From: jcs
In April 2018, 50-year-old David Trronis, a stay-at-home husband, murdered his wife, 39-year-old financial consultant Shanti Cooper, after she refused to sign off on his appearance on a reality television show [00:00:01].
The Crime
David Trronis secured a spot on the reality show Zombie House Flipping, where he would be featured renovating his newly bought house with his wife, Shanti Cooper [00:00:08]. However, Shanti was not interested in being on TV and refused to sign the program’s agreement [00:00:21]. This refusal led to David beating and then strangling her to death in the early hours of April 24, 2018 [00:00:28]. The attack is believed to have occurred on the edge of the bed, where blood was later found on the side rail [00:23:49].
Shanti Cooper sustained significant injuries, including a swollen head, black eyes, a fractured skull, a swollen shut eye, a damaged eye, and intense bruising and bleeding in both sides of her mouth [00:26:22][00:31:03]. These injuries were inconsistent with a fall [00:22:55]. David Trronis, however, had no injuries that would indicate a struggle, apart from scratches from his plants [00:23:28].
Initial Response and David’s Account
David Trronis called 911 roughly 12 hours after the murder, at 3:51 p.m. [00:00:33]. When police and paramedics arrived at the residence, they found a hysterical David performing CPR on Shanti in the living room [00:00:52]. He immediately explained that he had found her lying unconscious in a partially filled bathtub, bleeding from the nose and mouth [00:01:00]. He claimed to have pulled her from the tub, noting the water was “rose colored” due to blood [00:17:23][00:18:28]. He also stated she felt “stiff” and “cold” [00:18:45][00:19:08].
The Investigation and Interrogation Techniques
David was taken to the police station as a witness [00:01:05]. His blood-stained clothing was swapped for a custody suit, and he was provided water, a blanket, and tissues [00:01:09]. He was then placed in room six and left alone for 4 hours and 9 minutes before he knocked to use the bathroom [00:01:15][00:01:22].
At 9:08 p.m., Detective Teresa Sprag and Detective Barb Mclland entered the room to begin the interrogation [00:02:03][00:03:47].
Initial Observations by Detectives
From the outset, David’s behavior was deemed suspicious by the investigators [00:01:37]. His politeness and apologetic demeanor for simple requests like using the bathroom, especially after supposedly finding his wife unresponsive and being left in a cold room for hours, stood out [00:01:46]. The detectives were already certain David had committed first or second-degree murder, but lacked sufficient evidence for an arrest [00:02:36].
At this stage, David was free to leave the police station [00:02:47]. Therefore, the detectives maintained a sympathetic and non-confrontational tone to keep him talking, allowing him the false belief they accepted his act as a grieving husband [00:02:51][00:03:51]. During his narrative, David exhibited 11 instances of “fake cries,” which peaked in intensity midway through the interview before steadily diminishing as the detective made it obvious she knew he was lying [00:03:57][00:04:09].
David’s Behavior and Deception
David initially provided basic personal information, including details about his relationship with Shanti, whom he met online in 2013 [00:04:26][00:05:36]. He claimed they were “never more in love” [00:06:02]. He also claimed the house they owned was in his and his mother’s names, leaving Shanti out for “planning and financial reasons,” a decision he asserted was mutual, though its truthfulness is unclear [00:07:41][00:07:49].
When asked about past arguments, David admitted to two previous instances where he stayed with his mother due to Shanti’s work-related stress causing her to be “snippy or short” [00:08:05][00:08:44]. However, he denied any physical altercations [00:20:45].
David also gave false information about his employment, claiming to have worked for a chemical company up north or in sales [00:10:02][00:10:17][00:10:20]. In reality, he never worked in sales or at a chemical company [00:10:20].
He repeatedly attempted to elicit sympathy with “fake cries” but received no reassuring feedback from the detective, causing these displays to dissipate [00:15:00][00:15:38]. During his detailed recounting of finding Shanti’s body, David exhibited a jarring disparity in emotional presentation, casually crunching a snack while describing the horrific scene [00:18:54].
