Michelle Troconis, Accused In Jennifer Dulos' Death, Says Trusting Fotis Dulos Was 'A Mistake'
STAMFORD, Conn. (CBSNewYork) - A year after the disappearance of a Connecticut mother whose case evolved into a murder investigation and then the suicide of her estranged husband-turned-suspect, the girlfriend mixed up in the matter is speaking out to again claim she knows nothing about what happened to Jennifer Dulos.
Michelle Troconis was in a relationship with Fotis Dulos, the man was charged with killing his estranged wife Jennifer who disappeared in May of 2019.
Her body was never found. In March, a Connecticut judge denied a request from Fotis Dulos' attorneys to continue his murder trial a month after he died from suicide.
TIMELINE: The Investigation Into Missing Mother Jennifer Dulos
Troconis appeared in court last February with a new defense attorney, Jon L. Schoenhorn, to face charges of murder conspiracy and evidence tampering for allegedly going with Fotis Dulos to Hartford where evidence stained with Jennifer Dulos' blood was found.
Schoenhorn released an audio statement recorded by his client in Spanish, accompanied by an English translation:
My name is Michelle Troconis. For the past year, people have said many things about me – some kind; some cruel. I was advised by my lawyers to remain quiet and rely on the justice system, which is very frustrating for me because there is a lot I would wish to say.
It has been nearly a year since I first heard about the disappearance of Jennifer Dulos. As a mother, I am saddened for the loss that these five children have suffered, being left without both parents in such a short period of time.
But despite the way I have been treated by the police, I know nothing about Jennifer Dulos' whereabouts or what may have happened to her. I know that under American law, I don't have to prove my innocence, but actually to me it feels that way, during all this time while under public scrutiny.
To those who are quick to judge people they do not know, let me say this: it is possible to misjudge others. Whether or not Fotis Dulos was capable of doing the things the police and prosecutors accused him of doing, I do not know. But based on what I have learned in the last year, I think it was a mistake to have trusted him.
Although Fotis Dulos's attorney argued that the case should continue so they could clear his name, the judge in Stamford sided with prosecutors who declined to proceed.
Troconis is now the only person facing charges in the case.
