X2 (Jenna Pellegrini & Christine Sullivan)

Summary

Anatomy of Murder: Episode X2 – The Case of Jenna Pellegrini & Christine Sullivan

Released on December 10, 2024

Hosts: Anna-Sigga Nicolazzi & Scott Weinberger
Produced by: Weinberger Media and Forseti Media

---

Introduction

In Episode X2 of Anatomy of Murder, hosts Anna-Sigga Nicolazzi and Scott Weinberger delve deep into the harrowing double homicide of Jenna Pellegrini and Christine Sullivan in Farmington, New Hampshire. This episode meticulously unpacks the layers of the crime, exploring the victims' backgrounds, the brutal nature of the murders, the intricate investigation, and the ensuing legal battle that culminated in a controversial verdict.

---

Victims' Backgrounds

Jenna Pellegrini

Jenna Pellegrini, a vibrant young woman from New Hampshire, was the only daughter of high school sweethearts Amy and Michael Pellegrini. Raised by her grandparents, Jenna's childhood was marked by numerous sailing adventures on the coast of New Hampshire and Maine aboard her grandfather's boat, the Jenna Marie. An exceptional student and a dedicated infielder on her high school softball team, Jenna epitomized the archetype of a spirited and independent teenager.

Michael Pellegrini shares:
"We were both young. Amy was 19. I was 21... Jenna was into sports."
(04:16)

Despite her achievements, Jenna's life took a dark turn as she began experimenting with narcotics in her late teens, a struggle that eventually led to her battling regular substance abuse, joblessness, and homelessness. Her parents, particularly Michael, grappled with the helplessness of seeing their daughter spiral into addiction.

Christine Sullivan

Christine Sullivan, 48, was an amateur photographer with a penchant for restoring antiques from flea markets. Her relationship with her boyfriend, Dean Smorack, was tumultuous, to say the least. Both Christine and Dean were involved in the illegal narcotics trade, a background that would later intertwine disastrously with Jenna's fate.

---

The Night of the Murders

In the final week of January 2017, Jenna Pellegrini found herself staying at Christine Sullivan's residence on Meadowbrook Road in the rural outskirts of Farmington, New Hampshire. Together, the two women, both struggling with narcotics use, were present on the night of January 27th.

Anasiga Nicolazzi explains:
"This was the last week of January of 2017, and Jenna had been staying on the couches of a string of friends."
(07:15)

The following morning, Christine's boyfriend, Dean Smorack, noticed anomalies at the house — no lights, garage windows obscured with green spray paint, and unsettling stains in the living room and spare bedroom. His suspicions led him to call the authorities, resulting in the discovery of the bodies of both Christine and Jenna wrapped in plastic tarps beneath the porch.

---

The Investigation

Upon securing the crime scene, detectives faced a bewildering puzzle:

• Christine Sullivan: Suffocated by a massive blow to the head and stabbed eight times, accompanied by defensive wounds on her arms, suggesting a fierce struggle.

• Jenna Pellegrini: Found with a staggering 43 stab wounds to her neck, chest, and back, with no defensive marks, indicating she might have been attacked while asleep or unconscious.

The immediate suspect was Dean Smorack, given his contentious relationship with Christine and their shared narcotics dealings.

Michael Pellegrini reflects:
"Farmington had no relevance to us... We found out that it was two girls."
(09:51)

However, discrepancies arose when autopsy reports placed the time of death in the early hours of January 28th, conflicting with Dean's alibi of being in Florida. Investigators uncovered video surveillance from Dean's residence, revealing the entrance of a third individual, Tim Verrell, a known associate in their narcotics operation.

---

Key Evidence

1. Video Surveillance: Captured the presence of Tim Verrell at the crime scene, indicating his potential involvement.

2. Fingerprints: Tim's fingerprints found on spray paint cans used to obscure the garage windows and on trash bags containing the victims' bloodstained belongings.

3. Prestone De-Icing Liquid: Evidence suggested an attempt to clean blood stains, with a second bottle found in Tim's car, linking him directly to the crime scene.

Scott Weinberger notes:
"His prints were also pulled from the trash bags found in the laundry room...preston found at the scene in his car."
(21:32)

---

The Trial and Mistrial

Charged with two counts of first-degree murder, Tim Verrell's trial initially appeared straightforward for the prosecution. They painted Verrell as the primary orchestrator behind the murders, motivated by paranoia over Jenna potentially being a police informant.

Prosecutor states during opening:
"The defendant had started acting strange... The murders were disorganized and hyper."
(23:58)

However, the defense unearthed significant irregularities in the discovery process. Over 500 pages of documents and 39 media discs, including volatile texts between Dean and Christine, were withheld from the defense, violating procedural fairness.

Michael Pellegrini points out:
"One officer in particular did not hand over all of the information..."
(37:43)

These omissions led to a mistrial on October 31, 2019, and subsequent legal maneuvers by the defense to dismiss charges on double jeopardy grounds were denied by the New Hampshire Supreme Court.

