DOVER, NH – In the weeks leading up to the brutal 2017 murders of Christine Sullivan and Jenna Pellegrini, Dean Smoronk sent chilling text messages to Sullivan, his ex-girlfriend and business partner, warning her of her impending demise. The couple, who were in the process of ending their romantic relationship and sorting out their illegal business dealings, exchanged heated messages filled with threats.
Sullivan suffered a brutal attack, being beaten and stabbed multiple times, while Pellegrini was stabbed over 40 times. Despite Smoronk’s involvement in a drug trafficking operation with Sullivan, he was never charged in the slayings at his Farmington home. Meanwhile, Timothy Verrill, a friend of Sullivan’s, finds himself on trial for the second time, with the jury expected to begin deliberations soon.
During the trial, Verrill’s defense team called witnesses, including Erin Saxon, who retrieved the incriminating texts from a phone handed over by Smoronk to investigators. The texts revealed Smoronk’s deep-seated anger and hostility towards Sullivan, with messages threatening harm and expressing contempt.
Apart from the failing relationship and illegal business, Smoronk and Sullivan faced the consequences of a 2016 drug trafficking arrest in South Carolina, which further strained their trust. Text messages indicate that Smoronk suspected Sullivan of possibly cooperating with the police.
Furthermore, testimonies presented at the trial suggest that Verrill, who was involved in drug dealing with Sullivan and Smoronk, was in a vulnerable state due to drug use and paranoia on the day of the murders. It was also revealed that Smoronk was planning to start a new drug business with another individual, excluding Sullivan and Verrill from the partnership.
In a twist of events, DNA evidence presented during the trial failed to match Verrill’s DNA to the crime scene, raising doubts about his involvement in the murders. The trial is Verrill’s second, following a mistrial in 2019 due to withheld evidence that included exculpatory information.
The mishandling of evidence by investigators, particularly lead investigator Brian Strong, led to the lack of crucial information in the initial trial. Strong was subsequently removed from the investigations, raising questions about the effectiveness of law enforcement in ensuring a fair trial for all parties involved.