Torture Killing In New Rochelle: 18-Count Indictment Handed Down

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — A New Rochelle woman who police say went to great lengths to conceal savage crimes has been charged with murder in an 18-count indictment.

Westchester County District Attorney Miriam Rocah announced today that a New Rochelle woman was indicted for murder and for inflicting torture upon 27-year-old Concetta Morton, an intimate partner, prior to her death.

"In a first for this Office, we are charging the defendant for not only murder, but also for allegedly acting in an especially cruel manner and inflicting torture upon Ms. Morton before her death," Rocah said. "We commend the New Rochelle police for their role in this exhaustive investigation. My Office will seek justice for all of the victims."

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Kenya Tilford, 41, was arraigned July 2 in Westchester County Court following an 18-count indictment by a Westchester County Grand Jury. She now faces charges, including murder in the first degree, murder in the second degree, strangulation in the first degree, concealment of a human corpse, tampering with physical evidence, two counts of intimidating a victim or a witness in the third degree, assault in the second degree, unlawful imprisonment in the first degree, three counts of aggravated sexual abuse in the third degree, kidnapping in the first degree, attempted assault in the second degree, strangulation in the second degree, and coercion in the first degree, all felonies. Tilford is also charged with assault in the third degree and menacing in the second degree.

Tilford remains remanded to Westchester County Jail and is scheduled to appear in court July 16.

She is accused of torturing her victim for three months and, ultimately causing her death by asphyxiation before concealing the victim’s body inside a storage bin at her Franklin Avenue apartment. During the time, Tilford was captured on surveillance video purchasing a hooded coverall, bleach, tarps, paper towels, rubber gloves, a chainsaw and the storage bin in which the victim’s body was found, according to police.

Tilford is also charged with intimidating one person, threatening another person with a knife, physically and sexually assaulting one intimate partner, and sexually assaulting and attempting to physically assault another intimate partner who she is also accused of intimidating.

The New Rochelle Police Department arrested Telford on Sept. 15, 2023, at an Elmsford hotel after Tarrytown police received a tip about the victim’s body. The Westchester County Medical Examiner and DA Criminal Investigators assigned to the High Technology Crimes Unit and the Violent Criminal Enterprise Unit, and Crime Analyst Alessia Vicari assisted with the investigation.