---

Second Trial and Verdict

In the retrial, the prosecution introduced witness testimonies and solidified the physical evidence against Verrell. Crucial was the testimony of a friend who, despite Verrell's involvement in narcotics, described his erratic behavior on the night of the murders, including attempts to hide areas of the house and efforts to disable the security system.

Prosecutor elaborates:
"The defendant arrived back... began taking scattered steps to hide different areas of the house..."
(27:26)

Despite the compelling case, the jury rendered a verdict of second-degree murder on April 9, 2024, citing insufficient proof of premeditation.

Scott Weinberger critiques:
"...premeditation, which essentially involves the planning or deliberate act in advance... I think it's clear that the defendant anticipated some obstacles to commit the crime."
(44:12)

---

Sentencing and Aftermath

Although found guilty of second-degree murder, Verrell faced a sentence of 90 years to life, the maximum allowable for his charges. Yet, skepticism lingered among the victims' families, notably Jenna's father, Michael Pellegrini, who remained unconvinced of Verrell acting alone.

Michael Pellegrini expresses:
"We believe that Christine was trying to get away from him... and if anyone was going to do it, it's the boyfriend."
(46:37)

Simultaneously, Dean Smorack was sentenced to prison for drug trafficking in September 2019 but was released in 2022. The family channeled their grief into community support, establishing a charity softball tournament to aid individuals battling addiction.

---

Conclusions and Reflections

Hosts Nicolazzi and Weinberger underscore the complexities and imperfections within the justice system, emphasizing the profound impact such cases have on victims' families and communities. They highlight the often-overlooked intersection of narcotics abuse and violent crime, advocating for heightened awareness and support for those affected by addiction.

Anna-Sigga Nicolazzi remarks:
"Certain things, like narcotics use, abuse, often make people look away... Jenn and Christine deserve to be remembered."
(49:25)

Scott Weinberger adds:
"As a juror... you’re asked to wade through a clouded reality... it’s the duty we're called to ensure that the truth... guides our decision."
(48:08)

The episode serves as a poignant reminder of the multifaceted nature of murder investigations and the enduring quest for justice amidst systemic challenges.

---

Notable Quotes:

• Michael Pellegrini:
  "It still kills me to this day... when we told them, Blake's eyes were kind of wide open, and then he started to bawl."
  (11:02)

• Prosecutor:
  "The defendant arrived back... began taking scattered steps to hide different areas of the house from view."
  (27:26)

• Anna-Sigga Nicolazzi:
  "These two women deserve to be remembered and didn't deserve what happened to them."
  (49:25)

---

Conclusion

Episode X2 of Anatomy of Murder encapsulates a brutal tale of violence intertwined with the dark underbelly of narcotics trafficking. Through meticulous storytelling and incisive analysis, hosts Nicolazzi and Weinberger honor the memories of Jenna Pellegrini and Christine Sullivan while shedding light on the intricate dance between crime, investigation, and justice.

Transcript

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[Prosecutor]

Christine was savagely beaten in the head and stabbed eight times. Jenna was beaten in the head and stabbed 43 times. And after he murdered them, the defendant concealed their bodies by wrapping them up and piling junk on top of them like trash.

[Scott Weinberger]

I'm Scott Weinberger, investigative journalist and former deputy sheriff.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

I'm Anasiga Nicolasi, former New York City Homicide prosecutor and host of Investigation Discovery's True Conviction.

[Scott Weinberger]

And this is Anatomy of Murder.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

One of the characters that plays a pivotal role in today's story is one that appears far too often in homicide cases across the country. Narcotics.

[Scott Weinberger]

The buying and selling of illegal narcotics is a dangerous and ruthless criminal enterprise that accounts for A huge portion of this country's violent crimes, including murder.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

It also leaves a terrifying number of victims in its wake. Men, women, very often young, whose struggles with addiction can lead them to some very dark places with some very bad people.

[Scott Weinberger]

Jenna pellegrini was born in New Hampshire, the only daughter of high school sweethearts Amy and Michael pellegrini, who joins us here today.

[Michael Pellegrini]

We were both young. Amy was 19. I was 21. So we had moved in with my parents, and of course, they were thrilled because that brought Jenna along with my dad in particular, was ecstatic. Neither one of my parents had girls, so I have two brothers, so it was three boys. They got their first taste of a girl, and it was pretty exciting.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

And so much of Jenna's childhood was spent with her grandparents and on the water off the coast of New Hampshire.

[Michael Pellegrini]

My parents were, you know, avid sailors. And, of course, when she was born and living with my parents, you, know, we were able to get her out right from the beginning. She pretty much grew up right from the beginning, sailing out the coast of New Hampshire and Maine, along with sailing.

[Scott Weinberger]

On her granddad's boat, the Jenna Marie, named in her honor. Jenna was also a successful student and a reliable infielder on her high school softball team.

[Michael Pellegrini]

She very smart. She had a lot of friends through high school, where she spent a lot of time with them. A good amount of it was probably on the ball fields. That was her big passion. I mean, she was into sports.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

And like a lot of teenagers, Jenna was also fiercely independent.

[Michael Pellegrini]

She had her own ways. So as soon as she graduated, she was out the door. She wanted to be on her own.

