Michelle Troconis, convicted in 2024 on charges including conspiracy to commit murder in the disappearance of Jennifer Dulos, has filed a habeas corpus petition claiming she received ineffective legal representation. She argues her attorney allowed police questioning without immunity and that her statements were used against her at trial. A judge will hear the constitutional challenge beginning Jan. 5 and decide whether Troconis' more-than-14-year sentence should be vacated.
Judge to Hear Habeas Challenge From Michelle Troconis Over 2024 Jennifer Dulos Conviction
Tyler A. McNeil/Connecticut Post via Getty; New Canaan Police DepartmentMichelle Troconis, left, and Jennifer Dulos
Michelle Troconis, convicted in 2024 of conspiracy to commit murder and related charges in the disappearance of Jennifer Dulos, will have a judge consider her bid to overturn that conviction beginning Monday, Jan. 5, according to reporting from the Stamford Advocate.
What the Petition Asserts
Troconis filed a habeas corpus petition arguing her trial counsel provided constitutionally ineffective assistance. The petition contends that her attorney permitted police to question Troconis without securing immunity from prosecution, and that statements she made during those interviews became central evidence used against her at trial.
Conviction and Sentence
In 2024, a jury convicted Troconis of conspiracy to commit murder, hindering prosecution and tampering with evidence in connection with the 2019 disappearance and presumed death of Jennifer Dulos. Troconis was sentenced to more than 14 years in prison. Prosecutors say she helped Jennifer Dulos' estranged husband, Fotis Dulos, dispose of Jennifer's body; the body has never been recovered.
Case Background
Fotis Dulos faced murder charges in connection with his wife's disappearance and was involved in a contentious custody dispute with Jennifer. He died by suicide in 2020 while the criminal case against him was pending. Investigators previously reported finding blood stains and spatter in the family home, and reporting on the case has appeared in People, NBC Connecticut, ABC News, WTIC, the Stamford Advocate and The New York Times.
Responses
Troconis' former attorney, Andrew Bowman, has publicly rejected the habeas claims. "There is no basis in fact or law to support this habeas petition," Bowman told the Stamford Advocate, adding, "I absolutely reject any claims that I did not render effective assistance of counsel."
What Comes Next
The habeas trial will allow a judge to evaluate whether Troconis' constitutional right to effective counsel was violated and, if so, whether her conviction should be vacated or a new trial ordered. The judge's decision will be based on the constitutional legal standard for ineffective assistance and the specific facts presented at the hearing.
Note: Jennifer Dulos, a mother of five from New Canaan, Connecticut, disappeared in March 2019. Her body has not been found.
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