Conn. vic’s ma testifies
Says at conspiracy trial she last heard from Dulos on day she vanished
Gloria Farber, the mother of missing Connecticut woman Jennifer Farber Dulos, was the state’s final witness on Wednesday as the prosecution concluded its case against Michelle Troconis in connection to the presumed murder of Farber’s daughter.
Farber, 88, testified that she had not heard from her daughter since May 24, 2019, the day Farber Dulos disappeared. She said her daughter was supposed to meet her at her New York City apartment after a doctor’s appointment, but never showed up.
After more than four years, Farber Dulos was declared legally dead in late 2023, though her remains have never been found. The mother of five “was always there” for her children and never would have abandoned them, Farber testified. At the time of their mother’s disappearance, the children ranged in age from 8 to 13.
Following Farber taking the stand, Connecticut prosecutors rested their case against Troconis after 25 days of testimony. The 49-year-old has pleaded not guilty to murder conspiracy, evidence tampering and hindering prosecution. Troconis is the first person to stand trial in the disappearance and death of Farber Dulos.
Authorities believe Farber Dulos died at the hands of her estranged husband, Fotis Dulos, who was charged with murder in January 2020 but died by suicide while out on bail.
Since the trial of Troconis began on Jan. 11, prosecutors have attempted to prove that she knew Fotis Dulos had killed his wife and conspired to cover it up. Dulos and Farber Dulos were going through a contentious divorce at the time of her death, and Troconis was Dulos’ live-in girlfriend.
The jury was shown video of Dulos driving around Hartford and dropping items in dumpsters and trash bins. Investigators later recovered several of the items, including zip ties, gloves, plastic ponchos and clothes with “bloodlike” stains. Authorities said Troconis was in the vehicle with Dulos during his evidence-dumping journey.
Prosecutors also focused on a red Toyota Tacoma, which was owned by Dulos’ employee Pawel Gumienny. According to police, Dulos was driving the truck on the day of his wife’s disappearance.
Gumienny testified that Dulos insisted on changing the seats in the Tacoma after Farber Dulos went missing. Witnesses testified that Dulos and Troconis took the car for a deep cleaning and detailing.
The jury also watched Troconis’ three interviews with police, including her admitting in the third that she had lied about seeing Dulos on the morning of Farber Dulos’ disappearance. She revealed that she didn’t see him until later in the day.
Throughout the trial, Troconis’ defense attorney Jon Schoenhorn has argued that investigators have presented plenty of evidence against Fotis Dulos but very little dealing with Troconis. The defense team is expected to call several witnesses as well, though their presentation is expected to be much shorter than the prosecution’s five-week effort.