[Scott Weinberger]

By the time she was in her 20s, Jenna had a boyfriend, a job doing hair, and by 2017, two children of her own. But she was also a night owl.

[Michael Pellegrini]

From my standpoint, you know, I saw her as your normal, everyday kid. You know, you might go out with your friends drinking, and that's pretty much the extent of it. I don't know when things really changed or went downhill.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

And I know this may start to sound familiar to some of our listeners who may know someone or has loved someone that has struggled with addiction. At some point, Jenna began to experiment with various narcotics, and that experimentation eventually led to regular use, an all too common problem that her own dad admits he can relate to.

[Michael Pellegrini]

I had some issues myself that, you know, not real proud of, to be honest with you, but didn't spend as much time as I could have or should have.

[Scott Weinberger]

Jenna's dad eventually found the help and support he needed to get sober. But he also feared that Jenna would not be so lucky.

[Michael Pellegrini]

She kind of got involved with some people that likely pushed her into that direction. I don't know how involved she was. I know the people she was hanging out with were involved. I know for a fact that a lot of them were not the right people to hang around with.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

Jenna's children went to live with her parents, and sadly, her narcotics use eventually led to bouts of joblessness and homelessness.

[Michael Pellegrini]

I used to call her all the time and then as this went on, I wasn't able to get ahold of her. And then, you know, she loses her job, you know, now she doesn't have a phone so you can't get ahold of her. So that was kind of the hard part for me that I wasn't able to reach her because she didn't have a place to live, you know, or at least a permanent one.

[Scott Weinberger]

With his daughter in crisis, Michael was at a loss on how to help her.

[Michael Pellegrini]

I didn't know where she was. I didn't know any of her friends. I didn't know who to call.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

This was the last week of January of 2017, and Jenna had been staying on the couches of a string of friends. She eventually made it to a home on Meadowbrook road in Farmington, New Hampshire, a pretty rural area about a three hours drive east of Concord.

[Scott Weinberger]

Her friend, 48 year old Christine Sullivan, had offered her a bed while her boyfriend Dean was in Florida. Christine was an amateur photographer and had a passion for picking flea markets for antiques to restore.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

But she, like Jenna, was also struggling with narcotics use. The two women were together at the house on Meadowbrook Road on the night of January 27th.

[Scott Weinberger]

The next morning, Christine's boyfriend Dean tried to contact Christine, but she wasn't picking up the phone or returning his text messages. When he finally arrived back in New Hampshire on the 29th, he still hadn't heard from her.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

When he got to the house, he noticed a couple of things that didn't seem right. Christine's car was there, but there were no lights on in the house. And strangely, the windows of the garage looked like they had been painted opaque with green spray paint.

[Scott Weinberger]

Inside, the house was empty, but on the floor in the living room, he noticed a small rug covering a large dark stain. And in the spare bedroom, a mattress covered in blood.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

Fearing the worst, Dean called 911. A short time later, police arrived at the home and as they began to inspect the property, they made a horrible discovery. Under the back porch of the house, police found the Bodies of both women wrapped in plastic tarps and hastily covered with household debris.

[Scott Weinberger]

Christine had suffered a massive blow to the head and multiple stab wounds. She also had defensive wounds on her arms, indicating that she fought desperately for her life.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

Jenna, on the other hand, did not have defensive wounds, perhaps indicating that she was attacked in bed while she slept. Her killer demonstrating a viciousness that left investigators stunned. She had been stabbed 43 times in the neck and chest. Wounds that severed her jugular vein, punctured her lungs, and broke her ribs.

[Scott Weinberger]

As investigators secured the crime scene, word of the double murder at the house in Farmington soon hit the news and also social media.

[Michael Pellegrini]

Farmington had no relevance to us. And then we found out that it was two girls. And of course, Amy's frantic.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

Remember, Jenna's parents had no way to get in touch with her and didn't know where she was living. But with a child in crisis, whether she's an adult or not, you can imagine that any bad news like this will leave your mind racing.

[Michael Pellegrini]

Monday came along, and we started seeing Facebook posts. Some people that must have known more or whatever, Friends of friends that, you know, so, sorry, Jenna, and so on. So, of course, that scared us. Like, oh, what's going on?

[Scott Weinberger]

Michael called the Farmington police station from his home in Massachusetts.

[Michael Pellegrini]

I said I was on my way up. Shortly after that, I finally got a call from victim advocate's office regarding Jenna. But they did not say that it was Jenna, but it was kind of obvious during that conversation that one of the girls was her.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

It was up to Jenna's parents to break the devastating news to her young children.

[Michael Pellegrini]

It still kills me to this day. You know, when we told them, Blake's eyes were kind of wide open, and then he started to bawl.

[Scott Weinberger]

When Michael arrived in Farmington, investigators were still piecing together what might have happened.

[Michael Pellegrini]

The info they could give us was that she was likely sleeping. They found the mattress that she was on with blood stains, and she was stabbed 43 times.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

Detectives were also trying to establish the relationship between Jenna and the other murdered woman, Christine Sullivan, as well as with Christine's boyfriend, Dean Smorack, who was both the owner of the house and the man that called 911.

