New Rochelle Woman Found Guilty of Torture-Murder in Landmark Trial
Westchester County District Attorney Susan Cacace announced that a New Rochelle woman who tortured and murdered her intimate partner, in addition to sexually abusing two prior intimate partners, was convicted of murder and numerous related felonies by a Westchester County jury on Friday.
The jury found Kenya Tilford, 43, guilty of Murder in the First Degree, a class A-I felony, under the torture-murder provision of that statute, Murder in the Second Degree, Strangulation in the First Degree and Concealment of a Human Corpse, in relation to the murder of 27-year-old Concetta Morton in 2023.
The jury also convicted Tilford of Intimidating a Victim or Witness in the Third Degree (2 counts), Assault in the Second Degree, Aggravated Sexual Abuse in the Third Degree (3 counts), Kidnapping in the First Degree, Strangulation in the Second Degree and Coercion in the First Degree, in relation to her conduct toward prior intimate partners and witnesses.
Prosecutors intend to seek the maximum possible sentence for the defendant, which is life in prison without the possibility of parole. Sentencing will take place on April 23 before Judge George Fufidio.
DA Cacace said: “The final months of Ms. Morton’s life were a nightmare most of us could not possibly envision. Over the course of months, the defendant worked methodically to lure Ms. Morton away from her family, knowing she had special needs, and began to exert control over every aspect of her life. The defendant then subjected Ms. Morton to prolonged bouts of torture before, ultimately, suffocating her to death and attempting to dispose of her corpse.
“Before these predations, the defendant had sexually abused two prior intimate partners. And after killing Ms. Morton, she threatened a witness connected to the case.
“Despite the circumstances of her death, Concetta Morton must be remembered by how she carried herself when she was alive, as a beacon of light and joy to all who knew her. Her memory will live on in her loving family, whose perseverance through these traumas helped achieve accountability today. We will continue to keep them in our thoughts and support them throughout the rest of this process.
“I would also like to thank the members of the jury for their service through this especially difficult trial. My office will be seeking the maximum possible sentence for the defendant.”
DA Cacace commends the dedicated investigatory work of the New Rochelle Police Department on this case.
The case is being prosecuted by Homicide Bureau Chief Lana Hochheiser and Sr. Assistant District Attorney Courtney Johnson.