Fotis Dulos, the estranged husband accused of murdering Jennifer Farber Dulos, is scheduled to post bond on bail of $6 million on Thursday, according to his attorney and media reports.
The two people accused of assisting him in the crime, ex-girlfriend Michelle Troconis and attorney Kent Mawhinney, remained in custody Wednesday, but Troconis' attorney told NBC Connecticut that she, too, will post bond on Thursday.
BREAKING: Attorney Bowman says Michelle Troconis will make bond TOMORROW. She will spend another night behind bars and will be back at Stamford Superior Court tomorrow to be fitted for new GPS monitor. #nbcct
— Shannon Miller (@_ShannonMiller) January 8, 2020
All three appeared before Judge John Blawie for arraignments following their arrests on Tuesday. While Blawie maintained Dulos' initial bail amount, and kept Mawhinney's bail at $2 million, he reduced Troconis' from $2 million to $1.5 million.
Outside of court Wednesday, Fotis Dulos' attorney, Norm Pattis, expressed disappointment that the judge did not reduce the bail amount, in part because Pattis said his client is not a flight risk.
"You almost never see a bond of this magnitude unless for hardened criminals," Pattis said. "My client very much wants to try this case, because he wants to clear his name."
DULOS UPDATE: Fotis Dulos will not make bond today. @News12CT
— Marissa Alter (@MarissaAlter) January 8, 2020
Pattis would not discuss how his client is raising the money for the bond, only saying that "some things had to come together" for it to happen. Prosecutors claim that Fotis Dulos was massively in debt at the time of his wife's murder, which they say is part of a financial motive for her killing.
The three were arrested separately on Tuesday and charged with the following:
- Felony murder, murder, and kidnapping for Fotis Dulos
- Conspiracy to commit murder for both Troconis and Mawhinney
In a statement, the Stamford-based Domestic Violence Crisis Center applauded the arrests. Jennifer and Fotis Dulos were in the midst of a contentious divorce and child custody battle at the time of her murder, and she reportedly feared her estranged husband.
"DVCC applauds the efforts of law enforcement, including the New Canaan Police, Connecticut State Police, the State's Attorney's Office and others in bringing about the arrest of Fotis Dulos and the two other individuals being charged in the Jennifer Dulos case," said Suzanne Adam, executive director. "This tragedy has caused immeasurable trauma and suffering to the family and friends of Jennifer Dulos. Its impact has been felt profoundly here in our community and also on a state and national level. The charges brought against Fotis Dulos and the others is a step toward closure. We are grateful for the continued efforts of law enforcement to see that justice is served."
Mawhinney is accused of being part of the cover up in the murder, and possibly assisting with the disposal of Jennifer Dulos' body. She has not been seen since the date of her disappearance on May 24.
In court, his attorney, Jeremy Donnelly, said Mawhinney is a father of two, a youth hockey coach and a Hartford-area immigration lawyer with no prior convictions. Donnelly sought a reduction in bail to $500,000 in part because he did not think his client could raise enough for bond on $2 million, which could lead to financial hardship for his family.
"I struggle to find a case here that the state will try to prove as it pertains to my client," Donnelly said.
But State's Attorney Richard Colangelo successfully argued to keep Mawhinney's bail at $2 million, because he knew of the outstanding warrant for his arrest on Tuesday, but could not be found for quite some time before he was finally apprehended.
During the arraignment hearings, Blawie said that should each of the suspects post bond, they will be placed under house arrest and must wear GPS tracking devices. Additionally, a protective order was placed on Fotis Dulos, who cannot have any contact with his five children and the Farbers (Jennifer's family) and must maintain a 100-yard distance from all them.
Troconis, who smiled at members of her family when she was brought into court in handcuffs — as the other two suspects were — also sought a bail reduction to $500,000.
"She had no benefit from the disappearance of Jennifer Dulos," said her attorney, Andrew Bowman.
All three are scheduled to appear in Stamford Superior Court in February, Dulos on the 28th; Troconis on the 7th; and Mawhinney on the 20th.