[Michael Pellegrini]

We had no idea who these people were, why she was there. We had no idea who Christine was.

[Scott Weinberger]

But you know, who did know who Christine and Dean were? The local cops. According to police records, the couple had a history of distributing cocaine and methamphetamines.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

In fact, they had been arrested just a year before in South Carolina. For their role in a drug trafficking operation that spanned the entire east coast.

[Scott Weinberger]

And what we have seen time and time again Is where drug trafficking goes, Violent crime often follows.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

But there was still a mystery to unravel here, not the least of which Was how jenna got caught in something so violent and so vicious.

[Scott Weinberger]

And while dean and christine's criminal record pointed towards a possible motive behind the murder, Cops also stumbled on a clue that suggested the motive could have been more typical. According to dean, he and christine had recently been going through a breakup, and by his own admission, their relationship could be described as rocky at best.

[Michael Pellegrini]

We believe that christine was trying to get away from him, and it may have taken place or that may have been part of what was going to take place that we weekend.

[Scott Weinberger]

So early on, detectives approached this double murder Like a potential domestic abuse case, with dean as the top suspect. Here was a guy with a criminal history and a personal and contentious relationship with one of the victims.

[Michael Pellegrini]

You know, christine might have been leaving. So dean had them killed, and jenna just happened to be there. It always kind of came back that jenna was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Jenna didn't know dean. Dean didn't know Jenna.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

But there was one glaring problem. Autopsies of both women determined that they were likely killed in the early hours of January 28th. And Dean claimed he was still in Florida, not arriving back in new hampshire until later that night.

[Scott Weinberger]

And when investigators check with the airline, as well as video footage from the airports, his alibi seemed to hold up. Not to say that he was. Was completely off the hook. And the reason, Due to the cold weather and the fact that the bodies of the two victims were found outside of the home, There was some uncertainty about the exact time of death.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

But dean actually offered another way for backing his story, Showing investigators the video surveillance system he had installed in his house.

[Scott Weinberger]

The video confirmed that jenna and Christine were in the house together for most of the day preceding their murders. But it also revealed the presence of a third person, A man in a white hat, who could be seen entering and leaving the house several times, Both through the front and the back door on the evening before the murders likely took place.

[Michael Pellegrini]

He was in the video at the house prior to the time that they were giving us, you, know, that the murders took place, and it shows Jenna and Christine in the video and nobody else on that Thursday evening and into Friday morning.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

Even more intriguing was the fact that this man appeared to know about the video's security system. And just as the video's internal clock approached, the hour of the murder, the system suddenly shut down.

[Scott Weinberger]

So while the security system had not captured the murder itself, it very well may have caught the last person to have seen both women alive and possibly the person responsible for their violent deaths.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

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[Anasiga Nicolasi]

Two women brutally murdered in a house in Farmington, New Hampshire. The most obvious suspect? One of the women's soon to be ex boyfriend who also happened to be a narcotics dealer.

[Scott Weinberger]

But security video footage from inside the home have presented investigators with a new suspect, a man seen entering and leaving the crime scene the evening before the murders took place. And when Dean viewed the tape, he told police, oh yeah, I know that guy.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

The man in the video was identified as 34 year old Tim Verrell, a close friend and associate of Dean Smorunk's.

[Michael Pellegrini]

He was kind of a small time dealer where he would purchase small amounts of whatever, meth or, you know, cocaine, I'm not positive everything but from Dean, and he would sell it.

[Scott Weinberger]

So Tim Vel worked with both Dean and Christine in their business. And so it would not have been out of the ordinary for Verrill to be a visitor to that house.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

But as investigators gathered information about Varel, one of the first things they learned was that he didn't really fit the profile of this kind of violence.

[Michael Pellegrini]

Tim didn't really have a record as being that kind of person. No arrests or nothing. So it was kind of odd in that sense, like why, you know, why would he do this?

[Scott Weinberger]

Not only that, but no one familiar with Christine can think of any reason why Varille could have done harm to either one of these two victims.

[Michael Pellegrini]

When we first found out, I would imagine everybody kind of does this. I did kind of do a little research to see, you know, who the hell is this guy, but I didn't really find much on him. But I also did the same thing with Dean, only to find out that that's the. That you guys need to be arresting. He turned out to be, you know, a huge problem, and a lot of people believed he was guilty the entire time.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

Still, with Burrell captured on the video visiting the crime scene just prior to the murder, he was certainly a top person of interest. And so investigators brought him into the Farmington police station for questioning.

[Scott Weinberger]

When Varel was questioned by police, he admitted to being at the house with both murder victims on the evening of January 27. But he claimed that it was simply a social visit. They listened to music, they talked, and they also consumed narcotics together.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

He denied tampering with the security system and he denied having anything to do with the murders. So, Scott, if we think about what they are learning pretty quickly here about this other guy, Varel, I mean, just him being there at the crime scene so close to the murders, like obviously he is going to be the person that has to be focused on at least initially, or at least one of them, I should say.

