Neighbor found guilty in ‘gruesome’ 2018 stabbing of UWS woman: DA

MANHATTAN, N.Y. (PIX11) – A woman on Monday was found guilty in the “gruesome” fatal stabbing of her Upper West Side neighbor, more than five years after the grisly crime, according to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.

Anya Johnston, 24 at the time of the murder, is expected back in court for sentencing on May 1, court records show.

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Johnston had previously pleaded not guilty to the murder charge related to the 2018 stabbing of Susan Trott, a 70-year-old woman who was found with her throat slashed in her Upper West Side apartment, according to officials.

“Ms. Johnston’s heinous and calculated actions reflected a blatant disregard for Ms. Trott’s life, as she left her body to decompose for nearly four days after the stabbing,” Bragg said.

Trott – a “vibrant and talented woman” – was found in the early hours of October 22, 2018 as police conducted a wellness check, according to police and Bragg.

Johnston had left Trott’s body to “decompose” for nearly four days after the slaying, Bragg said Monday. She was arrested just over a week after the killing, court records show.

Emily Rahhal is a digital reporter from Los Angeles who has covered local news for years. She has been with PIX11 since 2024. See more of her work here and follow her on Twitter.

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