From: jcs
David Tronnes, a 50-year-old stay-at-home husband, harbored a strong desire to appear on reality television [00:00:06]. In late April 2018, he successfully secured a spot on the show Zombie House Flipping, where he was to be featured renovating his recently purchased house with his then-wife, 39-year-old financial consultant Shanti Cooper [00:00:11].
The Core Conflict
The central issue arose from Shanti Cooper’s lack of interest in being on television [00:00:23]. She refused to sign off on the program [00:00:25]. This refusal directly led to David beating and strangling Shanti to death in the early hours of the following morning [00:00:28].
David’s Ambition
David Tronnes’s motivation for the show included significant financial incentives, referred to as “tradeouts” and “promotional sponsorships” [00:12:41]. These would provide high-end materials like quartz countertops and premium cabinets instead of mid-range options [00:13:02]. He also claimed that participating in the show would allow Shanti to eventually quit her job or slowly phase out of it [00:13:31].
Despite later telling detectives the show was “just the house” and “they’re the stars” (referring to the hosts) [00:13:25], David fully understood he would be prominently featured as the main builder and construction person [00:13:29].
Shanti’s Reluctance
Keith Ary, the producer of Zombie House Flipping, explained that it was difficult to get both David and Shanti together for a meeting. He insisted on a formal sit-down with Shanti to ensure she was fully on board with the show [00:10:27]. Ary observed that Shanti was “unhappy” to be there and the atmosphere was “tense” [00:10:52]. She stayed only as long as absolutely necessary before leaving [00:11:06]. This meeting occurred just six days before her murder [00:11:10].
Underlying Relationship Dynamics
The pressure of the renovation added stress to their relationship [00:19:18]. David admitted to a brief argument with Shanti over the renovation on the Saturday before the murder, primarily concerning the wavy upstairs floor and the extensive work required to flatten it [00:19:51]. However, he downplayed it, claiming they were both upset about the delay rather than fighting with each other [00:20:29].
Further tension was revealed by their living arrangement: Shanti primarily slept upstairs in the comfortable part of the residence, while David slept downstairs in the garage with the dogs [00:25:16]. This arrangement had been ongoing for over a year [00:30:40].
The Aftermath and Trial
During his interrogation, David maintained his account of finding Shanti unresponsive, denying any physical harm [00:23:00]. He insisted he did not choke, strangle, or beat her [00:23:04]. His defense during the trial was that he was out walking the dogs when an unknown intruder murdered Shanti [00:20:20].
The prosecution countered that a stranger would not take the time to strangle someone, move them to a tub, leave nothing behind, and inflict such severe injuries (fractured skull, swollen eyes, intense bruising) without taking anything or leaving evidence [00:30:44]. The prosecution argued that the significant injuries on Shanti’s body were inconsistent with a fall [00:21:24], and that she was deceased before David supposedly left the house [00:21:48].
David Tronnes was found guilty of first-degree murder [00:33:09] and sentenced to life imprisonment [00:34:27]. His extreme ambition for reality television and Shanti’s refusal to partake ultimately culminated in her death.