Horrific Crime Unfolds Over Inherited Manhattan Apartment
A ghastly tale of murder stemming from greed unfolded in Manhattan when Nadia Vitels, a 52-year-old New York mother, was murdered after discovering two squatters occupying her inherited East 31st Street apartment. On March 14, her son found her body stuffed in a duffel bag under a pile of coats in the high-rise apartment she had just begun moving into. This shocking event took a darker turn as details emerged about the alleged perpetrators' lavish spending spree across state lines.
Squatter Couple's Cross-State Spending Spree
Nineteen-year-old Halley Tejada and eighteen-year-old Kensley Alston, the accused, reportedly embarked on a lavish shopping spree with Vitels' stolen credit cards following the murder. Reports suggest the duo fled New York in Vitels' Lexus SUV, heading towards Pennsylvania. Their expenditures included various luxuries such as clothing, food, AirPods, a PS5 gaming console, and even a diamond ring. Authorities captured the couple nine days after their escape, highlighting a spree that spanned several states.
An Encounter Turned Deadly
The events that led to the tragic outcome began when Vitels, recently returned from Spain, found Tejada and Alston in her apartment on March 10. The apartment had been unoccupied for three to four months following her mother's death. Vitels' confrontation with the squatters proved fatal. She demanded they leave, but the situation escalated quickly. Tejada allegedly threw Vitels to the ground, leading to injuries resulting in her death. The medical examiner's findings revealed she suffered blunt force injuries, multiple facial fractures, two broken ribs, and a brain injury, evidencing the brutality of the attack.
Apprehension and Legal Proceedings
The squatters' spree ended in Lower Paxton Township, Pennsylvania, when they crashed the stolen vehicle. Without insurance, the car was impounded, leading to their arrest after authorities linked the vehicle to the New York homicide. The duo faced charges including second-degree murder, burglary, criminal possession of stolen property, robbery, grand larceny, and concealment of a human corpse. Held without bail, the gravity of their alleged crimes began to dawn on the court and the public alike.
Victim Remembered Fondly Amid Tragic Loss
Nadia Vitels, remembered by her son as excited to start a new chapter in New York City, led a vibrant life filled with ambition. With roots in Moscow, her career spanned notable marketing positions, extending to Canon and Nokia roles, and she even managed tennis star Maria Sharapova's candy line. Her untimely death has left a void in the hearts of her loved ones, who mourn the loss of her vitality and spirit.
The aftermath of this heinous crime has left the community and Vitels' family seeking justice as the legal system navigates the complexities of this case. The alleged actions of Tejada and Alston not only robbed a family of their beloved but also shook the sense of safety within one's home, a tragic tale of what emerges when greed and homicide collide over inherited property.
