New Canaan Police Department (NEW CANAAN, Conn.) — More charges are likely in the case of a missing Connecticut mother, prosecutors said Monday, as her estranged husband appeared in court in connection with her disappearance.
Jennifer Farber Dulos, a mother of five from New Canaan, was last seen on May 24, according to police.
Days into the search for the missing mother, her estranged husband, Fotis Dulos, 51, of Farmington, and his live-in girlfriend, Michelle Troconis, 44, were arrested on Saturday, charged with tampering with or fabricating physical evidence and hindering prosecution, according to authorities.
Troconis and Fotis Dulos were shackled as they made their first court appearances Monday.
They were held on $500,000 bond.
Fotis Dulos is not expected to post bond, his attorney said; Troconis’ lawyer said she would.
Troconis was ordered to have no contact with Dulos or the victim’s family.
Their next court date is June 11.
Jennifer Dulos’ disappearance came amid a contentious custody dispute between the former couple.
In 2017, Jennifer Dulos filed for an emergency order for full custody of the children, which was denied, court documents show. Jennifer Dulos and Fotis Dulos had temporary shared custody of the children until the end of the divorce proceedings.
Jennifer Dulos alleged that Fotis Dulos exhibited intensifying “irrational, unsafe, bullying, threatening and controlling behavior,” stating that she was afraid for her safety as well as the physical safety and emotional well-being of their children.
The mother alleged that Fotis Dulos threatened to kidnap their children on May 30, 2017, if she did not agree to his terms in the divorce settlement and that he had bought a gun that year.
In Fotis Dulos’ amended reply to the motion, he claims that he legally bought the gun in 2017 for home security. He denied exhibiting “irrational, unsafe, bullying, threatening and/or controlling behavior” and stated that he never threatened to kidnap the children.
It is unclear where the Dulos’ five children are now, but a statement from family spokeswoman Carrie Luft on Friday said they are “safe and well-cared for.”
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