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Detectives questioned man accused of killing wife on finances, interviews show

Couple married more than 1 year before wife was killed

A man who was charged with killing his wife in their Delaney Park home was questioned by police the night of the murder, about how they afforded their $600,000 home.

David Tronnes, 50, and Shanti Cooper-Tronnes, 39, had only been married just over a year in April when she was found beaten and strangled to death in their home on Copeland Drive.
            
David Tronnes wasn't arrested until August, however, he was questioned the night his wife was found dead, interrogation tapes obtained by News 6 show.

"Financially how are you guys doing? Was it her business that was keeping you afloat?" a detective with the Orlando Police Department asked Tronnes.

"I bought the house with cash that I had," Tronnes answered. "We don't have a note. I had a pretty successful long career and I did well in real estate as well, so I came down here with about $800,000 or $900,000."

Tronnes told police they had lived in the house even before they married. He said they bought the home in a trust but never got around to adding Shanti's name to it.

"So you started to put Shanti's name on the home at the end of last year, beginning of this year?  Was that process completed or no?" the detective asked.

"I don't think we filed it before," Tronnes said. "When we asked about it the first time when we did it they said, 'It's a good idea but you don't have to,'" he said.
            
Tronnes said he and his wife met online and five months later he moved to Florida.
They had only been married just over a year when she was killed. Tronnes told police there were times he would stay with his parents to avoid a fight with his wife.

"When you guys would argue, when you would go to your mom's it was just because she was busy all the time or what would the beef be?," the detective asked.

"Her work had a lot of stress involved," Tronnes said.

Tronnes entered a not guilty plea. His next court appearance is scheduled for January.


About the Author
Louis Bolden headshot

Emmy Award-winning reporter Louis Bolden joined the News 6 team in September of 2001 and hasn't gotten a moment's rest since. Louis has been a General Assignment Reporter for News 6 and Weekend Morning Anchor. He joined the Special Projects/Investigative Unit in 2014.

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