‘Animal’ Squatter Kills NYC Woman, Uses Her Car in Spending Spree — Son Speaks Out as He’s Sentenced

A New York court on April 14 sentenced a man to 20 years in prison for the brutal killing of a 52-year-old woman in her Manhattan apartment, closing a case that shocked the city and devastated her only son.

Halley Tejada, 21, received the sentence in Manhattan Supreme Court for the March 2024 murder of Nadia Vitel. Prosecutors said he stomped her to death inside her own apartment, then hid her body in a duffel bag in a closet.

During the hearing, Vitel’s son, Michael Medvedev, delivered an emotional statement. He repeatedly called Tejada an “animal” and said his mother’s life was stolen right when she was preparing a fresh start.

“My mom and I were a family of two; it was just us against the world,” he said in a heartbreaking statement, describing that his mom was an entrepreneur with “an infectious laugh.” “She sacrificed everything so I could have stability. She was supposed to be here forever.”

Authorities said Vitel had gone to her 19th-floor apartment on East 31st Street on March 12, 2024. She planned to prepare the space for a friend’s visit. Instead, she found Tajeda and his girlfriend, Kensley Alston, living there as squatters.

When Vitel ordered them to leave her apartment, Tejeda threatened to kill her. Prosecutors said he chased her as she tried to escape, knocked her down and stomped on her with extreme force.

Her injuries were severe, and prosecutors said her skull fractures were similar to those seen in major accidents, such as being hit by a train. Moreover, she suffered broken ribs.

Medvedev said he still thinks about his mother’s final moments, “In an instant, all of it was ripped away."

"He didn’t just take her life. He stole the years she had left," Medvedev added.

Vitel had spent the previous three years caring for her sick parents. Her son said she was excited to finally build a life for herself.

After the killing, Tajeda and Alston fled to Pennsylvania in Vitel’s car. Prosecutors said they used her credit cards during a nine-day spree, buying electronics, clothes, and even a diamond ring.

“She celebrated while her body was hidden,” a prosecutor said. The pair was caught and arrested after they crashed Vitel’s SUV. Alston’s case is still pending, with her next court date set for May 1.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg called the crime "abhorrent" and said the sentence offers some measures of justice, though it cannot undo the loss.