Editor’s note: Details of the story may be disturbing to some readers.
MOUNT OLIVET, Ky. ( FOX 56 ) — The woman at the center of the case that shook a small Kentucky community was arraigned on Monday.
On Monday, 32-year-old Torilena Fields was indicted by a grand jury. The document revealed the grim details of her mother’s death and the new charges filed against her.
RELATED | Double life of Kentucky woman accused of cooking mother’s body revealed According to the indictment, she reportedly shot her mother, Trudy Fields, in the head and proceeded to stab her multiple times between Oct. 8 and Oct. 9. The Commonwealth argued that Torilena was not acting under the influence of “extreme emotional disturbance for which there was a reasonable explanation or excuse.”
The arrest citation did note, however, that she was under the influence of drugs at the time.
FOX 56 spoke with the Fields’ family following the hearing, and through tears, they said that they’ve been speechless and shocked about the entire situation.
“You can imagine, it’s one thing to find out your family member’s been murdered, but I mean, it’s a whole other thing for the details and stuff; I mean, it’s literally unimaginable, unimaginable,” Olivia Brock, Torilena’s cousin, said. “All of us have been experiencing shock for the first time, I guess you could say. That’s a whole different – grief and shock are two different ballgames.”
RELATED | Kentucky woman arrested after dismembered body parts found ‘cooked’ inside oven Kentucky State Police (KSP) said troopers were dispatched around 12:26 p.m. on Wednesday to the 3500 block of Brierly Ridge Road after two men reported a gruesome scene. According to court records, the men were there to work on a building for the owner, Trudy, but no one came to the door when they knocked.
The men proceeded to walk around the property in search of the owner but instead stumbled upon a crime scene, per court documents.
“[He] stated that Torilena was casting spells on them and being confrontational,” the arrest citation detailed. “Trudy Fields and Torilena Fields were the only ones at the residence on October 8, 2024.”
LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS:
A witness allegedly told troopers that he had reason to believe the body was that of Trudy and that Torilena was the one responsible.
“You kind of hope it’s something that where she’s not in her right mind, something you want her to be out of her mind and to explain what caused this,” Olivia said.
State police described finding drag marks from the back door of the home to the yard where the dismembered body was discovered alongside a pile of hair, two mattresses, and a stick on the porch, all of which were bloodstained. The arms, legs, and head had reportedly been removed from the body, and the torso was severed. They also found that a mattress, folded in half, concealed multiple body parts and organs.
In the kitchen, investigators said they located a pot in the oven. The indictment revealed that troopers discovered a severed head, hands, feet, and forearm, all of which were charred, inside the pot.
“The pot was still warm to the touch,” the arrest citation detailed.
Read more of the latest Lexington & central Kentucky news Trudy was not Torilena’s only victim, per the indictment. A recently added charge states that she reportedly “intentionally tortured and killed” a dog in the same time frame.
The Commonwealth noted that how her mother’s corpse was treated “would outrage ordinary family sensibilities.”
Family members told FOX 56 that Torilena was involved in a motorcycle accident while she lived in California that potentially caused brain damage. She’s only been home in Robertson County for a few months.
“It was a surprise to all of us that she was back here and we think that Trudy was trying to help her with whatever she had going on mentally,” Olivia said.
Torilena is now charged with murder, abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, torture of a dog or cat, and obstructing governmental operations.
LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS:
Trudy’s siblings described her as a godly woman.
“Brought up respect, moral standards, do unto others as you would do unto them,” Diana Brock, Trudy’s sister told FOX 56.
The family said that they plan to keep attending Torilena’s court appearances, in hopes of finding answers.
“How do you say ‘I’m so sad and I want justice for my family member,'” Olivia said. “But I’m also sad because is my other family member not OK.”
Although she cannot understand what happened to her sister, Diana shared a heartfelt message for her niece.
“That’s what God says, you know, love, no matter what, unconditionally,” Diana said. “And you just support the family. And that’s what we’re trying to do.”
Torilena will appear in court for a preliminary hearing at 8:30 a.m. on Oct. 23. Her bond was set at $1,5000,000, and she is currently being held in isolation at the Bourbon County Detention Center.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News.
Local News
