A man has been arrested for allegedly killing his own mother and then trying to blow up her Illinois home in an attempt to hide the evidence.
On December 27, police he discovered the body 72 years old Terrie “Tracy” Nguyen while doing a well-being check after other family members could not reach her for some time. O’Fallon Police Lieutenant Patrick Feldhake said the cause was still “undetermined” as of Wednesday, Dec. 31, but Tracy’s death was determined to be suspicious and violent.
his son, David Nguyen38, was quickly identified as a “person of interest” in the case, according to a news release issued by the O’Fallon Police Department.
“At approximately 4:30 p.m. that same day, the Missouri State Highway Patrol located David traveling westbound on Interstate 70 near Concordia, Missouri,” the news release said. “David attempted to flee from the troopers but was apprehended following a crash on I-70 at mile marker 51. David was transported to a local hospital for treatment, charged with felony hit and run and later released into the custody of the Lafayette County Sheriff’s Department.”
Prosecutors have since said Terrie, who went by the name Tracy, died after someone placed “plastic wrap over her nose and mouth,” according to reports from the Belleville News-Democrat.
Authorities further alleged that David, “knowing that Terrie Nguyen had died by homicidal means, concealed Terrie Nguyen’s death by activating unlit gas burners on a stove to fill the house with gas and left a lit candle inside the house with the intent to cause an explosion.”
Along with his previous charges, David was also charged on New Year’s Eve with one count of murder with intent to kill or injure and one count of concealing a murderous death, according to Law and crime.
He is currently behind bars at the Lafayette County Sheriff’s Department in Missouri and is expected to be transferred to a facility in St. Clair, Illinois in the near future.
Before her death, Tracy worked as a nail technician in Collinsville, Illinois. Town members and visitors to her nail salon offered their condolences, thoughts and prayers at a local Facebook group as they remembered her as happy, kind and kind-hearted.
“So heartbreaking! (Tracy) didn’t deserve this or the Nguyen family,” one Facebook user wrote. “(Tracy) was the sweetest person and treated everyone like family. She will be greatly missed.”
A second person wrote: “My heart is absolutely broken!!! Tracy was an angel and treated me like we were besties every time I was there!” and a third person commented: “I hope her family and friends are very mindful of how many people Tracy touched every day. Always a smile and a hello she was so cheerful.”
Another “heartbroken” former patron called Tracy “the sweetest lady” who “always had a smile for everyone.”
“I’ve been going there for 20 years and I can’t believe it,” the Facebook user added.
A memorial service for Tracy will be held at a later date.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.


