Jennifer Dulos’ nanny at the time of her disappearance took the stand in Stamford on Tuesday, finishing off a long day of testimony.
This is the same nanny who called police on the night of Jennifer’s disappearance in May of 2019, and gave a lengthy interview with investigators, some of which was used in writing up arrest warrants for Michelle Troconis and Fotis Dulos.
“The biggest change was in March of 2017 when Jennifer found out about her affair,” Jennifer Dulos' family nanny Lauren Almeida said.
State prosecutors established Almeida’s relationship with the Dulos family. She testified to her time with the family before Jennifer and Fotis’ divorce, her time working for Fotis’ company Fore Group and taking care of the family's five children.
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Before the end of the day, prosecutors began digging into her understanding of the dynamic between Fotis and Jennifer Dulos before Jennifer found out about an affair he was having.
“She just felt like arguing with Fotis, like he was harsh and she didn’t like conflict so she could never really express how she really felt because it kind of got looked over,” Almeida said.
Just before the end of testimony for the day, Almeida identified Michelle Troconis in the courtroom, saying she met her on a trip with Fotis and the kids.
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But Almeida’s testimony was contested by Michelle Troconis’s attorney Jon Schoenhorn. He argued there was no value in her testimony regarding the relationship and divorce of Jennifer and Fotis Dulos and it would be nothing but hearsay, and shouldn’t be allowed.
“You try and drag my client into this you’ve now gone so far off the playing field, we’re out of the stadium, we’re not even in the parking lot or down the street by the highway exit,” Schoenhorn said in argument for the irrelevance of Almeida’s testimony.
That testimony is expected to take center stage in court Wednesday. State prosecutors plan to illustrate in the testimony Fotis Dulos’ motive for the presumed murder of Jennifer Dulos.
They claim to effectively prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Troconis was involved in the conspiracy to commit murder they are charging her with, they first need to prove beyond a reasonable doubt Fotis murdered Jennifer Dulos.
Before Almeida’s testimony, the jury first heard more testimony about the early days of the investigation into Jennifer Dulos’ disappearance.
“Was the test done on exhibit 13 the roll?” Yes.” What was the result?” "The test was positive,” said retired State Police Sergeant Matthew Reilly in response to questioning from state prosecutors.
Reilly broke down positive presumptive field tests that led investigators to believe there was blood scattered around Jennifer's garage, followed by more testimony about new evidence pulled from the garage.
“Another paper towel fragment, a larger paper towel fragment, that appeared to have blood-like stains on it,” Reilly said.
There was also never before seen evidence from inside her home including paper towel rolls containing a blood-like stain, stains on Dulos’ counter and kitchen sink faucet as well as disturbed trash bags, finger prints and rubber gloves investigators believed had a connection to the garage.
“If you can imagine three fingers here,” Reilly said as he pointed to a monitor in court with a picture of what appeared to be part of a hand print made out of a blood-like substance.
In his cross-examination, defense attorney Schoenhorn tried to convey to the jury presumptive field tests have their limits, and should not be taken at face value.
“You would need a confirmatory test by a lab to determine if it is blood?” "Yes,” Schoenhorn asked of Reilly.
Schoenhorn also continued to sustain an objection regarding the testimony of Reilly because the field tests used offer inconclusive results and he was concerned testimony would continue to confuse the jury.