[Scott Weinberger]

Absolutely. I mean, he would be the first one that they would need to eliminate. He obviously had the opportunity to commit a crime. He was there. So they need to dig into the relationship that he had with both of the victims and Ace and any potential physical evidence. And when I say, you know, remember the evidence of him being present is not just enough. They need more than that. But, you know, it could be that some other type of evidence would help tell the story, will help paint that picture, as we say, you know, had that crime scene talked to investigators. And so while Tim Varel revealed little to police that could implicate himself in the murders, the evidence collected at the crime scene, as I mentioned, started to speak volumes. And I'll call it the old OG because the first set of physical evidence really was old school.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

Fingerprints matching vels were found on spray paint cans in the garage, the same spray paint used to paint over the windows to the garage.

[Scott Weinberger]

Even more telling, his prints were also pulled from the trash bags found in the laundry room. Both trash bags contained bloodstained items that belonged to the victims, including a bloody sheet containing Jenna's DNA.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

His prints were even found on an empty bottle of Prestone de icing liquid, a piece of evidence that proved to be critical in proving that Pharrell had a hand in at least attempting to clean up the crime scene and cover up the murders. And that's because investigators found a stain of Christine's blood on the back porch of the house. A stain likely from a puddle that had frozen and the killer had tried to deice with Preston in order to clean it.

[Scott Weinberger]

Now, a second bottle of Prestone was later found inside his car, further connecting him to the crime.

[Michael Pellegrini]

Cleaning products that they show him purchasing showed up at the house and in his car. So it was obvious he was part of it involved. There's no video obviously of the murder, so, you know, that's the only piece that's missing.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

And so police and prosecutors were facing a question. Could they use proof of a cover up as proof that Varel also killed the two victims?

[Michael Pellegrini]

It was obvious he was there. It was obvious he tried to clean up. It was obvious he was part of it.

[Scott Weinberger]

The mystery that remained was whether Varille was following order orders or did he work alone, targeting, killing, and attempting to cover up two vicious murders committed with his own hands.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

Tim Burrell was arrested on February 6, 2017, and remained incarcerated as prosecutors prepared for his trial on two charges of first degree murder.

[Scott Weinberger]

Part of that trial prep meant putting together a plausible theory for why Varel targeted the two women. Was it an argument? Was it sexual in nature? Or was it something more planned, even maybe a hit for hire?

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

They gathered witnesses that knew Veral's relationship with both Christine and his role in Christine and Dean's narcotic business. And One of those witnesses was prepared to testify that Verrall had been using narcotics heavily in the days leading up to the murder. Here is an excerpt from the lead prosecutor's opening statement to the jury.

[Prosecutor]

The defendant had started acting strange. He was using a variety of drugs. He grew distant and paranoid at times, not even seeming to be aware of what was going on around him.

[Scott Weinberger]

The prosecutors also argued that Pharrell was in fact, part of Christine and Dean's narcotics operation, an operation that may have been fracturing along with the couple's romantic relationship.

[Prosecutor]

Dean and Christine were drug dealers, and the defendant worked for them. In fact, the defendant would sometimes take over business when Dean and Christine went away, such as when they would go down to Florida.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

One thing that was clear was that Veral did not know Jenna Pellegrini, and it was her presence in the house that may have sparked a paranoia about who exactly she was.

[Michael Pellegrini]

Their theory was that Tim did this because he thought Jenna was an informant.

[Scott Weinberger]

Again, here is the lead prosecutor summarizing statements made by a friend of Pharrell named Josh about his behavior on the night of the murder.

[Prosecutor]

Apparently concerned for the drug organization he was involved in, the defendant asked Josh if Josh thought Jenna might be an informant or someone who provides information to the police. The defendant expressed concern over whether Dean knew Jenna was at the house and what Jenna might be doing there.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

And so clearly, Veral was worried about Jenna's presence, presumably in relation to protecting his role in the narcotics business, but also perhaps protecting Dean, the person who was known to run that business, the same guy who Christine was perhaps about to leave. What was not known was whether Dean knew Darrell's concerns.

[Michael Pellegrini]

Either Tim was actually paranoid and thinking Jenna was a drug informant, or as some people think, and this is kind of my theory because I don't believe the informant thing that Christine is leaving. So that conversation could have resulted in the exact same scenario. One way or the other. That can't happen. I'll do this for Dean so that he likes me or he keeps me on board.

[Scott Weinberger]

The prosecution had to focus on what they could prove. And what they could prove was that Pharrell, not his boss Dean, was at the house in Farmington and had killed Christine and Jenna.

[Prosecutor]

From January 25th until late on January 28th, Dean was in Florida. What you'll hear is that Dean's cell phone repeatedly used cell towers in and around Cape Coral, Florida, from January 26 through January 28, including as he was talking to people back in New Hampshire and trying to reach out to Christine.

[Michael Pellegrini]

Obviously, the Prosecution has to go with the facts. And the only facts they had was that Dean is on camera down in Florida, so he didn't do it. And Tim was there up until the morning that it happened. So he must have.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

Here again is more of the prosecutor's opening statement at trial in which he walked the jury through the known facts of the case, clearly implicating the defendant, Tim Burrell, in the double homicide.

