Dover, New Hampshire – A troubling text message sent by Dean Smoronk to his ex-girlfriend, Christine Sullivan, in the weeks leading up to her brutal 2017 murder, hinted at the turmoil in their relationship. The message read, “You have a short time left on this earth.” The exchange of threatening texts between the couple occurred as they were ending both their romantic involvement and their illegal business partnership.
Sullivan and her friend Jenna Pellegrini were both victims of a violent attack. Sullivan was beaten and stabbed, while Pellegrini suffered more than 40 stab wounds. Despite the nature of the messages exchanged between Smoronk and Sullivan, he was not charged in connection to the murders. Instead, Timothy Verrill, a friend of Sullivan’s, found himself facing trial for the second time.
During the trial, it was revealed that Smoronk had expressed anger and hatred towards Sullivan in texts obtained from a phone he provided to investigators. The texts indicated his escalating frustration and hostile intentions towards her. It was suggested that Sullivan and Smoronk were involved in a drug trafficking operation, complicating their already strained relationship.
Verrill, who had close ties to Sullivan and Smoronk, denied any involvement in the murders. Witnesses testified to Verrill’s drug use and paranoia on the day of the killings, with suspicions that Pellegrini may have been a police informant. The trial also shed light on potential alternative suspects, including individuals linked to a new drug business venture separate from Sullivan and Verrill.
The case took a turn when DNA evidence failed to definitively link Verrill to the crime scene, raising questions about the initial investigation. The trial’s focus on withheld evidence, including witness testimonies and investigative oversights, highlighted the complexities and uncertainties surrounding the case. Strong, the lead investigator, faced scrutiny for alleged mishandling of evidence, prompting a review of police protocol.
With the trial unfolding, the intricacies of the relationships and dynamics among the individuals involved in the case cast a shadow over the quest for justice in the tragic murders of Sullivan and Pellegrini. As deliberations loomed, the unresolved questions and conflicting narratives painted a grim picture of the complexities surrounding the investigation and trial proceedings.