After over two days of deliberations, jurors found Kenya Tilford, the New Rochelle woman accused of torturing her girlfriend, Concetta Morton, for months, then killing her in 2023, guilty of every charge that she faced.
Tilford was also found guilty of sexually abusing two other people.
Tilford had no reaction as the verdict was read. However, family and friends of Morton immediately started to cry as they heard the word “guilty” said over and over again.
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Sentencing was scheduled for April 23. District Attorney officials said they will seek the maximum sentence of life in prison without parole.
Family members of the late Concetta Morton, like Joanne Dunn, said justice was served.
“Whatever she was looking for when she was looking for love, she found it. She found it in the arms of our Lord and savior,” Dunn said.
District Attorney Susan Cacace said the outcome was historic as it was the first time that the office has prosecuted a torture murder charge.
“The verdict was appropriate… [Tilford] is a torturer, she’s a serial offender,” Cacace said.
Defense attorney Anthony Mattesi said this was one of the hardest cases that he’s ever worked on.
“Everyone lost something. The best and only defense in this case was the medical examiner. They had two different medical examiners that autopsied the deceased. Neither one found any signs of asphyxia,” Mattesi said.
The district attorney’s office said they will seek the maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Mattesi said he will file a notice of appeal and put in a sentencing memorandum asking for a lesser sentence.