[Prosecutor]

At about 2am on Jan. 27, the defendant arrived back at 979 Meterborough Road. Not long after arriving, the defendant began taking scattered steps to hide different areas of the house from view. First, the defendant blocked the view of one of the security cameras in the house. You'll see that the defendant went back and forth between the house and the garage multiple times. Crime scene investigators would later find that all of the ground level windows in that garage had been covered in green spray paint.

[Scott Weinberger]

The green spray paint is an interesting and kind of haunting element to the story here because to me it indicates clear premeditation. He was trying to black out the windows of the garage because he knew he was about to commit a crime.

[Prosecutor]

The last video captured by the 979 Meterborough Road Surveillance System on January 27th shows only the defendant. At about 6:57am the defendant quickly walked to the door and locked it. He was wearing a white trucker style hat, a flannel shirt, and carrying his shoes in his hand. There were no more videos from the 27th.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

The prosecution contended that Pharrell then disabled the security system and then locked the front door.

[Prosecutor]

At some point after locking that door, the defendant struck. The murders were disorganized and hyper. They weren't cold and calculated. They were emotional and they were passionate. The defendant struck Christine multiple times in the head with a blunt instrument. These were extremely forceful blows which caused bleeding in her brain. One of the blows was so powerful that it caused extensive fracturing around a large part of Christine's skull. You'll hear that Christine was alive for these blows.

[Scott Weinberger]

The prosecutor goes on to describe how Varel then proceeded to stab Christine Sullivan eight times.

[Prosecutor]

Christine tried to defend herself. She suffered broken and cut fingers in an attempt to ward off this vicious attack, but she wasn't successful.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

His description of Jenna's murder is equally graphic, but perhaps even more disturbing when you consider that she may well have been asleep in bed.

[Prosecutor]

He stabbed Jenna 43 times in the neck, chest and back. There was no evidence that she tried to defend herself. She was likely sleeping or unconscious at the time. After murdering these women, the Evidence will show the defendant tried to clean up the scene. His efforts were as disorganized and hyper as the killings themselves. He hid the bodies by wrapping them in bedding, drop cloths and a frayed tarp. He then discarded the bodies under the porch, piling junk on top of them as if they were trash.

[Scott Weinberger]

So the evidence found at the scene, we have the fingerprints found on the trash bags containing bloody sheets, the pressed stone found at the scene in his car, and even trace amounts of Christine's blood found on a white baseball cap belonging to Varell. It all supported this theory of these cold blooded murders.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

Verrell maintained his innocence throughout, and his lawyers were prepared to present an alternative perpetrator defense, a theory the prosecution was ready to confront head on.

[Prosecutor]

I imagine when I'm done speaking with you in a few minutes, defense is going to come up here and they're going to tell you that somebody else murdered Christine and Jenna. They're going to create a boogeyman. And they might even give that boogeyman a name.

[Scott Weinberger]

And that name, of course, would be Dean Smorung, someone Varel's defense team would claim had a clear motive himself to kill Christine.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

And the potential evidence that could prove it would turn the trial upside down.

[Scott Weinberger]

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[Prosecutor]

And it's true that Dean and Christine had a terrible relationship. Dean was abusive and he didn't hide the way he felt about Christine, often saying and texting horrible things about Christine to others. It was no secret among anyone acquainted with the two how Dean treated Christine. But on January 27, 2017, Dean was in Florida. On January 28, when Dean thought something was wrong in New Hampshire, he came back. And when Dean came back, he called the police. We're not going to make any excuses for Dean or the way that he treated Christine, but the evidence will show that when he thought something had happened to Christine, he didn't run. He wanted law enforcement to investigate.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

You know, Scott, I don't think it is necessarily the deciding factor that he brings the police into this because how many times have you heard the scenarios that someone actually happily brings the police in is cooperative and talkative throughout, really, just as another way to try to move attention away from themselves.

[Scott Weinberger]

To me, it's clear the defense was counting on Dean and Christina's relationship and how volatile it was and that was what the motive was behind her murder. But the defense had to get over a huge hurdle to prove that because it was clear at the time of the murders, Dean was far away from the crime scene. And yes, while as you know, domestic violence often is a motive, the prosecution's case had a much more compelling argument and also compelling evidence.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

Well, I don't think the fact, as I said before, that he brought them in really is dispositive of him not being involved. Again, like as prosecutors, though, we can speculate and think and think, maybe, maybe not. But you have to prosecute based on evidence and evidence alone. But also remember too, there's no statute of limitations when it comes to murder. So if they find evidence that implicates him or anyone else later at any time, well, then they could always charge them, too. But for now, I absolutely agree that the evidence fit together with the other theories, and the evidence only points right now to Tim Burrell. And so that's what they went into court with.

[Scott Weinberger]

And I think Michael completely agreed early.

[Michael Pellegrini]

On for us, it was, he's guilty. And then to add to that, in my opinion anyways, and probably many others, is that you could see the defense basically throwing on the wall to see if it sticks, and it didn't. And it was kind of obvious, which led us to believe that, well, they don't have anything, so they're going to try to do whatever they can to convince people otherwise.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

The case for Burrill's guilt was a strong one, and the trial seemed to be moving towards a swift conviction. However, on October 23, 2019, the defense brought to the court's attention certain irregularities regarding evidence discovery.

