Krystal Whipple Las Vegas Nevada woman sentenced 10-25 years after fatally running over Crystal Nails & Spa manager, Nhu Nguyen while seeking to run out on $35 manicure bill.
A Las Vegas woman who fatally ran over a nail salon manager after failing to pay a $35 manicure bill was sentenced to prison on Friday.
Krystal Whipple pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in December after admitting she killed Nhu Nguyen, 53, outside Crystal Nails and Spa in Las Vegas in December 2018.
A judge sentenced Whipple, 23, to 10 to 25 years in prison for the murder.
Her guilty plea allowed her to avoid trial for charges of felony murder, burglary, robbery and a stolen vehicle the Las Vegas Review Journal reported.
Investigators said the 23-year-old tried to pay her bill with a fake credit card. After having her nails done, Whipple told Nguyen she was just going to her car to get some cash.
Victim worked 12 to 14 hours a day, seven days a week
Instead, she hopped in her black Chevrolet Camaro and began driving away. Nguyen chased her, jumped in front of the car and Whipple accelerated, striking the beautician and running her over, dragging her some 50ft, the Las Vegas Sun reported at the time reported.
Cops later said the black Chevrolet Camaro was stolen from a rental company.
Whipple fled Nevada and was eventually arrested in Phoenix, Arizona in January 2019.
Relatives described the victim as working 12 to 14 hours a day, seven days a week as a manager of a Las Vegas nail salon.
In handing down Whipple’s sentence, District Judge Tierra Jones called Nguyen’s death ‘nothing short of a tragedy.’
‘This is just absolutely horrifying that someone lost their life just trying to work and provide services to someone,’ the judge said.
Whipple declined to offer a statement during Friday’s sentencing.
