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Fotis Dulos, Charged With Killing His Wife, Jennifer, Attempts Suicide Fotis Dulos, Charged With Killing His Wife, Jennifer, Attempts Suicide
(about 1 hour later)
Fotis Dulos, the man accused of murdering his estranged wife who was reported missing in Connecticut last May, was found unresponsive at his home on Tuesday after he apparently tried to kill himself, an official familiar with the case said.Fotis Dulos, the man accused of murdering his estranged wife who was reported missing in Connecticut last May, was found unresponsive at his home on Tuesday after he apparently tried to kill himself, an official familiar with the case said.
Multiple officials initially said that Mr. Dulos had died. But soon after, reports emerged that there were attempts to revive him and he had been taken to a hospital in critical condition.Multiple officials initially said that Mr. Dulos had died. But soon after, reports emerged that there were attempts to revive him and he had been taken to a hospital in critical condition.
Mr. Dulos, 52, was charged early this month with the murder and kidnapping of his wife, Jennifer Dulos, 50, who vanished shortly after dropping off their five children at school on May 24.Mr. Dulos, 52, was charged early this month with the murder and kidnapping of his wife, Jennifer Dulos, 50, who vanished shortly after dropping off their five children at school on May 24.
Ms. Dulos’s body has not been found.Ms. Dulos’s body has not been found.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Mr. Dulos was being treated for carbon monoxide poisoning and was in critical condition at UConn Health in Farmington, Conn., said Lt. Timothy McKenzie, a spokesman for the Farmington police. As of Tuesday afternoon, Mr. Dulos was being treated for carbon monoxide poisoning and was in critical condition, said Lt. Timothy McKenzie, a spokesman for the Farmington police.
Mr. Dulos was found in a car in the garage of his home in Farmington, a suburb of Hartford, at around noon, Lieutenant McKenzie said. Officers were sent there after Mr. Dulos had not shown up for a scheduled court appearance. Though Mr. Dulos was initially taken to UConn Health in Farmington, Conn., he was later taken by helicopter to Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx for further treatment, officials in New York said.
The Bronx hospital has a hyperbaric chamber, a high-pressure machine that can be used to treat carbon monoxide poisoning.
Mr. Dulos was found in a vehicle in the garage of his home in Farmington, a suburb of Hartford, at around noon, Lieutenant McKenzie said. Officers were sent there after Mr. Dulos had not shown up for a scheduled court appearance.
Through a window, officers could see that Mr. Dulos was in “medical distress,” Lieutenant McKenzie said. They forced their way into the garage and immediately began to perform “lifesaving measures,” he said.Through a window, officers could see that Mr. Dulos was in “medical distress,” Lieutenant McKenzie said. They forced their way into the garage and immediately began to perform “lifesaving measures,” he said.
Footage from local television stations showed emergency responders performing CPR on a person lying in the home’s driveway.Footage from local television stations showed emergency responders performing CPR on a person lying in the home’s driveway.
Mr. Dulos’s lawyer, Norm Pattis, said in a statement that he had been told that Mr. Dulos was taken to the hospital with a pulse. A spokeswoman for UConn Health declined to comment, referring questions to the Farmington police.Mr. Dulos’s lawyer, Norm Pattis, said in a statement that he had been told that Mr. Dulos was taken to the hospital with a pulse. A spokeswoman for UConn Health declined to comment, referring questions to the Farmington police.
Lieutenant McKenzie declined to comment on whether or not Mr. Dulos had attempted suicide, saying that detectives were continuing to investigate the scene.
The Dulos case captured the public’s attention — the mystery of what happened to a well-to-do mother of five in the hours after she had left her children at their private school, punctuated by revelations that the Duloses had been locked in a bitter, heated divorce battle for nearly two years at the time she disappeared.The Dulos case captured the public’s attention — the mystery of what happened to a well-to-do mother of five in the hours after she had left her children at their private school, punctuated by revelations that the Duloses had been locked in a bitter, heated divorce battle for nearly two years at the time she disappeared.
The police began to investigate the disappearance of Ms. Dulos after she missed several appointments in New York City, and multiple text messages and calls went unanswered.The police began to investigate the disappearance of Ms. Dulos after she missed several appointments in New York City, and multiple text messages and calls went unanswered.
When officers went to her home in New Canaan, Conn., a wealthy community about 50 miles north of New York City, they found blood smeared on the floor of the garage and splattered inside it. Her car was then found seemingly abandoned several miles from her home.When officers went to her home in New Canaan, Conn., a wealthy community about 50 miles north of New York City, they found blood smeared on the floor of the garage and splattered inside it. Her car was then found seemingly abandoned several miles from her home.
The police quickly concluded that Ms. Dulos was the victim of a serious, violent attack and found evidence suggesting that someone had tried to clean the crime scene. Mr. Dulos quickly became the focus of their investigation, according to court documents, especially when officials learned about their contentious custody case.The police quickly concluded that Ms. Dulos was the victim of a serious, violent attack and found evidence suggesting that someone had tried to clean the crime scene. Mr. Dulos quickly became the focus of their investigation, according to court documents, especially when officials learned about their contentious custody case.
When Ms. Dulos filed for divorce in June 2017, she said she worried that her husband might harm her. As their divorce case continued, she said he displayed “irrational, unsafe, bullying, threatening and controlling behavior.” Mr. Dulos called those accusations baseless.When Ms. Dulos filed for divorce in June 2017, she said she worried that her husband might harm her. As their divorce case continued, she said he displayed “irrational, unsafe, bullying, threatening and controlling behavior.” Mr. Dulos called those accusations baseless.
