U.S. Marshals arrested two squatters in Pennsylvania for murdering NYC woman Nadia Vitels, who they found in a duffel bag.
U.S. Marshals captured 19-year-old Halley Tejada and 18-year-old Kensly Alston in York, Pennsylvania, after a manhunt following the discovery on March 14.
Nadia Vitels, 52, from Spain, came to the U.S. to ready her late mother’s vacant Kips Bay apartment for a friend. She found squatters Tejada and Alston inside. A confrontation led to Vitels’ fatal head injury.
Surveillance caught the suspects entering the building and fleeing in Vitels’ Lexus SUV after the murder. They crashed in Pennsylvania and reportedly used Vitels’ credit cards while on the run.
Tejada and Alston face stolen property charges in Pennsylvania and will be extradited to NYC for potential murder charges. Both have prior assault records.
Superintendent Jean Pompee welcomed the arrests, highlighting justice for Vitels’ family. The case raised security concerns among residents, questioning how the suspects accessed the keyed elevator and apartment.
Nadia Vitels’ tragic death shocked her family and community. At her funeral, her son reminisced about her recent joyful travels to Germany, Spain, and Miami.