Michelle Troconis, the Connecticut woman convicted of helping her boyfriend murder his estranged wife in 2019, was sentenced to 20 years in prison Friday.

Troconis was convicted this year on six criminal counts, including the top charge of conspiracy to commit murder in connection to the death of Jennifer Dulos, a New Canaan mother of five. Prior to sentencing, Stamford Superior Court Judge Kevin Randolph vacated Troconis' conviction on one count of conspiracy to tamper with evidence.

Troconis’ boyfriend, Fotis Dulos, a luxury home builder and suspect in his estranged wife’s disappearance, died in 2020, two days after attempting suicide. Fotis Dulos was suspected of killing Jennifer Dulos at her home before driving away with her body, which has never been found. He denied killing his wife, who vanished on May 24, 2019. She has since been declared dead by a probate court.

“I’ve been left with a hole inside of me that I will never be able to fill," the victim's son Petros Dulos, who was 13 when his mother was killed, told the court Friday. "My mother was everything to me." As his parents were in the midst of a divorce, the teen said he often lashed out at his mother. "The defendant’s actions mean that I will never be able to tell my mom how sorry I am for not being a better son when she needed me," he said. "I will never be able to tell mom how proud of her courage I am [and] most importantly how much I love her. This fact haunts me every day."

Troconis mounted a rigorous defense at sentencing, pushing back against allegations that she schemed to displace Jennifer Dulos and become a wealthy suburban mother. Family and friends painted Troconis, a native Spanish speaker who listened to proceedings through an interpreter, as an animal lover and selfless volunteer for the disadvantaged.

"Empathy and compassion are at the center of her being, in my estimation," said the Rev. Christopher Solimene, her pastor at Avon Congregational Church. "I've heard her prayers for Jennifer and her children and all her anxieties related to this harrowing ordeal." Solimene said his testimony Friday comes at great risk for him and his church. "I had nothing to gain and perhaps, on many levels, much to lose by offering any pastoral counseling to Michelle or opening the doors of my church to her," Solimene said. "But today I can honestly say before God and indeed the world, Michelle Troconis is a woman of not only substantive character but with an ethic and kind-heartedness that is almost singular."

The victim's mother, Gloria Farber, said the family still holds hope of finding the body. Every year on the victim's birthday, Sept. 27, the family releases purple balloons in Central Park with messages to the victim. "For years, we search for her remains, tracking down every year. This search continues," she said. "Jennifer filled her children with love, wisdom, and humor. Jennifer would have been very proud of her children's accomplishments. They will always have their memories of her, as do I."

The victim's longtime friend, Laurel Watts, said Jennifer Dulos' loved ones are still suffering. "I gave a eulogy at a memorial without a body. Her mother put a headstone over an empty grave," Watts said. "Because Troconis assisted [Fotis] Dulos in the disposal of Jennifer's body, all we do have is a bloody bra and a shirt stiff with Jennifer's blood sliced up the center and all the horror engendered by these, our only artifacts, that's what the kids have left of their beautiful, gentle mother."

Troconis' sentencing brings some closure to a case that has gripped the public's attention due to its tragic circumstances and the ongoing search for Jennifer Dulos' remains. The family's continuous efforts to remember and honor Jennifer highlight the enduring impact of her loss on her loved ones.

The legal journey of Michelle Troconis has been closely followed, with many questioning her involvement and the extent of her culpability. Despite her defense team’s efforts to portray her as a compassionate individual caught in a complex situation, the court found her actions inexcusable. The sentencing underscores the gravity of the crime and the role she played in the cover-up and disposal of Jennifer Dulos' body.

Fotis Dulos' death left many questions unanswered, complicating the legal proceedings and the quest for justice. His suicide was seen by some as an admission of guilt and by others as an escape from the consequences of his alleged actions. Troconis' conviction, however, provides a measure of accountability for the Dulos family and a step towards closure.

As the legal chapter closes, the personal toll remains palpable. The Dulos children continue to grapple with the loss of their mother and the public scrutiny surrounding the case. The community, too, reflects on the broader issues of domestic violence and the legal system’s role in addressing such tragedies.

In the aftermath, discussions about legal reforms and protective measures for individuals in tumultuous relationships have gained momentum. Jennifer Dulos' case serves as a poignant reminder of the need for vigilance, support systems, and robust legal frameworks to prevent similar tragedies in the future.