A Kentucky woman has made national headlines after state police discovered the remains of her 68-year-old mother behind their small-town home, and the circumstances surrounding the alleged murder have added to its peculiarity.
Torilena Fields, 32, of Mount Olivet has been indicted in Robertson County, Ky., on charges of murder, abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, torture of a dog or cat and obstructing governmental operations.
On Oct. 9, around 12:30 p.m., Kentucky State Police (KSP) officers responded to a crime scene on Brierly Ridge Road after a contractor working on the property reported his discovery of a crime scene involving a partial female body and bloodied objects.
On the previous day when the contractors first visited the house, both the mother, Trudy Fields, and her daughter, Torilena Fields, were there. During their time on the property, the contractor claims that Torilena tried to “cast spells” on him and his coworker.
The contractors walked around the property to locate Trudy Fields after she did not answer the door on Oct. 9. This was when they discovered the crime scene and called the police.
Officers followed drag marks behind the residence and found Trudy Fields’ dismembered body; her arms, legs and head had been removed. They also found a blood-stained mattress folded over with several body parts concealed inside and other bloodied materials nearby.
A murder indictment filed Monday revealed that Trudy had been stabbed multiple times, shot in the head and dismembered.
Officers attempted to make contact with Torilena inside the residence but received no response, according to the police statement. They obtained a search warrant and a special response team was called in. Police said that they had to use tear gas and a robot to coax a blood-covered Torilena out of the house.
Upon entering the residence, KSP says troopers found charred body parts inside a pot that was in the kitchen’s oven and “still warm to the touch.”
Investigators also say Torilena intentionally tortured and killed a dog, but little information in relation to that charge is available.
Torilena Fields “intentionally treated the corpse of Trudy Fields in a way that would outrage ordinary family sensibilities…” according to the indictment.
Despite the shocking nature of the indictment, Torilena had previously been carving out a different path for herself, far from the dark events surrounding her mother’s death.
She relocated to California a few years ago to pursue a career in the entertainment industry under the stage name Naomi Navarre. She achieved some success on social media platforms and appeared in two films, working her lifelong passions for acting, modeling and singing.
Naomi Navarre’s Instagram profile presents a stark contrast to the mugshot. Adorned with a vibrant red wig, bold makeup looks, stylish clothing and bright blue contacts, she gives off a dramatic flair in her carefully posed photographs. The account has been inactive since September 2022, yet still has approximately 154,000 followers.
Members of the Fields family told the media that Torilena acquired a severe brain injury in a motorcycle accident a few months prior while in California. The injury resulted in memory loss, causing her to forget her name and whereabouts.
In August, Torilena returned to Robertson County, although many family members were unaware of her return. The family believed Trudy was helping her daughter cope with the ongoing effects of the recent accident.
While the family did not provide specific details, they confirmed that they had heard Torilena had an interest in either Satanism or witchcraft.
Following a grand jury’s decision on Monday, Torilena, who was originally charged with impeding governmental operations, tampering with evidence and abusing a corpse, now faces additional charges of murder and animal cruelty.
On Oct. 14, at the Robertson County Judicial Center, Torilena Fields faced arraignment before District Judge Charles Kuster Jr. Since district judges do not have the authority to accept guilty pleas for felonies, Kuster entered a not-guilty plea on her behalf and asked that she be assigned a public defender.
Her bond is currently set at $1.5 million and her next hearing is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. on Oct. 23.
Torilena continues to wait for her fate in custody at the Bourbon County Detention Center.
This article appears in Oct 16-29, 2024.