by The daughter of a woman who was burnt alive has spoken for the first time about her mother’s horrific death as she tries to find the killers 30 years later. Kelly Hill has revealed new details about the days before her mother Tracy Mertens, 30, from Rochdale, was abducted, doused in petrol, set on fire and left to die in a graveyard.
She suffered burns to 96 per cent of her body – and died in hospital on Christmas Eve, 12 hours later, reports CheshireLive. Amazingly, Tracy managed to tell the police about her ordeal in her final hours.
But despite extensive and exhaustive inquiries over the years, no one has ever been convicted in connection with her death. Kelly has made a brave decision to speak out to try and find justice and answers – and there’s always hope that someone will be caught in her lifetime.
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And she revealed some chilling advice her mother gave her the day before she died. The hairdressing student from Lancaster, Lancaster, said: “I can’t imagine how my mum would feel to be burned alive – I hope I see justice in my life.”
“Yes, she has a fine headstone on her grave – but in 30 years all we have to do is show an inactive investigation into her murder. It’s like she’s been forgotten.”
Tracy said Kelly and her older brother, Daniel, 41, were “colourful”. Kelly describes her mother as quiet – mostly keeping to herself, and she doesn’t remember her going out with friends.
“The night before she died, she said to me, ‘if anything ever happens to me, go to nana’s or aunt Sharon’s house’,” Kelly said. “I didn’t think about it at the time.”
“But as an adult, I don’t care if she knew something was going to happen to her.”
On the morning of December 21, 1994, Tracy left her home in Kirkholt, Rochdale to travel to Birmingham and collect her benefit books. Despite the family having moved out of their home weeks earlier, Tracy still had a key – and would regularly collect her mail from the old address.
Kelly remembers the last time she ever saw her mother – when she saw her from the driveway. She said: “In the morning she went – we were all asleep, and she went out about 8am. I remember hearing the door close – I ran to the window and looked out at her.”
“She saw me, she turned around, and waved. It was the last time I ever saw her.”
It is believed that she had intended to return the same day but instead stayed overnight at the home of her sister – Tina, who is now 56. She went to her old house the next day, December 23, and when she answered a knock on the door. there were two men in front of them who asked: “Where’s Joey?”
She was bundled up and bundled into a Ford Escort that was parked outside her old house and driven 60 miles. “She was taken to Congleton, and there were cans of petrol in the car,” said Kelly.
“They took her to a church – and at some point during the evening, they set her on fire.”
Despite a passerby spotting Tracy and calling an ambulance – she died at 4pm on Christmas Eve. Kelly remembers Joey telling her and Daniel that Tracy was injured in a car accident. She said: “Two days after mum left, we got a knock on the door. It was very late, about 10pm. My dad answered.”
“Daniel and I were in the front room, and my dad was taken into a police car. That’s where they told him. He came back into the room and said, ‘your mother’s been in a car accident’.”
Kelly and Daniel were then taken to Mary’s house and Joey visited Tracy in the hospital. After Tracy died, the two were sent back to their father – and Kelly says she had to “grow up instantly” – at the age of 11.
“We didn’t have any Christmas presents,” she said. “My childhood ended in that moment. I didn’t know what to do to fill the role of mother – when my father asked me to make him a brew, I put five sugars in.”
“I had to scrub mine and Daniel’s school uniform with a toothbrush, because we didn’t have a washing machine. I had no one to talk to about periods.”
After two years of living with Joey, Daniel and Kelly ran away to live with other relatives. She said: “I was moved from column to post because I couldn’t cope with the way we were being built, and at 15 I ended up pregnant.”
The 30-year police investigation – which includes a documentary, numerous appeals and a Crimewatch reconstruction – was last renewed in 2019. Joey died on June 6, 2020 – after doctors found a blood clot in his heart. Now, Kelly is just trying to get her life back together – as she fights for justice.
She said: “At 40, I thought I’d be able to handle things better. I’m doing OK for myself now – I’m married, and I’m studying to be a hairdresser.
“I’ve been in hospital eight or nine times in the past – because I just want to be with my mum. I’m still trying to bring these people to justice – we can only do that if we keep talking about it and keep her name alive.”
“If anyone has any information, can you please speak up and help bring mom to justice.”
