Tracy Mertens was burned alive 30 years ago after she was abducted, doused in petrol and set alight. The mum was left to die in a churchyard after suffering burns on 96 per cent of her body.
29.06.2024 - 22:37 / manchestereveningnews.co.uk
The daughter of a woman who was burnt alive has spoken for the first time about her mum's horrific death in a bid to find the murderers 30 years on. Kelly Hill revealed new details about the days before her mum Tracy Mertens, 30, from Rochdale, was abducted, doused in petrol, set on fire and left to die in a churchyard.
She suffered burns on 96 per cent of her body - and died in hospital on Christmas Eve, 12 hours later, CheshireLive reports. Remarkably dinnerlady Tracy managed to tell police about her ordeal in her final hours.
But despite extensive and exhaustive enquiries over the years, nobody has ever been convicted in connection with her death. Kelly has bravely decided to speak out in a bid to find justice and answers - and remains hopeful someone will be caught in her lifetime.
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And she revealed a chilling bit of advice her mum gave her the day before she died. The hairdressing student from Lancaster, Lancs, said: "I can't imagine what my mum would've felt when she was burning alive - I hope I get to see justice in my lifetime."
"Yes, she's got a pretty headstone on her grave - but in 30 years all we've got to show for her murder is an inactive investigation. It's like she's been forgotten about."
Tracy "doted" on Kelly and her older brother, Daniel, 41. Kelly describes her mum as quiet - mostly keeping herself to herself, and doesn't remember her ever going out with friends.
"The night before she died, she said to me, 'if something ever happens to me, go to nana's or aunty Sharon's'," Kelly said. "I didn't think anything of it at the time."
"But as an adult, I do wonder whether she knew something was going to happen to her."
On the morning of
Tracy Mertens was burned alive 30 years ago after she was abducted, doused in petrol and set alight. The mum was left to die in a churchyard after suffering burns on 96 per cent of her body.
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