The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
⏩ Suicide attempt highlights difficult time for Fotis Dulos.
FARMINGTON — Fotis Dulos was found unresponsive from an apparent suicide attempt at his home Tuesday afternoon as he faced the possibility of going back to prison, just days after a judge reprimanded him for violating the terms of his release.
Farmington Police Lt. Tim McKenzie said officers were dispatched to the Jefferson Crossing residence for a welfare check when Fotis Dulos didn’t show up for an emergency bond hearing in Stamford.
Fotis Dulos’ would have been sent back to jail if his bond was revoked at the hearing, which has been rescheduled for 2 p.m. Wednesday.
The accused killer was due in court for a hearing because, sources said, insurance company Palmetto Surety Corp. might not be able to support the high bond for the murder, felony murder and first-degree kidnapping charges in the May 24 disappearance and death of his estranged wife, Jennifer Dulos.
Judge Gary White recently ordered Fotis Dulos to be on strict home confinement after State’s Attorney Richard Colangelo said Fotis
Dulos took items from a memorial for his estranged wife set up near his Farmington home. The move was considered a violation of his release.
White threatened to double Fotis Dulos’ bond if he violated the terms of his release again.
The judge also pointed out that Fotis Dulos was previously warned about the battery running too low on the electronic device that monitors his movements.
The ruling prevented Fotis Dulos from leaving his Farmington home for work. He has been on house arrest since being released this month on $6 million bond.
His defense attorney, Norm Pattis, told the judge the decision could cripple his client’s business.
“He had permission for each of the stops he made that day when he got to the front of the common area of his private property, he removed a few items that were taunting him,” Pattis said. “It was a technical violation and I would ask you not to remove his right to work. Mr. Dulos is a home builder and the sale of just one house could be finance-altering for him.”
Fotis Dulos has been in trouble financially and a $2.5 million civil lawsuit filed by his mother-in-law, Gloria Farber, is pending a Hartford judge’s ruling. Farber is also foreclosing on his Farmington home and a bank is trying to seize a New Canaan property his company has been trying to sell.
The 7,000-square-foot home at 61 Sturbridge Hill Road was part of the Jennifer Dulos investigation after neighbors reported hearing loud bangs coming from the property the morning after the May 24 disappearance. Nothing connected to the disappearance was found on the property, according to search warrants unsealed last week.
In a sworn affidavit, Nicholas Gazetos, executive vice president of the Savings Bank of Danbury, said Fotis Dulos does not have “sufficient funds” to maintain the property. Gazetos said Fotis Dulos has asked the bank to pay utilities to keep the electricity and heat on, the court documents said.
Earlier this month, State Police unsealed 469 pages of search warrants that detailed how police believe Fotis Dulos, his former girlfriend Michelle Troconis and his close friend and former attorney, Kent Mawhinney, allegedly conspired to kill Jennifer Dulos.
Fotis Dulos and Troconis were charged last year with tampering with evidence and hindering prosecution in the disappearance of Jennifer Dulos.
On Jan. 7, state police charged Fotis Dulos with the murder charges and Troconis and Mawhinney were each charged with conspiracy to commit murder.
Troconis has been on house arrest on her $1.5 million bond. Mawhinney remains jailed in lieu of a $2 million bond. They are each expected in court Feb. 20.