Detectives eventually used cellphone records to determine that Mr. Dulos and his then-girlfriend, Michelle C. Troconis, were in Hartford the night that Ms. Dulos went missing. Surveillance footage showed them dumping trash bags along a miles-long stretch, according to court documents.Detectives eventually used cellphone records to determine that Mr. Dulos and his then-girlfriend, Michelle C. Troconis, were in Hartford the night that Ms. Dulos went missing. Surveillance footage showed them dumping trash bags along a miles-long stretch, according to court documents.
When the police checked trash cans, they found several bloodstained items with Ms. Dulos’s DNA, including her clothing and a number of cleaning supplies. At least one black garbage bag had traces of Mr. Dulos and Ms. Troconis’s DNA.When the police checked trash cans, they found several bloodstained items with Ms. Dulos’s DNA, including her clothing and a number of cleaning supplies. At least one black garbage bag had traces of Mr. Dulos and Ms. Troconis’s DNA.
The police also found four zip ties with Ms. Dulos’s DNA, two of which were stained with her blood, that they said Mr. Dulos had used to restrain Ms. Dulos.The police also found four zip ties with Ms. Dulos’s DNA, two of which were stained with her blood, that they said Mr. Dulos had used to restrain Ms. Dulos.
The police also found Mr. Dulos’s DNA on a doorknob inside Ms. Dulos’s home, as well as mixed with Ms. Dulos’s blood on a faucet.The police also found Mr. Dulos’s DNA on a doorknob inside Ms. Dulos’s home, as well as mixed with Ms. Dulos’s blood on a faucet.
The week after their investigation began, the police arrested Mr. Dulos and Ms. Troconis, 45, on charges of evidence tampering and hindering the prosecution. They were arrested again in September on another evidence tampering charge.The week after their investigation began, the police arrested Mr. Dulos and Ms. Troconis, 45, on charges of evidence tampering and hindering the prosecution. They were arrested again in September on another evidence tampering charge.
Yet for months, a key piece of evidence eluded investigators: Ms. Dulos’s body. As they searched across Connecticut, officials assembled a detailed case, relying on a trove of circumstantial evidence to supplement forensic evidence recovered during their investigation.Yet for months, a key piece of evidence eluded investigators: Ms. Dulos’s body. As they searched across Connecticut, officials assembled a detailed case, relying on a trove of circumstantial evidence to supplement forensic evidence recovered during their investigation.
Detectives said they used surveillance footage to track Mr. Dulos from his home in Farmington to Ms. Dulos’s home, about 75 miles away, on May 24, according to court documents. They said that they believed he borrowed a truck that one of his employees, Pawel Gumienny, had previously parked outside Mr. Dulos’s home.Detectives said they used surveillance footage to track Mr. Dulos from his home in Farmington to Ms. Dulos’s home, about 75 miles away, on May 24, according to court documents. They said that they believed he borrowed a truck that one of his employees, Pawel Gumienny, had previously parked outside Mr. Dulos’s home.
Cameras on school buses showed the truck parked just 100 feet from the spot where Ms. Dulos’s car was later discovered. Investigators believed that Mr. Dulos then traveled the three miles to Ms. Dulos’s home on a distinctive French-made bicycle that Mr. Gumienny told them about, warrants said.Cameras on school buses showed the truck parked just 100 feet from the spot where Ms. Dulos’s car was later discovered. Investigators believed that Mr. Dulos then traveled the three miles to Ms. Dulos’s home on a distinctive French-made bicycle that Mr. Gumienny told them about, warrants said.
The police believe that Mr. Dulos was lying in wait at Ms. Dulos’s home, where he attacked her sometime between 8:05 a.m. and 10:25 a.m., a warrant said. They then believe he drove Ms. Dulos’s body away in her own car before driving the borrowed truck back to Farmington, the warrant said.The police believe that Mr. Dulos was lying in wait at Ms. Dulos’s home, where he attacked her sometime between 8:05 a.m. and 10:25 a.m., a warrant said. They then believe he drove Ms. Dulos’s body away in her own car before driving the borrowed truck back to Farmington, the warrant said.
The police later found Ms. Dulos’s blood on one of the seats from the truck, the warrants said.The police later found Ms. Dulos’s blood on one of the seats from the truck, the warrants said.
On Jan. 7, nearly eight months after Ms. Dulos disappeared, officials arrested Mr. Dulos and accused him of killing her. He pleaded not guilty to all charges against him.On Jan. 7, nearly eight months after Ms. Dulos disappeared, officials arrested Mr. Dulos and accused him of killing her. He pleaded not guilty to all charges against him.
The authorities also charged Ms. Troconis and another associate of Mr. Dulos, Kent Mawhinney, 54, with conspiracy to commit murder.The authorities also charged Ms. Troconis and another associate of Mr. Dulos, Kent Mawhinney, 54, with conspiracy to commit murder.
Neither of them have entered a plea. Ms. Troconis, who is free on bond, has pleaded not guilty to previous charges against her.Neither of them have entered a plea. Ms. Troconis, who is free on bond, has pleaded not guilty to previous charges against her.
Mr. Dulos had been expected to appear in court on Tuesday afternoon for an emergency hearing about his $6 million bond.Mr. Dulos had been expected to appear in court on Tuesday afternoon for an emergency hearing about his $6 million bond.
The company that insured the bond, Palmetto Surety, moved to have it revoked after determining there were problems with the value of the property used to secure it, said Palmetto’s lawyer, A. Ryan McGuigan.
“My client decided that after an investigation of their own, the bond package that was put together for Mr. Dulos by his power of attorney was inaccurate,” he said.
Mr. McGuigan said that when a bail enforcement agent went to Mr. Dulos’s home to bring him to court on Tuesday afternoon, at least two police officers were already present.
Ashley Southall contributed reporting.