Michelle Troconis found guilty on all charges in disappearance of Jennifer Farber Dulos

Michele Troconis was found guilty of all charges on Friday after almost three days of deliberations from the six-person jury in her criminal trial at Stamford Superior Court.

Nearly five years after Jennifer Farber Dulos disappeared from New Canaan after dropping her five children off at school on May 24, 2019, Troconis is the first person to be tried in connection with her presumed death.

Prosecutors alleged Troconis plotted with her former boyfriend Fotis Dulos to kill Farber Dulos, his estranged wife, amid their contentious divorce, and that she helped him cover up his crimes.

A jury found that she is guilty of some of the crimes she was charged with – but not all.

“On the charge of conspiracy to commit murder: TK,” the jury foreperson read out to a packed courtroom about XX a.m. Friday.

The jury, who heard testimony from dozens of witnesses, watched hours of videos of Troconis being interviewed by investigators and were shown over 200 exhibits of evidence, delivered their verdict on six counts:

On the charge of hindering the prosecution: “Guilty”

On the first count of tampering with evidence: “Guilty”

On the second count of tampering with evidence: “Guilty”

On the first count of conspiracy to tamper with evidence, “Guilty”

On the second count of conspiracy to tamper with evidence, “Guilty”

On the charge of conspiracy to commit murder, Troconis faces up to 20 years in prison.

Troconis’ trial started on Jan. 11. The jury, which began deliberations on Feb. 27, heard 25 days of evidence and testimony from state prosecutors and three days from the defense.

Prosecutors allege that Troconis plotted with Dulos to kill Farber Dulos as the divorcing couple was embroiled in a contentious custody battle that meant Dulos could only see his children under court-ordered supervision.

Troconis’ defense attorneys have said she knew nothing about any plans Dulos may have had to hurt his wife and that she was unaware of later plans to cover up any crimes he committed.

Investigators believe Dulos, who died after attempting suicide in 2020 while charged with murder, drove his employee’s red Toyota Tocoma to New Canaan early on the morning of May 24, 2019, then rode a bike to Farber Dulos’ home at 69 Welles Lane in New Canaan and laid in wait for her there.

During the trial, experts on bloodstain pattern analysis testified that according to the evidence found in that garage, there were likey two “bloodshed events” that unfolded in there, meaning Farber Dulos was likely struck by at least two blows.

During closing arguments, prosecutors said that the jury could reasonably conclude it was an anger-driven attack and that after Farber Dulos was injured or killed, her body was moved elsewhere.

Schoenhorn said he agrees evidence points to something terrible happening to Farber Dulos in that garage, but has said that it did not involve his client.

Farber Dulos’ disappearance prompted widespread search efforts across Connecticut as investigators scoured that park and other parts of New Canaan, combed through city trash in Hartford,  zeroed in on Dulos and Troconis’ Farmington home and searched a pond in Avon where they were known to water ski.

Farber Dulos’ body has never been found, but she was declared legally dead in October 2023.

Investigators found evidence linked to her disappearance in Hartford trash bins and suctioned other evidence out of a city storm drain on Albany Avenue.

City surveillance cameras captured Dulos driving his Ford F-150 Raptor up and down Albany Avenue just hours after his wife disappeared. Dulos was seen getting out of the truck and putting black trash bags into different trash bins while Troconis rode in the passenger seat.

Troconis’ defense attorney has maintained what Troconis said in her interviews with investigators, that Troconis just thought she was headed to a West Hartford Starbucks and was distracted on her phone.