Jennifer Dulos' Mother, Gloria Farber, Testifies In Troconis Trial

STAMFORD, CT — A day after projected star witness Kent Mawhinney pleaded the Fifth Amendment, which kept him from testifying, Gloria Farber, the 88-year-old mother of the late Jennifer Farber Dulos, took the stand Wednesday for brief testimony in the Michelle Troconis trial.

Farber, who has custody of the five Dulos children, testified for less than 10 minutes, stating that Jennifer, 50, was a loving and caring mother, who would never leave her five children.

During questioning by Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney Michelle Manning, Farber spoke of Jennifer's plans on the day she vanished from her New Canaan home, May 24, 2019.

"Well, she was going to meet us at my apartment," Farber said, referring to her home in New York City.

Jennifer had a doctor's appointment scheduled in New York that morning, but never made it there. The five children arrived at Farber's apartment that day, brought to the city by their nanny, Lauren Almeida, but Jennifer never arrived.

Prosecutors believe that the late Fotis Dulos, Jennifer's estranged husband, brutally murdered her at her New Canaan home, and then disposed of her body, which has never been found. The Duloses were in the midst of a bitter divorce and custody fight at the time of her disappearance.

A probate judge officially declared Jennifer Dulos was dead late last year.

Fotis Dulos was arrested and charged with kidnapping and murdering Jennifer Dulos, but he never stood trial, because he died after a suicide attempt in January 2020.

Troconis, who was Fotis' girlfriend at the time of Jennifer's disappearance, is accused of assisting Fotis in the murder plot and attempted cover up.

Mawhinney, who is a former attorney and former friend of Fotis', is also accused of helping Fotis, and was expected to testify against Troconis. Instead, Mawhinney invoked his Fifth Amendment rights and will not testify in Troconis' trial, but he still faces a trial of his own at a later date.

On Wednesday, Jennifer Dulos' five children — Petros, Theodore, Christiane, Constantine and Noelle — accompanied Farber to court and sat in the gallery during her testimony, News 12 Connecticut reported. Farber and the children left following the testimony.

The prosecution rested its case Wednesday, and Troconis' attorney, Jon Schoenhorn, began presenting her defense, which included testimony from people who know Troconis.

Beth Reich and Cheryl Briere testified that Jennifer was a warm, friendly person, reported the Stamford Advocate, Briere, who is Troconis' hairstylist, testified that Troconis appeared happy during a hair appointment the day after Jennifer had been reported missing.

At social events prior to Jennifer's disappearance, Fotis Dulos and Troconis appeared to be in normal spirits, with nothing out of the ordinary, witnesses testified.

Before starting the defense, Schoenhorn sought a judgement of acquittal by Judge Kevin Randolph, but the request was denied.

Schoenhorn said he could wrap up the defense as early as Friday or Monday, at which time Randolph will consider a contempt motion against Troconis, before closing arguments begin on Tuesday.

The Dulos case:

• 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