Regarding the reality show, David claimed the show would “just film the house” and that the hosts were the “stars” [00:13:25]. However, he fully understood he would be featured prominently as the main builder [00:13:29]. Keith Ary, the producer of Zombie House Flipping, insisted on a formal sit-down with Shanti to ensure her full participation, noting she appeared “unhappy” and “tense” during the meeting six days before her murder [00:10:25][00:10:52][00:11:10].
Increasing Pressure and Inconsistencies
The detective gradually intensified the pressure, asking about the last argument between David and Shanti, which he said was briefly on Saturday over the renovation [00:19:41][00:19:57]. He denied that Shanti felt he didn’t listen to her or that any fights ever turned physical [00:20:37][00:20:45].
The detective directly confronted David about the severity of Shanti’s injuries, stating they were “more significant than from a soft tissue fall” [00:21:14][00:21:24]. She then revealed her belief that Shanti was deceased before David left the house to go for a walk [00:21:48]. David continued to deny everything, claiming, “I have told you everything” and “Absolutely not” to questions about harming, choking, strangling, or beating Shanti [00:22:42][00:23:00].
The detective also pointed out inconsistencies in his story and the crime scene, such as the absence of water on the carpet where he claimed to have pulled Shanti from the bathtub, and no blood on the carpet [00:26:34].
Direct Confrontation and Polygraph Request
The detective accused David of lying and trying to mislead them, stating, “You cooperated because you thought that your language would overwhelm us and you thought you could pull the wool over our eyes” [00:28:10]. She highlighted his “fake cries” throughout the day, noting “Not one tear came out of your eyes” [00:28:31]. She further criticized his lack of remorse, saying he had done “nothing the whole time but close your eyes, huddle up, and protect your own ass” [00:29:11].
David was then asked if he would take a polygraph test to prove his innocence, to which he cheerfully agreed, saying “Absolutely” [00:24:11][00:24:13]. The detectives told him they would be right back with a polygraph machine, but instead left him for over two hours, using the time to decide against the polygraph and instead ramp up the confrontation [00:24:27][00:24:29][00:24:35]. The investigators exited the room at 4:56 a.m., after which David sat for over two hours before asking to go home [00:29:31][00:29:34].
Arrest and Trial
Four months after the murder, a grand jury indicted David Trronis, and he was arrested at his mother’s house [00:29:50]. Upon being informed he faced life imprisonment and that the evidence against him was overwhelming, he started acting erratically and attempted an insanity defense [00:29:55][00:29:59]. He spent five years in a maximum-security psychiatric unit before a judge ruled him competent to stand trial [00:30:03][00:30:06].
His trial began on October 12th and lasted six days [00:30:13]. David maintained a plea of not guilty, with his official defense claiming he was out walking the dogs while an unknown intruder broke in and murdered Shanti [00:30:17][00:30:20].
The prosecution countered that it was an intentional killing, highlighting the unlikelihood of a random stranger strangling someone, moving the body, taking nothing, and leaving no fingerprints or DNA [00:30:40][00:30:46]. They emphasized the severe beating Shanti endured, including injuries to both sides of her face, a fractured skull, swollen eye, and intense bruising and bleeding in her mouth [00:31:03]. The prosecution inferred that David intended to cause death and did so with premeditated design, asking for a conviction of first-degree murder [00:31:27][00:31:32].
The defense primarily sought to evoke empathy for David, portraying him as a stay-at-home husband reliant on Shanti’s income [00:31:41][00:31:44]. They argued that the case was based on circumstantial evidence and a “hunch” by Detective Sprag, who they claimed “prejudged” the case based on David’s “crocodile tears” and that the detectives “worked him over” for 16 hours [00:31:53][00:32:01][00:32:34].
Verdict and Sentencing
On October 18, 2023, the jury found David Trronis guilty of first-degree murder [00:33:09][00:33:16]. Shanti’s son, Jackson, delivered a heart-rending victim impact statement, expressing how much he missed his mother and the simple times they shared [00:33:27][00:33:37].
David Trronis declined to make a statement prior to sentencing [00:34:12][00:34:18]. The court adjudicated him guilty and sentenced him to life imprisonment [00:34:25][00:34:27]. He is currently housed at the Graceville Correctional Facility in Maximum Security [00:34:36].