Defense shows its cards early on: There could be multiple alternative suspects

Murder suspect Timothy Verrill enters the courtroom on Tuesday; inset Vanessa Mango winces as she identifies a picture of the murder scene sent her by Dean Smoronk upon his arrival at 979 Meaderboro Road. (Rochester Voice photo; inset/courttv.com)

DOVER - The retrial of a Dover man accused of killing two women in Farmington in 2017 began on Tuesday with the prosecution telling the jury to be leery of the expected defense strategy of a "bogeyman" suspect.
The defense did just that right off the bat, casting a member of a local motorcycle club and a thrice-convicted drug dealer who was the boyfriend of one of the women killed as just two of what may be a slew of alternative suspects in the brutal murders.
It was much the same strategy as the defense employed in the October 2019 trial that ended with a mistrial after it was discovered the state had failed to turn over to the defense reams of evidence, some of which was exculpatory.
Wearing civilians clothes, an unshackled and trimmed-down Timothy Verrill entered a packed courtroom a little before 10 a.m. He has been behind bars since February 2017.
Verrill, 41, is charged in the Jan. 27, 2017, killing of Christine Sullivan, 48, who split her time between southwest Florida and Farmington; and Jenna Pellegrini, 32, of Barrington. Both were found dead of multiple stab wounds, according to a coroner's report.
Prosecutor Brian Greklek-McKeon told the jury on Tuesday that Sullivan died of multiple blunt force traumas to her head, fracturing her skull; and eight stab wounds to her chest, puncturing her lungs, heart and carotid artery.
He said Pellegrini was likely stabbed as she slept in her bed, but awoke as she was being slain. A coroner's report found she had been stabbed 43 times in the neck, chest and back, and that her jugular was also severed, evoking quiet sobs from friends and family members that were seated throughout the courtroom.
The defense in opening arguments sought to portray an unholy alliance between Sullivan's longtime boyfriend, Dean Smoronk, a convicted drug dealer who lived mostly in Cape Coral, Fla., and Joshua Colwell, a member of the local Mountain Men Motorcycle Club.

Christine Sullivan, Timothy Verrill, Jenna Pellagrini

Colwell testified for a full day on the stand at the 2019 trial admitting he was a co-conspirator in a drug enterprise with Verrill; their drug boss, Smoronk; and Sullivan.
Colwell is expected to testify again at this month's trial.
Defense attorney Timothy McNicoll also told the jury that both women fought back against their attacker and DNA was found beneath their fingernails, but the DNA wasn't from Verrill. They also found blood on the ceiling of a three-season porch where Sullivan was killed. McNicoll said that blood DNA was not Verrill's either.
Following opening arguments a former girlfriend of Smoronk testified she was with him at a Fort Myers, Fla., hotel during the time the two women were slain.
Vanessa Mango, who said she ended her relationship with Smoronk in February 2018, grew testy and fidgety during questioning by defense lawyer Julia Nye, sometimes saying just "OK" to yes or no questions.
She testified that she knew Smoronk had a relationship with Sullivan, but that he spent most of his time in Cape Coral.
She said Smoronk had been in New Hampshire in the days leading up to the women's death but he unexpectedly showed up to see her on Feb. 25, just two days before they were killed on Feb. 27.
The trial is being broadcast in part by courttv.com.
The monthlong trial continues today at 10 a.m.