Shivangi Sinha
In April 2018, David Tronnes contacted police at his Orlando, Florida, home and reported that his wife, Shanti Cooper-Tronnes, had passed away. Her body was discovered in the bathtub, and initially, it appeared to be a tragic accident. However, as investigators delved deeper into the scene and the circumstances surrounding her death, suspicions began to arise. ABC’s ‘20/20’ episode titled ‘A Killer Renovation’ explores the case in detail, featuring the investigative timeline and interviews with those closely connected to the events.
Shanti Cooper-Tronnes’ Remains Were Found in the Bathtub of Her House
Shanti Mahtani was the beloved daughter of Kishian Mahtani and stepdaughter of Norman Dow. Born on January 22, 1979, she was known for her intelligence and deep empathy from an early age. She had a warm, welcoming smile and left a lasting impression on everyone she met. Shanti maintained a tight-knit group of friends to whom she was fiercely loyal and always supportive. When she fell in love with James “Jim” Cooper, her joy was evident to everyone around her. In 2010, the couple welcomed their son, Jackson Cooper and Shanti embraced motherhood wholeheartedly, dedicating herself to her son and cherishing every moment with him.
However, Shanti’s marriage to Jim eventually began to unravel. The couple frequently argued, and over time, they decided to part ways. Their divorce was far from smooth, as both fought for custody of their son. In 2013, the divorce was finalized, and they were granted joint custody. By that point, Shanti had launched a successful financial software business and was working from her home office in Orlando, Florida. Around this period, she connected with David Tronnes through an online dating platform. Although he lived in Minneapolis, Minnesota, they stayed in constant communication, texting throughout the day. They got very close as David was also going through a divorce from his ex-wife, Carole Tronnes.
David appeared to come from a financially stable background and showed great interest in Shanti. He decided to relocate to Orlando, Florida. The couple purchased a home in Delaney Park and moved in together by 2015. They began renovating the property and initially with small changes, but over time, the project grew so extensive that by 2018, the house had become uninhabitable. As a result, they moved into a small apartment space above the garage. Their home was even selected to appear on the reality TV show ‘Zombie House Flipping,’ and the renovations continued. Amidst all this, on April 24, 2018, David called 911 around 1 pm, reporting that he had found Shanti unresponsive in the bathtub. An autopsy later confirmed that she had died from blunt force trauma to the head and strangulation.
Shanti Cooper-Tronnes’ Relationship With Her Husband Raised Suspicion
Initially, David Tronnes told police that he had discovered Shanti Cooper-Tronnes’ body in the bathtub and claimed to have pulled her out. However, her injuries didn’t align with that explanation, and officers noticed her body was completely dry, which wouldn’t be the case if she had just been removed from water. During interrogation, David insisted he had seen Shanti around 7 am and again at 9 am, and claimed he found her after returning from a walk with his dog when he heard water running in the bathroom. Investigators also interviewed Shanti’s friends and family, who painted a troubling picture of the relationship. Many expressed strong distrust toward David, alleging that he had misled Shanti about his financial situation and that she was the one covering the renovation costs. Several also mentioned that Shanti had begun experiencing health issues after marrying him.
These findings raised several red flags for investigators, especially after they discovered Shanti’s personal journals, in which she wrote about feeling neglected and ignored by David. Despite the emotional insight these entries provided, there was no direct physical evidence linking him to her murder. Initially, David appeared cooperative with the investigation, but he later hired legal counsel and brought on a private investigator. As part of their inquiry, the police also interviewed his ex-wife, Carole Tronnes, who described her marriage to David as happy and said she couldn’t imagine him harming anyone. However, some of her friends alleged that she had also experienced unexplained health issues shortly after marrying him. This led investigators to suspect that David may have poisoned both women, but once again, there was no concrete evidence to support the theory.
The Police Believed the Killer Was Motivated by Financial Gains
As investigators worked to piece together a timeline of events, they focused on small but telling details from the night of the incident. For example, they noticed that only one of Shanti’s earrings was on her nightstand, while the other remained in her left ear. This was the same side where she had sustained a significant injury. They also discovered that the house had been placed in a trust under David Tronnes and his mother’s names, and although Shanti had been requesting the property be transferred to her, it had never happened. Police theorized that David may have attacked Shanti over financial disputes, possibly because she opposed the ongoing home renovations. They believed the assault occurred as she was preparing for bed and removing her jewelry. In August 2018, David was arrested and charged with first-degree murder.
In February 2019, David’s defense attorney turned over a set of bedsheets to the prosecutors, which were found to contain traces of both Shanti’s and David’s blood. He claimed that the two of them had gotten intimate while she was menstruating. Due to the time that had passed, the source of the blood stains could not be determined. The defense argued that the detectives had overlooked the sheets during the initial investigation of the crime scene. Despite this claim, prosecutors accused the defense of evidence tampering. David remained in custody throughout, and his trial finally began in October 2023. After a thorough examination of the case, he was found guilty of Shanti’s murder and was sentenced accordingly.
Read More: Jim and Jackson Cooper: Where is Shanti Cooper-Tronnes’ Ex-Husband and Son Now?
