The day after state police arrested the estranged husband of missing New Canaan mom, Jennifer Dulos, his girlfriend, Michelle Troconis, turned herself in to state police investigators on a new tampering with evidence charge, according to state police.
Troconis was processed in connection with the disappearance of Jennifer judgmentcording to state police.
She walked out of the state police barracks in Bridgeport with her attorney, Andrew Bowman, after posting a $100,000 bond on Thursday afternoon. She is expected in court on September 18.
“We have a judicial system in this country, which is the foundation of our democracy. The most important parts of that system are the presumption of innocence and trial by jury, so I’d like you to remember that Michelle is presumed innocent and she should be,” Bowman said Thursday. “We are prepared to let judgement rest in a jury’s hands.”
On Wednesday, state police arrested Fotis Dulos and charged him with tampering with evidence. He posted the $500,000 bond set and is expected in court on Sept. 12.
His attorney, Norm Pattis, said they intend to plead not guilty to the new charges.
"The requirement to make another bond seems simply a stunt on the state's part to try to wear down our will to resist," Pattis said.
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In a later statement to NBC New York, Pattis said that the prosecution is "trying to convince itself" that Fotis Dulos is behind Jennifer's disappearance.
"When and if the state decides it can prove its case, we will welcome the chance to meet the case in open court," Pattis said. "The new warrant speaks of a lying lover and handyman with something to hide. When do we get the chance to question these folks?”
Fotis made a brief statement to reporters as he left Connecticut State Police Troop G in Bridgeport Wednesday.
“It’s an exhausting fight. I love my children, that's about it," Fotis said.
Jennifer Dulos has been missing since May 24. She was in the midst of a divorce and custody battle with Fotis at the time of her disappearance.
Background on the Jennifer Dulos Case
The search for Jennifer has spanned the state and authorities have spent days sifting through trash at a facility Hartford after bags containing Dulos’ blood were found. Law enforcement officials said surveillance video captured two people resembling her estranged husband, Fotis Dulos and his girlfriend, Michelle Troconis, throwing out bags on Albany Avenue in Hartford that ended up in the trash plant.
Fotis and Troconis were both charged with hindering prosecution and tampering with evidence and have both pleaded not guilty.
Court documents in the case say investigators who responded to the missing person report in May found blood splatter and evidence of cleanup attempts at Jennifer’s New Canaan home.
The New Details From the Fotis Dulos Arrest Warrant
The new arrest warrant for Fotis Dulos, which was released Wednesday, states that Troconis admitted to police that she and Fotis were on Albany Avenue that day, but claimed she did not know what Fotis was doing. Troconis also told investigators that several handwritten notes found in Fotis’ business office that outlined his activities on May 24 and May 25 included information that was inaccurate and described events that had never happened.
In a follow-up interview, Troconis told police she did not see Fotis when she woke up on May 24 and did not see him until sometime after noon that day.
The court documents also include multiple surveillance photos of a red Toyota Tacoma, which Fotis had access to, in New Canaan on the morning Jennifer disappeared. According to the warrant, the vehicle is owned by one of Fotis’ employees, who regularly leaves the vehicle at Fotis’ Farmington home and takes another vehicle for his work.
That employee told police that when he returned from work on May 24 to pick up his truck he couldn’t initially find the keys. He said the following week, Fotis took the car to be interior detailed and washed without his knowledge.
The employee went on to tell police that Fotis kept pushing him to replace the seats in the truck. When he questioned his employer, Fotis said he was concerned Jennifer’s hair may be in the car because he hugged her when he saw her on Mother’s Day.
The employee was cleared as a suspect.
During an interview with Troconis on Aug. 13, detectives asked her why she thought Dulos had the Tacoma washed.
Troconis answered "Well obviously - all the evidence says because - you showed me the picture of the blood in the door - it's because the body of Jennifer at some point was in there," according to the arrest affidavit.
In the court documents, investigators state they believe Fotis laid in wait for Jennifer at her home on May 24, committed "the crime" and cleaned it up, then returned to Farmington.
When police searched the Toyota, they found a “bloodlike substance” that was a DNA match to Jennifer, according to the court documents.
The only charges filed against Fotis are tampering with evidence and hindering prosecution.
Jennifer and Fotis’ five children have been staying with Jennifer’s mother, who was granted temporary custody by the court.
Police urge everyone with information regarding Jennifer’s disappearance to contact them. In addition to the tip line, 203-594-3544, tips and information regarding Jennifer’s disappearance can be sent to FindJenniferDulos@newcanaanct.gov and submitted anonymously at www.FindJenniferDulos.com.
