Jennifer Dulos Case: Judge Denies Troconis Motion For Acquittal

STAMFORD, CT — Michelle Troconis, who was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder in connection with the disappearance and death of Jennifer Farber Dulos, was denied a motion to have that conviction thrown out, the Stamford Advocate reported.

Additionally, Superior Court Judge Kevin Randolph also ruled against granting Troconis a new trial in the case; her attorney, Jon Schoenhorn, had filed motions for both an acquittal and new trial days after his client's conviction last month.

On March 1, a jury of six found Troconis guilty of all six counts that she faced:

• Conspiracy to Commit Murder
• Two counts of Conspiracy to Commit Tampering with Physical Evidence
• Two counts of Tampering with Physical Evidence
• Hindering Prosecution in the Second Degree

She remains in custody in lieu of bail of $6 million, and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 31.

Troconis reportedly was seen wiping away tears following Randolph's decision in Stamford Superior Court on Wednesday; before the hearing started, she blew a kiss to members of her family in attendance, News 12 Connecticut's Marissa Alter reported.

While Randolph was ultimately unmoved by Schoenhorn's motions, the judge said he could see a possible argument that the two conspiracy to commit tampering with physical evidence convictions may violate double jeopardy laws. He said he will consider that at sentencing.

At her sentencing next month, Troconis faces potential maximum sentences of 20 years in prison (if the sentences are served concurrently), or 50 years in prison (if the sentences run consecutively).

Jennifer Dulos, a 50-year-old mother of five, vanished from her New Canaan home on May 24, 2019, the victim of a brutal attack at the hands of her estranged husband, the late Fotis Dulos. The Duloses were in the midst of a bitter divorce and child custody fight at the time of her disappearance.

Troconis was Fotis' girlfriend at the time, and during her six-week trial, prosecutors convinced the jury that she not only played a role in the cover up after the disappearance, but also helped with the murder.

Schoenhorn argued that his client did not know of the murder beforehand, and did not knowingly help with the cover up.

Fotis Dulos was charged with kidnapping and murdering Jennifer Dulos, but he never stood trial, because he took his own life in January 2020.

Jennifer Dulos' remains have not been found; she was declared dead by a probate judge in late 2023, more than four years after her disappearance.

A third suspect in the case, Kent Mawhinney, was also charged with conspiracy to commit murder in the case, but his trial date has not yet been set. Mawhinney was an attorney and friend of Fotis Dulos at the time of Jennifer's disappearance.

Read the Stamford Advocate story.

The Dulos case:

• Jennifer Dulos Case: Jury Deliberations Begin In Troconis Trial
• Jennifer Farber Dulos' Family: Seeing Bloody Evidence Was 'Brutal'
• Jennifer Dulos Case: Jury Hears Authorities Feared For Troconis' Life
• Jennifer Dulos Case: New Updates As Mystery Remains Unsolved
• New DNA Evidence Disclosed In Jennifer Dulos Disappearance
• New Documentary Explores Jennifer Dulos Murder Mystery
• Troconis Wants Evidence Thrown Out In Dulos Disappearance Case
• Mystery Continues 3 Years After Jennifer Farber Dulos' Disappearance
• New Details On How Jennifer Dulos May Have Died: Warrant
• Jennifer Dulos Case: Examination Of Forensic Evidence Continues
• Fotis Dulos Pressed Witness To Destroy Evidence: Court Testimony
• Jennifer Dulos Case: Troconis To Face Contempt Charge In Trial
• Jurors Dismissed, Blood Evidence Presented In 1st Week Of Dulos Trial
• Jennifer Dulos Case: Troconis Does Not Testify; Defense Rests: Report
• Jennifer Farber Dulos: 4 Years Since Her Disappearance
• Family Releases Statement On Jennifer Farber Dulos' 51st Birthday