Attorney: Prosecution used to justify money spent on Dulos search

STAMFORD — Michelle Troconis’ attorney took aim at prosecutors on Friday, saying their pursuit of charges against his client are motivated by a desire to justify the immense police resources spent investigating the death and disappearance of Jennifer Dulos.

It’s an argument, attorney Jon Schoenhorn said, that could be a factor in Troconis’ defense.

Schoenhorn made those comments to reporters Friday following a hearing in which he argued that police embellished and misstated the facts of their investigation to obtain warrants, charging Troconis with hindering prosecution, tampering with evidence and conspiracy to commit tampering.

“Their whole point, it’s pretty clear to me, was to have her be a cooperating witness, which she was,” Schoenhorn said, referring to Troconis’ hours of interviews with police following the May 2019 disappearance.

The 47-year-old Troconis is accused of helping to dispose of evidence and trying to concoct an alibi for her former boyfriend, Fotis Dulos, in connection with the death of his estranged wife. Fotis Dulos died by suicide in January 2020 as he faced murder, kidnapping and other charges in the case.

Police spent nearly $1 million in overtime alone during the first two years of their investigation into the disappearance, according to an analysis by Heart Connecticut Media. The search spanned multiple sites from New Canaan to Fotis Dulos’ former home in Farmington and a recycling center in Hartford, though the mother of five’s body has never been found.

“Of course, when Fotis Dulos takes his life, suddenly, they’ve spent millions of dollars, they were not going to be pursuing the charges against her, now they’ve got to be justifying millions of dollars,” spent on the investigation, Schoenhorn continued. “Many people, including judges, have said, ‘Gee, they don’t spend that kind of money when poor women in Hartford, from the inner city, women of color go missing.”

Schoenhorn said he was not yet certain whether that argument will become a centerpiece of his defense if the case goes to trial, calling it an “observation.”

Troconis did not appear in court on Friday. She has pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit murder as well as each of the tampering and hindering prosecution charges.

Assistant State’s Attorney Daniel Cummings declined to comment on Friday to Schoenhorn’s description of the state’s prosecution. In court, however, he described

Troconis as more than an unwitting participant in Fotis Dulos’ alleged attempts to cover up the crime.

“She is at Dulos’ hip at every moment he is trying to dispose of all this incriminating evidence,” Cummings said.

Jennifer Dulos was reported missing to police in New Canaan on May 24, 2019. Police said she is presumed dead based on blood evidence found in the garage of her home, according to arrest warrants in the case.

Police accused her estranged husband of “lying in wait” at her home, where police later found evidence of a violent attack, including blood stains in the garage and kitchen sink, according to arrest affidavits.

Fotis Dulos was seen on security footage on the evening she was reported missing dumping garbage bags with items allegedly containing Jennifer Dulos’ blood on them in bins around Hartford, the affidavits said. Police said Troconis was in the vehicle with him, according to the warrants.