2 teens charged in death of New York City woman whose body was found in duffel bag

Two teenagers have been charged with murder in the killing of a woman whose body was found in a duffel bag in her New York City apartment, New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced.

Kensly Alston, 18, and Halley Tejada, 19, are accused of killing 52-year-old Nadia Vitels in her own apartment. They were arrested by U.S. Marshals in Pennsylvania, with authorities saying they were driving Vitels' car and using her credit cards to buy a Play Station, a diamond ring and other items.

“Kensly Alston and Halley Tejada allegedly murdered Nadia Vitels in her own apartment while she was moving in to start a new chapter of her life," Bragg said in a statement Thursday. "I send my deepest condolences to her friends and family as they continue to mourn her loss."

Tejada's attorney, Franklin Rothman, told USA TODAY on Friday that he met with his client and the teen's dad on Thursday, describing the father to be "a caring, nurturing guy."

“It's been maybe 24 hours and I have not had a chance to review nearly everything that I need to review but the allegations are horribly disturbing," Rothman said. "I don't know who's responsible for this. This woman was just brutally murdered, and I can't really comment in a meaningful way until I've had an opportunity to really review the evidence.”

Alston's attorney, Norman Williams, did not immediately responded to messages left by USA TODAY for comment on Friday.

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Teens left the scene in Nadia Vitels' vehicle, police say

Alston and Tejada were in Vitels' car when they crashed into another car on March 13 in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, about 170 miles west of Manhattan.

The teens were not detained at the time because the New York Police Department had not issued a warrant out for their arrest.

After conducting an investigation, U.S. Marshals discovered that the car involved in the crash belonged to Vitels, officials said. They tracked the teens down and arrested them on March 22.

New York DA releases timeline of events before and after Nadia Vitels' murder

In a news release, Bragg shared a detailed timeline of the events before and after Vitels' death:

• March 10: Around 10:33 a.m. Vitels is seen on security camera footage bringing items from her car to her new apartment. A few minutes later she drove off. At 1 p.m., Tejada and Alston are seen going into Vitels' apartment carrying a pink suitcase before briefly leaving the apartment twice that day.
• March 11: Around 5:30 p.m., Tejada took a trip to Target.
• March 12: At 11:30 a.m., Vitels returned to her apartment with her dog. Both teens were believed to still be inside of Vitels' home.
  • At 2:24 p.m., the teens left Vitels' apartment to purchase a vape at a smoke shop and a suitcase at Target. All of the purchases made that day were with Vitels' credit card. Shortly after, the duo is seen re-entering the building with a key.
  • Around 5:45 p.m., the teens left the building with the pink suitcase they arrived with, toilet paper and a Target bag. Both of them were wearing blue gloves. Taking Vitels' vehicle, the two made their way toward Pennsylvania, according to the prosuector.
• March 14: Vitels' family becomes concerned after messages they sent go unanswered. To check on Vitels, the family contacted the super and gained access to her apartment. Upon entering the unit the family members noticed that her dog was alone and there was a crack in the bedroom wall. In a closet by the front door under a pile of coats Vitels' body was found in a bag. She is believed to have been killed by blunt force trauma.
• March 22: The teens were apprehended by the United States Marshals in York, Pennsylvania. The duo had made several purchases using Vitels' credit card, the prosecutor said. The purchases include:
  • Apple Airpods
  • Clothes
  • Diamond Ring
  • Food
  • PlayStation 5

Teens charged with second-degree murder

Alston and Tejada are being charged with the following:

• Two counts, second-degree murder
• One count, first-degree burglary
• One count, first-degree robbery
• Six counts, fourth-degree possession of stolen property
• Seven counts, fourth-degree grand larceny
• Three counts, concealment of a corpse

Rothman, Tejada's attorney, said that his heart goes out to Vitels' family.

“What words can describe what he must be going through?” Rothman said. “I hope that her family somehow finds peace and again, nothing to do with my client, but that's all you can wish on anyone who had to endure this type of loss and this type of tragedy.”

Ahjané Forbes is a reporter on the National Trending Team at USA TODAY. Ahjané covers breaking news, car recalls, crime, health, lottery and public policy stories. Email her at aforbes@gannett.com. Follow her on Instagram, Threads and X @forbesfineest.

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.