[Michael Pellegrini]

One officer in particular did not hand over all of the information that he had which was related directly related to the trial.

[Scott Weinberger]

And these infractions would be costly. Farrell's attorneys informed prosecutors that they had learned about emails that the Major Crimes Unit had received that not only could exonerate Farrell, according to them, but also supported the defense's theory that Dean was still a viable suspect.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

Over the next several days, the prosecution and defense would learn that more than 500 pages of written documents and 39 media discs had not been shared with the defense in discovery.

[Scott Weinberger]

And also among this evidence were disturbing texts from Dean to Christine.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

And I quote, you have a short time left on this earth. I wish you were dead already. You might as well call the cops right now. These were just a few of the texts that Dean sent to his then girlfriend, indicating a volatile falling out.

[Scott Weinberger]

And as a result, on October 31, 2019, the judge declared a mistrial. The defense went on to request that the case against Pharrell be completely dismissed on the grounds of double jeopardy, a request ultimately denied by the New Hampshire Supreme Court.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

During the second trial of Tim Burrell, the prosecution's star witness proved to be his close friend, who testified in detail about Varell's strange behavior on the night of the murder.

[Prosecutor]

When the defendant arrived at Josh's, he grabbed a beer out of his car and went inside. Josh will tell you that when the defendant walked past him to enter the house, he said to Josh, interesting night. The defendant was behaving strangely and smelled strongly of body odor. He was wearing only a T shirt, not the flannel shirt that he had on previously. Continuing with this strange behavior, the defendant asked Josh for a Change of pants, which Josh provided and which the defendant then changed into right there on the spot.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

But for as convincing as this testimony was from the friend of both Dean and Tim Burrell, it was also problematic. And as someone who's handled multiple cases with witnesses sometimes similar to the one here, I can say that. Here's why. Because this witness, like several in this story, was involved in the narcotics trade. Now, does that make what he was saying a lie? Absolutely not. People can tell the truth or lie, no matter who they are or what they do. But it will certainly cause the jury to be extra critical and cautious, as they should be. But there's also another layer that needed to be considered as well. He had been offered a reduced sentence for past crimes in exchange for his testimony.

[Scott Weinberger]

And of course, that is a fact that the defense is going to pounce on to discredit that testimony, suggesting that the witness had incentive to deflect suspicion away from himself and his business partner, Dean. But I thought the lead prosecutor had a very poignant response to this. Just listen to what he says here.

[Prosecutor]

Over the course of the state's presentation, you're going to hear from witnesses who used and sold drugs. Their attitudes towards the police are probably a lot different than yours are. It's not necessarily their first instinct to call the police when something suspicious has happened. They likely lied to the police when asked about their own drug use and drug sales. What we want to ask you to consider as you listen to those witnesses is that while witnesses may lie about their own drug use and their own drug sales in an interest of self preservation, that same interest does not give them a reason to lie about what they knew about the murders of Christine and Jenna.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

So depending on who you believed, Tim Burrell was either a narcotics user so impacted by the drugs that he became completely paranoid, who brutally killed two women because he feared one was a police.

[Scott Weinberger]

Informant, or was he the fall guy for his narcotic dealing boss who wanted an end to his business and his romantic partnership with Christine Sullivan?

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

But like Jenna's father, Michael, said before, all prosecutors could do was focus on the facts based on the physical evidence that pointed to one truth, that Tim Burrell was at the crime scene before, during, and after these murders. He tried to cover it up because of the likely conclusion because he was the one responsible.

[Scott Weinberger]

Also pretty convincing was the testimony of Verrill's own brother, who described Tim's behavior on the day police first tried to reach out.

[Prosecutor]

At the time, the defendant was at his brother Jeff's house in Newton, New Hampshire. The defendant and his girlfriend had taken his girlfriend's car to Jeff's house. The defendant told the trooper he was willing to speak with investigators and gave the trooper his brother's address. But after he got off the phone, he told his brother he was going outside to wait for the police. And then he left in his girlfriend's car, leaving his girlfriend behind. But before driving away, the defendant removed his girlfriend's New Hampshire license plates and replaced them with his brother's roommate's Massachusetts plates.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

In other words, Varell tried to flee. But as they say, the arm of the law is long. But as a prosecutor, I can say that we would also say that that is evidence of consciousness, of guilt. If he hadn't committed the crime, and if he didn't know that what he had done was wrong, he wouldn't have tried to run.

[Scott Weinberger]

More than six years after the murders of Christine Sullivan and Jenna Pellegrini, the fate of their accused killer, Tom Varel, was up to a jury.

[Michael Pellegrini]

We were pretty confident, but obviously you have to realize that there is always that slight chance because you don't know the jurors, you don't know what they think. But we were pretty convinced that they were all going to convict him.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

But on April 9, 2024, the jury surprised the courtroom when it returned a verdict of, of not guilty on first degree murder. Instead, they found Veral guilty of the lesser charge of second degree murder, essentially saying that the killing was not premeditated or at least that it hadn't been proven beyond any reasonable doubt.

