Woman sentenced to life in prison in historic torture murder case
This was the first time a torture murder case was prosecuted in Westchester
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A New Rochelle woman convicted of murdering her developmentally disabled girlfriend was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on Thursday for the top charge she faced.
The historic case took place at the Westchester County Courthouse in White Plains.
Last month, a jury found Kenya Tilford guilty of torturing 27-year-old Concetta Morton for months, killing her and then storing her body in her apartment in 2023.
Judge George Fufidio said the sentence fits the crime.
"The court feels that this sentence reflects the serious nature of Ms. Tilford's crimes and it is an appropriate sentence for the totality of the circumstances," Fufidio said.
Tilford was also convicted of abusing two other surviving victims.
It was another reason why Assistant Westchester County District Attorney Courtney Johnson said Tilford should never be released back into the community.
"She has demonstrated that she cannot and will not be rehabilitated or be a productive member of society," Johnson said.
Defense attorney Anthony Mattesi asked the court for a lesser sentence on the top charge because of Tilford's mental health and life history.
"If you look at her life, and what transpired, and specifically one unspeakable act, it is not a surprise that she found herself in a criminal court," Mattesi said.
Mattesi said they plan to appeal.
Joanne Dunn, Morton's sister, called for greater protections for people with disabilities.
"Because in Chetta's case, when we did initially call, we got hung up on. They kept saying she's 27," Dunn said.
This was the first time that a torture murder case has been prosecuted in Westchester County.
