Missing Connecticut mom Jennifer Dulos' estranged husband Fotis arrested again
Luxury real estate developer Fotis Dulos, the estranged husband of missing New Canaan, Connecticut mother Jennifer Farber Dulos, was arrested for the second time on Wednesday in connection with her disappearance last May.
Connecticut State Police said Fotis Dulos was arrested and charged with evidence tampering as part of a joint investigation with the New Canaan Police Department. He was released after posting a $500,000 bond and is due to appear in court on Sept. 12.
A police arrest warrant noted that Fotis Dulos had access to a red Toyota Tacoma pickup truck that showed up on surveillance footage in New Canaan in the hours before his wife's disappearance. The car was registered under the name of the wife of one of Fotis' employees, who said Fotis used the vehicle and directed him to replace its seats. Other surveillance footage showed a man fitting Fotis' appearance disposing of garbage bags containing items Jennifer Dulos' blood in the Hartford area.
Police say Fotis Dulos' girlfriend, Michelle Troconis was with him when he threw out the garbage bags. Troconis admitted during questioning that she couldn't account for his whereabouts from about 8 a.m. ET until between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. ET on the day of Jennifer Dulos' disappearance. Fotis has refused to cooperate with the police investigation.
"It is difficult to see why the state waited for months to serve this warrant. It was unnecessary," an attorney for Fotis Dulos said in a statement to Fox News. "Apparently, Michelle has changed her tune and a handyman is telling tales to deflect attention from himself. We wish the state police spent more time looking for Jennifer and less trying to build a case against Fotis. We will plead not guilty to these charges next week in Norwalk."
A mother of five children aged eight to 13, Jennifer Dulos went missing on May 24 after dropping her kids off at school in New Canaan. Her disappearance occurred amid heated divorce proceedings and a custody battle with her estranged husband.
Known for developing opulent multimillion-dollar mansions in Connecticut, Fotis Dulos’ business had struggled in recent years amid a downturn in demand for luxury homes, the Hartford Courant reported. The business relied heavily on loans from Jennifer Dulos’ father, who contributed millions to help Fotis buy properties, with sale proceeds used to pay off debts.
When Jennifer Dulos’ father died, his estate sued Fotis, alleging he had failed to repay $2.5 million in development financing.
Prosecutors say Jennifer Dulos’ blood was found mixed with her husband’s DNA in the kitchen sink of her home. Her mother, Gloria Farber, was granted temporary custody of the children.
Fotis Dulos and Troconis were initially arrested in June and charged with evidence tampering and hindering prosecution. Both individuals plead not guilty and were released on $500,000 bond in mid-June.
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This story has been updated.