Authorities expected to revoke the bond for Fotis Dulos, charged with the murder of his estranged wife, Jennifer Farber Dulos, and return him to jail on Tuesday.
Instead, Dulos was discovered by police inside the garage of his Farmington home suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning after an apparent attempt to take his own life.
Dulos, initially believed dead, was rushed to UConn Health in Farmington in critical condition before he ultimately was flown to a hospital in the Bronx for treatment midafternoon Tuesday.
The stunning turn of events set off a day filled with chaos, confusion and misinformation that has thrown the future of the criminal case surrounding the fate of the missing New Canaan mother of five into doubt.
Here is how the day unfolded:
8:30 a.m.: Concerns raised earlier about the value of the properties used to secure the $6 million bond Dulos posted after his Jan. 7 arrest on murder charges prompt a Superior Court judge to schedule an emergency hearing to revoke that bond and send Dulos back to jail.
State insurance regulators transmitted their findings to Palmetto Surety — the South Carolina insurer that underwrote the bond with six pieces of real estate — that two of the properties were subject to foreclosure and a third was found to have been substantially overvalued.
Palmetto’s local lawyer, A. Ryan McGuigan, planned to move in court to revoke the bond and discussed his plans with Stamford/Norwalk State’s Attorney Richard Colangelo at about 8:30 a.m. of the impending revocation. Colangelo notified Dulos’ attorney Norm Pattis about 30 minutes later.
9:53 a.m.: Mark Motuzick of Capital Bail Bonds in Hartford said Dulos called him to ask if he could take over the bond. Motuzick said he told Dulos it would not be easy and that he would call him back.
10:34 a.m.: Motuzick said he called Dulos back and Dulos told him it was “all set.” Motuzick said Dulos seemed out of it and short of breath — like he was working out.
11 a.m. to noon: In the hour before the expected court hearing, officials become concerned that Dulos had not arrived in Stamford yet.
McGuigan said he and a private bondsman arrived at the Dulos home in Farmington to serve notice that they would be formally moving in court to pull the bond. McGuigan said he encountered a state of confusion.
Farmington police were on the scene, joined by emergency medical personnel.
Farmington police had been called to the home at 11:54 a.m. to conduct a well-being check on Dulos, who had not left for court, and instead found him sitting alone in his car in his garage with “obvious signs of medical distress,” Lt. Timothy McKenzie said.
The first responders located Dulos in the garage of his home. McGuigan said Dulos, who appeared unresponsive, was moved to the backyard from the garage, which appeared to have been filled with smoke or exhaust.
Kevin Smith, an attorney for Fotis Dulos who is accused of murdering his estranged wife, Jennifer Farber Dulos, talks to media outside of the Stamford Superior Courthouse, refusing to confirm any reports of Dulos' physical state, after reports of him being non-responsive in his Farmington home surfaced when he did not show up for his emergency bond hearing Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2020, in Stamford. (Kassi Jackson / Hartford Courant)
Noon: Emergency medical personnel begin efforts at resuscitation, which continue for an extended period of time, two sources say. A throng of reporters already gathered at the house grows as initial reports that Dulos has died spread, including notification of the family.
12:45 p.m.: Despite initial reports, an ambulance and police escort come speeding out of the neighborhood and race Dulos to UConn Health less than 3 miles away.
We’ve got a drone on scene, and @markmirko captured this photo at the back of Dulos’ house, where it appears some tents have been set up.
First movement since I got here — an ambulance and Farmington police vehicle just left the scene, with lights and sirens.
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3 p.m.: Farmington and state police confirm Dulos was found in his garage suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning and that he was in critical condition.
Officers continued to “hold the scene” but had not yet entered the house to investigate due to legal issues, officials said.
3:30 p.m.: A LifeStar helicopter arrives at UConn Health to transport Dulos to Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx.
An ambulance, state police cruisers and a fire engine pulled up near the helicopter and a stretcher, covered with a white sheet, was pushed toward the aircraft.
4:10 p.m.: The LifeStar helicopter arrives at Jacobi Medical Center, and helicopters for New York City television news stations capture video of Dulos being loaded again into an ambulance for the short drive to the nearby emergency room entrance.
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