Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Police ID suspect in death of manicurist run down by car

Ngoc Q. Nguyen

Ricardo Torres-Cortez / AP

Flowers and candles surround a photo of manicurist Ngoc Q. Nguyen, who was hit by a car and killed Saturday, Dec. 29, 2018, as she chased a client who took off without paying, according to Metro Police.

Updated Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019 | 2:29 p.m.

Krystal Whipple

Krystal Whipple

Metro Police today identified a woman they allege deliberately ran over and killed the owner of a nail salon as she drove off without paying for a manicure.

Police identified the suspect as Krystal Rose Whipple, 21.

“It is important that we get this suspect into custody as the victim’s family and this community deserve to have her answer for this horrible crime,” Lt. Ray Spencer said.

After getting a manicure Saturday afternoon at the salon at Flamingo Road and Decatur Boulevard, Whipple tried paying with a fraudulent credit card that failed to go through, Spencer said. That’s when Whipple said she was going to her car to get some cash, he said.

The salon owner, Ngoc Q. Nguyen, and her boyfriend realized Whipple was starting to drive away and ran to the parking lot, Spencer said.

Nguyen got in front of the car, but Whipple accelerated, dragging Nguyen under the vehicle for some 50 feet, police said. Nguyen, 51, died at University Medical Center.

The car, a rental that had been reported stolen, was found abandoned at a nearby apartment complex, Spencer said.

Nguyen left behind three daughters and two grandchildren, a family member said.

Whipple has a prior arrest record.

In early 2016, Whipple faced five felony counts on allegations of obtaining a credit or debit card without the owner’s consent, Las Vegas Justice Court records show. The Clark County District Attorney’s Office decided to not pursue the charges, records show.

Later that year, Whipple was charged with two counts of attempted possession of a stolen vehicle, to which she pleaded guilty, Clark County District Court records show. She was subsequently sentenced to a six-month suspended jail sentence and a year of probation.

A warrant for her arrest was issued in July 2017 after she failed to show up for a probation hearing, and she was arrested again in April 2018. On May 1, her probation was revoked and she was sentenced to four months in jail, court records show.

Anyone with information about the incident should contact Metro at 702-828-3521 or via email at [email protected]. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 702-385-5555 or online at crimestoppersofnv.com.