New Rochelle woman charged with torture and murder of her friend

A New Rochelle woman faces rare torture and murder charges in connection with the death of her friend, authorities said.

Kenya Tilford, 29, is accused of torturing Concetta Morton, 28, for three months before killing her last September, according to Westchester County District Attorney Miriam E. Rocah. Tilford then allegedly dumped Morton’s body in a storage container behind her apartment.

Tilford faces 18 counts, including murder, concealing a human corpse and intimidation of a victim or witness, Rocah said.

According to Westchester County, this is the first time in history that someone has been charged with manslaughter by torture.

“For the first time in this office, we are charging the defendant not only with murder, but also with allegedly particularly cruel acts and torture of Ms. Morton prior to her death,” Rocah said in a statement.

Prosecutors allege Tilford tortured Morton for three months, eventually killing her by suffocation, before hiding her body in a storage container in her Franklin Avenue apartment. During that time, Tilford was caught on surveillance video purchasing a hooded jumpsuit, bleach, tarps, paper towels, rubber gloves, a chainsaw and the storage container where Morton’s body was found.

The defendant remains in custody at the Westchester County Jail and is scheduled to appear in court on July 16.