[Scott Weinberger]

Now, anesthesia. I would not disagree with the prosecution's position that Varel took measures to cover up the fact the crime was about to be committed. I mean, premeditation, which essentially involves the planning or deliberate act in advance, opposed to, as, you know, heat of the moment, which is less calculated in a sense. I think it's clear that the defendant anticipated some obstacles to commit the crime, and he tried to remove those obstacles by blocking the window to prevent witnesses from seeing him or seeing any of the evidence. Or also it's a clear signal that he disabled the security system. So if that's not premeditation, I don't know what is.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

I'm going to take the other side here for a moment because when I look at it from that other side, we don't know if he did that to the windows, maybe after he had already committed those crimes, likely in a drug fueled state. And again, it takes time to try and clean, it takes time to try and move bodies. So yes, at the same time we're talking about the security system. Could it have been at the moment he chose to commit the crimes, Boom, let me disable these cameras. We just don't know. So while, yes, of course, I think it's a stretch to come to those conclusions, this is all about proof beyond any reasonable doubt. So if you can, can put a reasonable possibility on those things, definitely disappointing to the prosecutor or family member. But I also understand it from the standpoint of the jury.

[Scott Weinberger]

And so the verdict was a disappointment for both Christine and Jenna's families. And Jenna's father and other family members used their impact statements to address the judge and make their case for the stiffest penalty possible.

[Michael Pellegrini]

One of the things the advocate was telling us, you know, that this could change it. The judge could listen to your statement, you know, so make it a good one.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

In the end, the judge took those statements to heart. On May 17, 2024, the judge sentenced Farell to the maximum sentence of 90 years to life for the second degree murders of Christine and Jenna.

[Michael Pellegrini]

Oh, well, we were relieved finally that, you know, for one, it was over. He's going to jail for life.

[Scott Weinberger]

To this day, Jenna's father is not totally convinced that Tim Farrell was the only person involved in his daughter's murder.

[Michael Pellegrini]

He was a follower, not a leader. If anyone was going to do it, it's the boyfriend. From his criminal record, from the time he was in whatever high school, college, I mean, it goes always up the chain. He was the guy that you would think would do it. And here's this other guy that you know, maybe just following orders.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

Dean Smarank was sentenced to prison for drug trafficking in September of 2019. The Federal Bureau of Prisons reports that he was subsequently released in 2022.

[Scott Weinberger]

And like so many families of victims, Jenna's family was forced to try to keep moving forward. But they were dedicated to preserving both her spirit and her memory. This August, they held their first annual charity softball tournament, dedicated in her honor.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

The proceeds were donated to local charities offering support to people fighting addiction.

[Scott Weinberger]

For my thoughts on today's case, I just want you to imagine, just for a moment, sitting in that jury box bearing the weight of Timothy Varel's fate in your hands. The prosecution has laid out a compelling case. A chilling video, damning circumstantial evidence, all pointing towards guilt. But there is this dark cloud, heavy with doubt and mistrust, casting a shadow over every piece of evidence. Allegations of police misconduct, hidden evidence. These are not small missteps. These are stains on the integrity of this case. And that was the reason for the mistrial. As a juror, you're asked to wade through a clouded reality, tasked with a monumental decision. Can you, beyond all reasonable doubt, trust this case enough to condemn a man, knowing that that very process that brought him there may have been compromised? But this is why our justice system exists in this delicate balance, to allow both sides to be heard. Especially when the stakes are life and death and the memory of two women whose lives were taken far too soon. It is not easy to be a juror. It's not easy to carry the burden of justice for both the defendant and the victims. But it's the duty we're called to to ensure that the truth, not just what was presented, but the real truth, guides our decision. Because justice for Christine and Jenna and fairness for Timothy Varela depends on us getting this right. This is why we sit in judgment, why we listen so closely, and why we demand integrity at every step.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

This case was important to us to feature for a reason. Even beyond that, there were two women, Jenna Pellegrini and Christine Sullivan, that were brutally murdered. And that reason is because it is the type of case that is often overlooked and not highlighted at all. Certain things, like narcotics use, abuse, often make people look away. But as someone who's handled many murders over the years, I can tell you there are lots of cases, too many cases, that fade into the shadows and that are as brutal as this. These two women deserve to be remembered and didn't deserve what happened to them. Being on the fringes of society due to an impairment or a life choice, whether self created or not, does not mean that we should not care. Their killers assumed we wouldn't, but we are here to tell them that we do. Jenna Pellegrini, Christine Sullivan. This AOM community we remember. Tune in next week for another new episode of Anatomy of Murder.

[Scott Weinberger]

Anatomy of Murder is an audio Chuck.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

Original produced and created by Weinberger Media and Forseti Media.

[Scott Weinberger]

Ashley Flowers is executive producer.

[Anasiga Nicolasi]

This episode was written and produced by Walker Lamond, researched by Kate Cooper, edited by Ali Sirwa and Phil Jean Grande. So what do you think, Chuck? Do you approve?

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[Scott Weinberger]

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[Anasiga Nicolasi]

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