The Disappearance and Presumed Murder of Jennifer Dulos

Jennifer Dulos, a 50-year-old mother of five, vanished on May 24, 2019, after dropping her children off at school in New Canaan, Connecticut. 

Her disappearance, now presumed a murder, has drawn widespread media attention and sparked a lengthy investigation by Connecticut State Police and the state's attorney's office.

The Disappearance

Jennifer Dulos was last seen at around 8 a.m. on May 24, 2019, when she dropped her children off at New Canaan Country School. 

At 8:05 a.m., a neighbor’s security camera captured her returning home. 

That same day, she missed two scheduled doctors' appointments in New York City, one at 11 a.m. and another at 1 p.m. 

By 7 p.m., her nanny, Lauren Almeida, and two friends reported her missing after being unable to contact her. 

Jennifer’s family and friends stated that it was highly unusual for her to leave without informing anyone.

Almeida arrived at Jennifer's house at 11:30 a.m. and was surprised to see Jennifer's Range Rover in the garage, as Jennifer had planned to use it for her appointments instead of her Chevrolet Suburban, which was missing. 

Jennifer Dulos

The Investigation

The police launched an investigation right after Jennifer was reported missing. 

When detectives searched the house, they found blood spatter on the floor, door, and a wall in the garage, as well as on the exterior of the Range Rover. 

Blood was also found in the kitchen. 

DNA tests revealed that most of the blood belonged to Jennifer, with some on the kitchen faucet being a mixture of hers and Fotis’s. 

Police found further evidence indicating Jennifer had been seriously assaulted.

Jennifer’s Chevrolet Suburban was captured on a neighbor’s security camera leaving her home at around 10:25 a.m. 

Authorities believe Fotis Dulos was driving the vehicle, carrying Jennifer’s body and items used in the cleanup. 

That evening, at around 7:30 p.m., surveillance footage showed Fotis and Michelle Troconis disposing of garbage bags in thirty bins in Hartford. 

The bags contained bloodied clothing and cleaning items stained with Jennifer’s blood. 

Fotis's DNA was also found on a glove inside one of the bags and on one of the trash bags. 

Jennifer’s Suburban was later discovered abandoned near Waveny Park, approximately three miles from her home.

Police conducted extensive searches of properties in and around Farmington, Fairfield County, and near Fotis’s home, but found no trace of Jennifer. 

Investigators believe Fotis rode a bike to Jennifer’s home, evidenced by tire marks and other clues, and waited for her to return before killing her in the garage. 

Helicopters, canine units, and divers were deployed in the search efforts, but no signs of Jennifer were found. 

Her credit cards showed no activity, and no calls had been made from her cell phone since her disappearance.

In January 2021, the Connecticut State Police revisited a property on Mountain Spring Road in Farmington, once owned by Fotis’s real estate company, to follow up on old leads. 

Authorities were seen digging up the yard and using an excavator and a septic tank in their search. 

Bob Perry, an expert in locating unmarked graves, was also brought in, though he did not disclose whether any findings were made. Police provided no updates afterward.

The Suspects

Fotis Dulos, Jennifer's estranged husband, quickly became the primary suspect. 

Charged with felony murder, murder, and kidnapping, Fotis died by suicide in January 2020, while maintaining his innocence. 

While out on bail, Fotis Dulos missed a January 28 emergency bond hearing. 

Police found him unresponsive at his home in Farmington, having attempted suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning. 

He had run a vacuum cleaner hose from the exhaust pipe of his SUV into the car's interior while it was parked in his garage. 

Responders managed to restore a faint pulse after performing CPR. 

He was then transported to Jacobi Medical Center in The Bronx for hyperbaric oxygen therapy. 

Fotis's children visited him at the medical center before he was removed from life support.

Fotis was pronounced dead two days later.

Michelle Troconis, Fotis’s girlfriend, faced charges of conspiracy to commit murder, evidence tampering, and hindering prosecution. 

The Trial of Michelle Troconis

Michelle Troconis, who was dating Fotis Dulos at the time, was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder, evidence tampering, and hindering prosecution for her involvement in the disappearance and presumed murder of Jennifer Dulos.

Prosecutors allege that Troconis helped Fotis Dulos conceal the crime after he supposedly attacked and killed Jennifer in her garage on May 24, 2019. 

Surveillance footage captured Fotis and Troconis driving around Hartford, disposing of garbage bags containing items with Jennifer's DNA, such as bloody clothing and zip ties.

Initially, Troconis told police that Fotis was with her at their Farmington home on the morning Jennifer vanished, providing him with an alibi. 

However, the prosecution argued that she participated in the cleanup and cover-up of Jennifer's murder.

Despite asserting her innocence, Troconis was sentenced to up to 45 years in prison on May 31, 2024, after her conviction. 

The Impact on Jennifer's Family

Jennifer's presumed murder has deeply affected her family and friends. Her children have been under the care of their grandmother and nanny since her disappearance. 

Carrie Luft, a close friend of Jennifer's, released a statement on behalf of the family, expressing gratitude for the ongoing investigation and hope for finding Jennifer's body. 

The family also encouraged donations to organizations supporting survivors of intimate partner violence and missing and murdered women of color.

sources

[1] https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/what-to-know-about-the-disappearance-and-presumed-murder-of-jennifer-dulos/3301820/

[2] https://apnews.com/article/missing-mother-jennifer-dulos-killing-connecticut-92af440974c8305fceeaae12c6fdb7ac

[3] https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jennifer-dulos-case-michelle-troconis-i-didnt-do-it/

[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Jennifer_Dulos

[5] https://nypost.com/2020/01/22/jennifer-dulos-once-said-she-may-end-up-in-a-body-bag-on-parenting-blog/