Mercedes Vega pictured (inset) and in surveillance footage looking at her phone as she walks into apartment parking garage to meet friends at Dave & Busters (images via KTVK/KPHO)
The parents of 22-year-old Mercedes Vega, a club dancer from Tempe, Arizona, who was found dead in a burning car hours after she left her apartment to meet friends at Dave & Buster’s in April, are speaking out about the torture their daughter suffered in her last moments alive.
Tom Pillsbury and Erika Pillsbury sat down for a heart-wrenching interview with local Arizona station KTVK/KPHO and revealed surveillance video that showed Mercedes was looking at her phone — seemingly without a “care in the world” — as she entered her apartment parking garage on April 16 for a night out with friends.
After 1 a.m. on April 17, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office said at the time, authorities responded to a car fire on I-10 near Tonopah, put out the fire, and discovered Mercedes Vega dead in the back seat of the vehicle.
Now, more than six months later, the Pillsburys have revealed that autopsy results indicate Mercedes Vega “suffered and was tortured,” and died of smoke inhalation while being burned alive. Vega also had bleach in her throat, blunt force trauma to the head, a gunshot wound to the arm, the autopsy reportedly said.
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Most chilling of all, Vega’s parents said, whoever committed these heinous acts is still out there: No arrests have been made in connection with the murder.
“To do what you would do to someone, you really have no soul,” Tom Pillsbury told KTVK/KPHO.
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Tom and Erika Pillsbury speak on death of 22-year-old daughter Mercedes Vega (YouTube/KTVK/KPHO screengrab)
“It’s eating us alive,” Tom said about the fact there’s no suspect in custody and little information about the progress of the investigation.
Erika Pillsbury said the evidence is clear that her daughter, who was “dressed to go to Dave & Buster’s” and appeared to have no idea what was about to happen to her, was “tortured, ultimately.”
“I believe someone was forcing her or trying to force her to do something that she said no,” the devastated mother said. “I know she died fighting.”
Watch the interview below:
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