Murder case to include "thousands of pages" of evidence, court documents say

Tim Verrill, center is accused of killing Christine Sullivan, left and Jenna Pellegrini

DOVER - A request made recently by the state Attorney General's Office for a "rolling" discovery order in the fatal stabbing case involving two women in Farmington gives the first glimpse of the daunting task faced by prosecutors and investigators as they try to piece together all the moving parts manifested in a crime that has jolted the entire Northern Seacoast with its viciousness and brutality.

The discovery request made earlier this month describes the case as "complex" and its investigatory aspects as ongoing and active, involving other law agencies including state police.

Tim Verrill, 34, of 38 Cushing St., Dover, is charged with two counts of second-degree murder in the deaths of Christine Sullivan, 48, who split her time between southwest Florida and Farmington; and Jenna Pellegrini, 32, of Barrington.

Their bodies were discovered around 3 a.m. on Jan. 29 when Farmington Police responded to a 911 call at 979 Meaderboro Road, however court documents allege the crime occurred on Jan. 27, a Friday.

Dean Smoronk (Courtesy photo)

And while this region is not a total stranger to homicide, these murders have captured the public's attention and, yes, curiosity, like no other in recent history.

As the case moves forward to a possible April indictment, all of the pertinent documents in the case remain sealed.

But in addition to the typical arrest and search warrant affidavits normally found in a homicide, some 38 additional pages of discovery as well as eight CDs of interviews and photographs were accumulated and offered to defense counsel the day Verrill waived his February arraignment, the March 6 discovery request document reads. Since then another 124 pages of discovery documents were released to the defense on Feb. 21.

The document goes on to say it anticipates discovery "will span thousands of pages and dozens of CDs containing audio recordings and photographs."

The essence of the state's request is that it be allowed to turn over discovery documents once a piece of its investigation concludes, while holding onto discovery that pertains to investigatory portions of the case that are still active.

Dean Smoronk, the owner of the property and a longtime boyfriend of Sullivan, told police he found the bodies after returning home late Jan. 28 on a flight from Florida, where he and Sullivan also spent time.

The brother of Sullivan, Jeff Sullivan of Monmouth, N.J., told The Lebanon Voice earlier this month that his sister, Smoronk and Verrill were all friends.

He said his sister had known Verrill for three years and that Smoronk had known him a lot longer than that, though he couldn't be specific.

He said Verrill had traveled to Florida a couple of times with Smoronk where he owns property in southwest Florida that he rents out in the winter.

Jeff Sullivan said last month that the relationship between his sister and Smoronk had always been a "tumultuous one" and that drugs were often involved, alluding to a South Carolina arrest several years ago that ensnared both his sister and Smoronk and where he is expected to possibly face trial later this year.

In that 2014 case, Smoronk and Christina Marie Cuozzo, then 45, of 979 Meaderboro Road, Farmington, were stopped in South Carolina on I-95 after their car pulled into the lane of a Sumter County deputy and almost sideswiped the cruiser in 2014, according to news reports.

During the stop, a K-9 unit was called and suspected methamphetamine was found in Cuozzo's purse and a large quantity of suspected methamphetamine was found inside a fake energy drink along with a small amount of marijuana, pills and an unknown white powder inside a black computer bag, according to the report. Marie Cuozzo was later identified by law enforcement officials as an alias for the late Christine Sullivan.

In Sumter County, S.C., where Smoronk faces several charges in the 2014 drug arrest, Assistant Prosecutor Scott Matthews said recently the most serious charges - trafficking of meth - could land Smoronk in prison for up to 10 years.

Matthews confirmed he had been in touch with New Hampshire police regarding the deaths of Sullivan and Pelligrini but made no further comment on the case.

He said he's hopeful that Smoronk's trial in South Carolina can take place this year.

Assistant New Hampshire Attorney General Geoffrey Ward has declined to comment citing the investigation into the women's deaths is active and ongoing.

Meanwhile, Verrill continues to be held without bail at the Merrimack County House of Correction in Boscawen.