Trial for historic torture killing begins in Westchester
Among other charges, Kenya Tilford is accused of torturing her intimate partner for months then killing her.
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The trial for a historic torture killing began at the Westchester County Courthouse in White Plains on Wednesday.
The courtroom was packed as the case against Kenya Tilford began. The New Rochelle woman is accused of torturing her intimate partner, Concetta Morton, for months, then killing her.
Prosecutor Lana Hochheiser described during her opening statement how the 27-year-old looked when she was found after her death in 2023.
"Ladies and gentlemen, Concetta was too badly decomposed that you couldn't even see her face. If you knew her, you couldn't even recognize her," Hochheiser said.
A medical examiner determined Morton's death was caused by asphyxiation.
Prosecutors accused Tilford of concealing Morton's body in a storage bin at her Franklin Avenue apartment.
They said Tilford was captured on video buying items, like bleach and gloves, to cover up the killing. They said police also found a chainsaw at her apartment during their investigation.
"In a box, but open, with a charging piece outside of the box," Hochheiser said.
Tilford is also charged with sexually abusing two other intimate partners.
While she pleaded not guilty to all of the charges that she's facing, defense attorney Rachel Filasto warned jurors that this trial may be challenging to listen to.
"You may be so overwhelmed that you are tempted make up your mind before you hear any evidence," Filasto said.
Despite this, Filasto asked jurors to set their emotions aside.
"You promised to decide this case on the evidence, and the evidence alone," Filasto said.
District Attorney Susan Cacace was listening in the courtroom, as well.
This is the first time that this district attorney's office is prosecuting a torture murder charge.
If convicted of first-degree murder, Tilford faces 20 years to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Tilford's case will be resumed on Friday.
