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Extent of Farmington drug operation revealed during bail hearing

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Double-murder suspect Tim Verrill is led isurrounded by bailiffs and Sheriff's Deputies as he enters a Strafford County Superior Court hearing room on Wednesday. Inset, slain women Christine Sullivan and Jenna Pellegrini, and Dean Smoronk. (Rochester Voi

DOVER - Explosive revelations about the owner of a Farmington house where two women were slain last January overshadowed a bail hearing for the Dover man accused in their deaths Wednesday at Strafford County Superior Court.

Timothy Verrill, 35, of Dover, faces first degree murder charges in the Jan. 27 killing of Christine Sullivan, 48, who was the girlfriend of the home's owner, alleged drug trafficker Dean Smoronk; and Jenna Pellegrini, 32, of Barrington, whom Verrill believed to be an informant, according to testimony from State Police Detective Brian Strong last month.

But it was Strong's testimony on Wednesday during questioning from public defender Melissa Davis that for the first time revealed the extent of the alleged drug empire run by both Smoronk and Sullivan that allegedly included ties to drug cartels, gangs, motorcycle clubs and a host of dealers and users both here and in Florida.

Further, it was revealed under cross-examination by Davis that Sullivan was in the throes of seeking a split in her relationship with her longtime boyfriend, who was growing increasingly upset with Sullivan's behavior at his Farmington home, according to Strong.

State Police Det. Brian Strong looks down at evidence items before answering a question from Assistant Attorney General Jane Young on Wednesday as a court stenographer, right, takes testimony.

The hearing, which was a continuation of a bail hearing from last month, began with direct examination from Assistant Attorney General Jane Young. Under her questioning, Strong testified that police believe Smoronk returned home around 1:30 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 29 a.m., after being picked up at Logan International Airport by a friend.

Strong said the friend told police he noticed that Smoronk was emotional and talked about Verrill acting oddly of late.

When they arrived at Smoronk's 979 Meaderboro Road home in Farmington, Strong said Smoronk asked his friend to help him "clear the house" to make sure nobody was inside.

While inside they both noticed blood on the mattress in the main bedroom, Strong said, adding Smoronk then said he'd call 911 and the friend left.

Smoronk, however, didn't call police until around 3:30 a.m., about two hours after he had arrived. Strong testified that Smoronk told police he wanted to review video footage on his home surveillance system before calling police.

Police learned Verrill was there Thursday and Friday and began trying to locate him for questioning. They found his vehicle at his Dover home on Sunday and later learned that he was at his brother's house in Newton.

Jeff Verrill spoke to police and said they'd wait for them there, but Tim Verrill abruptly said he wanted to wait outside and then left in his girlfriend's car.

Later the car, which was registered in New Hampshire, was found with Massachusetts plates, Strong said. Inside they found eight ecstasy pills and a flannel shirt with green flecks, which he said was significant since the windows on Smoronk's garage were found to have been spray-painted with green paint.

A bailiff, Sheriff's deputy and defense attorney wait while the courtroom empties before escorting accused murderer Tim Verrill out during a recess on Wednesday.

Later on Sunday, Jan. 29, around 10 p.m., Verrill texted his mother in Dover, saying, "I don't know what I'm doing," Strong testified.

Strong also noted Verrill had traveled to the Plaistow Kohl's and purchased a jacket and shoes around 4 p.m. on Sunday.

In the next few days he went to see a priest at the behest of his brother and to Exeter Hospital because he said he thought he was going to hurt himself.

The hospital wouldn't hold him, however, saying he was coming off drugs and not a danger, Strong said.

Verrill then traveled to Lawrence, Mass., for treatment at a drug counseling facility on Feb. 5. He was arrested by Massachusetts Police as a fugitive from justice the next day.

When New Hampshire police took Verrill into custody they noted fresh abrasions on his right hand and got a body warrant, which Strong said means they can take pictures and swabs of DNA.

Strong had earlier testified that Verrill had told Exeter Hospital staff the scratchers were from a cat and his girlfriend and earlier had told acquaintances they were from a dog bite.

Strong testified that evidence in the state's case against Verrill comprises the blood-stained bed sheet with blood that is determined to likely be from Pelligrini, blood on the kitchen refrigerator found to be likely from Sullivan and a shovel on a three-season porch that also had blood on it, likely from Sullivan.

Verrill, who has been incarcerated at jails in Strafford, Merrimack and Carroll counties, reportedly told one inmate "I killed two girls in Farmington, but I'm not taking the blame. Smoronk is," Strong testified. Also he told the inmate the state doesn't have a case, that's why they push back the indictments, Strong added.

Young finished her portion by recounting how Tim Verrill was the last to see them alive, how after the murders he shows up at a friend's house, asks for some whiskey and pants and mutters he still has to "tie up some loose ends."

Later on Friday, Jan 27, Strong testified Verrill went to Lowe's and bought some driveway sealant and went to Walmart for some cleaning products.

Strong testified during the August bail hearing that Sullivan and Pellegrini's bodies were found outside under a tarp, and that Sullivan had a fractured skull and was stabbed in the neck and lungs, while Pellegrini had been stabbed in the neck, torso and back 43 times.
During cross-examination of Strong, Davis attempted to portray the house as a drug-infested den, with plenty of bad actors who could have killed the two women and that Smoronk's anger over Sullivan's behavior at his house was getting under his skin.

"He was upset with how she was treating his house, right?" she asked Strong.

"Yes," he answered.

"There were too many people there, right?"
"Yes."

She then recounted how Smoronk was abusive both physically and emotionally and that the two had often separated in the past, he returning to his home in Florida while she stayed in Farmington.

Strong testified that they both dealt drugs from their separate houses at some points, and that Smoronk normally got his drugs from Florida and California.

Davis also told the court how both of them had been arrested on drug and bomb-making charges in South Carolina and that Smoronk may have been leery that Sullivan would testify against him on those charges, which are still pending against Smoronk.

She then noted that many people were involved with Smoronk and Sullivan in the drug trade in New Hampshire, Florida and California.

"How'd he get most of his drugs," she asked Strong.

"Through the mail."
"Does he have associates in the cartel?"

'Yes."

"In gangs?

"Yes."

"Motorcycle club members?"

"Yes."

"Dealers?"

"Yes."

"Did some of them act as muscle or security?"

"Yes."

She then asked Strong if he'd heard of men patrolling 979 Meaderboro Road with machine guns, to which he replied unequivocally "No."

Strong then testified that the majority of the drug the two dealt in were meth, cocaine, steroids and pills and the majority of the drugs at the Farmington home were stored in the bedroom.

Under questioning from Davis, Strong also testified that some items had been taken from the home on Jan. 25, two days before the killings, including a scale, some pills, possibly some cocaine and possibly a hard drive.

"Did you hear of rumors about robbing the house prior to the deaths?" she asked Strong.

"Yes, rumors," he replied.

Strong also described the surveillance video system at 979 Meaderboro Road, which included seven cameras in all, five of those outside and two inside.

Strong testified that Smoronk could control it remotely, but he wasn't sure if Sullivan could.

When police arrived it was unplugged, he said.

Asked if Smoronk had deleted any of the surveillance video files, Strong said no, but he may have tampered with some, because some froze whenever investigators tried to open them.

Smoronk, who was arrested in June in Virginia on drug trafficking charges, had his second appeal for bond denied in July. He remains incarcerated on $10,000 bail at Pamunkey Regional Jail in Hanover, Va.

Strafford County Superior Court Judge Steven Houran is expected to decide on whether bail should be granted Verrill sometime next week.

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