The trial of a Florida man accused of murdering his wife is underway in Orlando this week.
David Trones, 55, has pleaded not guilty to a charge of first-degree murder in the death of his wife, Shanti Cooper Trones. Trones claims she passed out and died in the bathtub at their home while walking their dog.
Prosecutor Michael Smith presented a completely different case in his opening statement, alleging that Tronnes killed his wife after she refused to appear on the reality TV show “Zombie House Flipping.”
This infuriated her husband, according to Smith, who claimed that Trones had spent all his money on renovating the couple's home and believed appearing on the show would increase the house's value by up to $30,000.
Mr Smith said Cooper Trones, 39, had met with producers for the reality TV show a week before his death but eventually left.
“This house show, this 'Zombie House Flipping' was a lifeline for them to get out of this mess of a house that they had dug for themselves, and as of a week before she was murdered, she had no interest in it,” Smith said.
As for Tronnes' claim that his wife passed out in the bathtub, Smith said emergency medical personnel would testify that it was not an accident.
“They quickly realised this was not a fall but a violent attack,” Smith said. “There were multiple injuries, blood all over his face, significant scarring, bruising around his neck, petechiae and abrasions on his legs from being punched.” [dragged]”
Smith said jurors will also hear testimony from the medical examiner who performed Cooper-Trons' autopsy.
“You will hear that Shanti Cooper Tronnes was beaten to death and strangled,” Smith said. “You will hear that she was beaten so hard that she fractured her skull in two places and broke the hyoid bone in her throat. You will hear that her ears were pulled so hard they were nearly ripped off.”
The couple married in 2017 and moved into a Florida home that Tronnes bought with his own money.
From that point on, all financial obligations fell to Cooper Tronds, Smith argues.
“She was the sole source of income. The defendant was not working the entire time he was in Florida,” Smith said. “She was the sole breadwinner providing for the household and living expenses.”
Smith claims this brought out the worst in both couples.
In Cooper-Tronnes' case, Smith argues, she was preparing to leave her husband and move on with her life.
Tronnes' trial is expected to conclude this week. It was delayed after he was initially deemed incompetent to stand trial because of his diagnosis of schizophrenia, according to court documents.
Trones' lawyer did not respond to a request for comment. The defense opted to postpone opening statements until later in the trial.
