Kensley Alston, 20, was sentenced Friday to 20 years-to-life in prison for bludgeoning Natalie Vitels to death with a metal frying pan inside her Manhattan apartment — and at the sentencing revealed she struck the doomed woman five times during the attack.
Background
Alston and her boyfriend, Halley Tejada, had been squatting for days inside Vitels' vacant Kips Bay apartment before the 52-year-old homeowner returned home in 2024 and found them there, Manhattan prosecutors have said. When Vitels demanded they leave, authorities allege the duo went "off the rails" and threatened to kill her.
The attackers then chased Vitels to a bedroom where they beat her to death. At one point during the attack, Alston allegedly told Tejada to put shoes on while kicking his victim so he wouldn't hurt his feet, prosecutors have said.
They eventually stuffed Vitels' body inside a duffle bag and placed it in a closet — while she was still breathing, according to officials. The victim was found two days later.
The Charges
Alston appeared Friday in Manhattan Supreme Court before Judge Rachel Pauley wearing a pink polo shirt and jeans. She offered a soft-spoken "I'm sorry" when given the opportunity to address the court before receiving her sentence of 20 years-to-life for second-degree murder.
Tejada, who had previously pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, was sentenced in April to 20 years in prison. Both defendants attempted to make their getaway by stealing Vitels' Lexus SUV and were arrested nine days later by federal authorities in Pennsylvania, prosecutors said.
During the time they spent in the apartment after the killing, the pair used Vitels' cash and credit cards to purchase a PS5 gaming system, AirPods, clothes, food, and even a diamond engagement ring, according to Manhattan prosecutors. Alston was 18 years old at the time of the crime.
Vitels suffered skull fractures and broken ribs — injuries prosecutors described as consistent with being "struck by a train" or falling from great heights. Her heartbroken son, Misha Vitels, 23, said in a victim impact statement that even he didn't know the gruesome detail about the frying pan until Friday's sentencing.
Key Takeaways
- Kensley Alston sentenced to 20 years-to-life for second-degree murder of Natalie Vitels in her Kips Bay apartment
- Victim was beaten with metal frying pan; Alston admitted to striking her five times during attack
- Co-defendant Halley Tejada previously pleaded guilty and received 20-year sentence
- Killers used victim's credit cards to purchase PS5, AirPods, clothes, food, and diamond engagement ring
- Body stuffed in duffle bag while victim was still breathing, according to prosecutors
What's Next
Vitels' family is continuing a civil lawsuit against the building where she lived, alleging that lax security and a faulty front door allowed her killers entry. The litigation remains ongoing.
"While I hope today's sentencing can provide some closure, it will not bring Ms. Vitels back," Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement. "My heart is with her loved ones who continue to feel her loss every day."
Misha Vitels, who delivered victim impact statements at both sentencings, described the lasting trauma he carries. "I replay what happened in that apartment in my head constantly," he said. "I can't feel secure anywhere."
He recalled that his mother spent three years before her death caring for sick relatives and was preparing to move into the city to build a life of her own when she was killed.
"In an instant, all of it was ripped away," Misha said.