NY - Susan Trott slain in her luxury NYC apartment by throat-slit killer, Oct 2018 *Arrest*

[Niner]

Update!

Monday, March 4th:
*Trial continues (Day 14)-VERDICT REACHED! (Day 4) (@ 10am ET) - NY – Susan Trott (70) (October 17, 2018, found in her apt. on Oct. 21, 2018, New York City) – *Anya Johnston (24/now 29) was indicted (10/30/18), arrested & charged (10/31/18) & arraigned (11/2/18) with murder (intentional). Plead not guilty by reason of insanity. Held without bond.
Anya had a history of mental health problems & was institutionalized in 2014 & 2016 for erratic behavior. Johnston’s early years in a Russian orphanage, where she’d been adopted. Johnston is currently hospitalized at Mount Sinai St. Luke’s undergoing psychiatric evaluation.
Trial began on 1/22/24 with jury selection & ended on 1/25/24. Opening statements & trial began on 1/26/24 & ended on 3/4/24 with a verdict.
Judge Ruth Pickholz presiding. Assistant DA Hannah Yu & defense attorney Jeremy Schneider.
If the jury returns a “not responsible” verdict, Johnston would proceed to court hearings to assess her dangerousness & determine appropriate confinement to a NY forensic psychiatric center. Evaluations & court oversight would continue during treatment; such post-acquittal confinement can sometimes continue for decades.
Court info from 11/2/18 thru 10/13/23 & Jury Selection Days 1-4 (1/22-1/25/24) & Trial Day 1-11 (1/31-2/28/24) & Verdict Watch Day 1 (2/28/24) reference post #118 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...oat-slit-killer-oct-2018-arrest.395918/page-6
2/29/24 Thursday, Trial Day 12/Verdict Watch Day 2: Jury continues deliberations. Trial continues on Friday, 3/1/24.
3/1/24 Friday, Trial Day 13/Verdict Watch Day 3: Jury continues to deliberations. Trial continues on Monday, 3/4/24.
3/4/24 Monday, Trial Day 14/Verdict Watch Day 4: Jury continued deliberations. Verdict: Found guilty on 2nd degree murder charge. No sentencing date yet.
For more info see post #120 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...oat-slit-killer-oct-2018-arrest.395918/page-6

 

[Niner]

Found an article with her sentencing date!

Woman found guilty of fatally stabbing elderly neighbor

A woman has been convicted in the stabbing death of her 70-year-old neighbor on the Upper West Side.

abc7ny.com

Mar. 5, 2024
....
Johnston is expected to be sentenced on May 1.

 

[Niner]

Wednesday, May 1st:
*Sentencing Hearing (@ am ET) - NY – Susan Trott (70) (October 17, 2018, found in her apt. on Oct. 21, 2018, New York City) – *Anya Johnston (24/now 29) was indicted (10/30/18), arrested & charged (10/31/18) & arraigned (11/2/18) with murder (intentional). Plead not guilty by reason of insanity. Held without bond.
Anya had a history of mental health problems & was institutionalized in 2014 & 2016 for erratic behavior. Johnston’s early years in a Russian orphanage, where she’d been adopted. Johnston is currently hospitalized at Mount Sinai St. Luke’s undergoing psychiatric evaluation.
Trial began on 1/22/24 with jury selection & ended on 1/25/24. Opening statements & trial began on 1/26/24 & ended 3/4/24 with a GUILTY verdict of 2nd degree murder.
Judge Ruth Pickholz presiding. Assistant DA Hannah Yu & defense attorney Jeremy Schneider.
If the jury returns a “not responsible” verdict, Johnston would proceed to court hearings to assess her dangerousness & determine appropriate confinement to a NY forensic psychiatric center. Evaluations & court oversight would continue during treatment; such post-acquittal confinement can sometimes continue for decades.
If the jury convicts, Johnston would face a minimum sentence of 15 years to life in state prison.
Court info from 11/2/18 thru 10/13/23 & Jury Selection Days 1-4 (1/22-1/25/24) & Trial Day 1-11 (1/31-2/28/24) & Verdict Watch Day 1 (2/28/24) reference post #118 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...oat-slit-killer-oct-2018-arrest.395918/page-6
2/29/24 Thursday, Trial Day 12/Verdict Watch Day 2: Jury continues deliberations. Trial continues on Friday, 3/1/24.
3/1/24 Friday, Trial Day 13/Verdict Watch Day 3: Jury continues to deliberations. Trial continues on Monday, 3/4/24.
3/4/24 Monday, Trial Day 14/Verdict Watch Day 4: Jury continued deliberations. Verdict: Found guilty on 2nd degree murder charge. Sentencing hearing on 5/1/24.
For more info see post #120 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...oat-slit-killer-oct-2018-arrest.395918/page-6

 

[Niner]

well - not finding ANY articles on her sentencing hearing for yesterday...

Any locals or U.S.A. people following - find anything??

And the court site is no help - once sentenced - their case "disappears"...

 

[realanastasia]

Looks like the sentence was 20 years to life in NY State prison.

Murder fantasist gets up to life in prison for killing 70-year-old Upper West Side neighbor

A Manhattan woman who fantasized about murdering someone — and then killed her 70-year-old neighbor — in a 2018 bloodbath has been sentenced to 20 years to life in state prison, prosecutors announced Thursday. Anya Johnston, 29, was convicted in March of murder in the second degree in the Oct...

www.nbcnewyork.com

More details I might have missed seeing earlier: “On that October day, prosecutors say Johnston, who had mental health issues, ran some errands in the afternoon, including closing her bank account. Later that day, she returned home and went to Trott’s apartment, carrying a backpack that contained two knives and latex gloves, according to trial testimony. While inside, she took out one of the knives and stabbed Trott in her lower back. She also stabbed her in the neck, killing her. Johnston then went back to her apartment and hid her backpack in a nearby stairwell before leaving the building, prosecutors said.”

 

[realanastasia]

Another article from today: Anya Johnston Sentenced for Susan Trott’s Murder
“Prior to issuing her decision, the judge listened to a victim-impact statement from Eric Boscia, Trott’s longtime friend and business partner, which was read aloud by Assistant District Attorney Harrison Schweiloch.

“Sue was a born-and-raised New Yorker, and it showed through in everything she did,” Boscia wrote. “Underneath her tough exterior, Sue was probably the most generous person I knew. She would give you the shirt off her back and then go and buy you a new outfit to match. And she did even more for animals, especially dogs. She loved all animals. She wouldn’t even kill flies or spiders.”

I think the rather generic (IMO) pre-sentencing statement made by the killer probably didn’t help her earn the judge’s sympathy. It’s in the article linked in this post.

 

[Niner]

Thank you @realanastasia - just got a goog alert this morning for this case!

And we are finished with this case....