earlier that month in connection with the disappearance of his wife, Jennifer Dulos, in May 2019.
Dulos attempted suicide at his Farmington home while on house arrest, prompted by an emergency court hearing addressing a discrepancy with his $6 million bond.
Following the attempt, he was airlifted from a Connecticut hospital to one in New York, where he underwent oxygen therapy in a hyperbaric chamber. His condition was described as "dire" by his attorney, however, he succumbed to the suicide within two days.
"If you are reading this I am no more. I refuse to spend even an hour more in jail for something I had NOTHING to do with," Fotis' suicide note read.
Michelle Troconis sentenced to May 31, 2024
Michelle Troconis has been found guilty on all charges connected to the murder of Jennifer Dulos. The judge has raised her bail from $2.1 million to $6 million. If she manages to pay the new amount, she will be placed under house arrest until her sentencing scheduled for May 31.
The potential sentence she faces depends on how the charges are treated, ranging from up to 20 years if served concurrently to a maximum of 50 years if served consecutively. Notably, the guilty verdict against Troconis was delivered 1,743 days after Jennifer Dulos disappeared from her New Canaan home.
'Dateline NBC' Season 32 airs new episodes every Friday at 8 pm ET on NBC and is available for streaming on Peacock the following day.