31st Tacoma Homicide of 2023: Ngaire Tusi
Ngaire Tusi had a group of friends her mother was uncertain about. There were troublemakers in that group. But when she found the time, while raising seven children, she’d hang out with them when she could. She was 31-years-old.
On November 18, 2023 a woman was kidnapped from the Chuck E. Cheese parking lot by the Tacoma Mall, taken to another location, and raped. A 22-year-old man had been identified as a suspect. He was one of the group of friends Ngaire hung around with. After a chase that led into Puyallup, police shot and killed the suspect.
Ngaire’s mother knew that people in her daughter’s circle of friends thought her daughter was a ‘snitch’ because she’d provided information about the 22-year-old accused rapist. She and Ngaire fought about her spending time with this group of people, but Ngaire was known for trying to see the best in people and doing the right thing.
The argument in the late evening hours of December 23, 2023 ended with Ngaire leaving in a car later tied to the uncle of the accused rapist. She was taken to Madrona Park, a secluded, dimly lit park in Tacoma’s West End. At 2:44am neighbors report hearing a gunshot. They did not bother calling the police because in that area of town hearing nearby gunshots is a nightly occurrence.
The next morning Ngaire’s body was found underneath a table in a covered picnic area in the park. She’d been beaten and shot in the head. She is Tacoma’s 31st Tacoma homicide of 2023.
The uncle of the accused rapist and another man were arrested weeks later and charged with Ngaire’s murder. Prosecutors believe the motive for the murder was her giving information to police about the accused rapist.
Seven children now grow up without a mother. Her close-knit family must find a way to live in a world without Ngaire Tusi in it.
No one can tell us more about Ngaire than her friends and family. Her family released a statement to a local television station. I’ve reproduced it below:
“Ngaire was loved, respected and well known in the community. Her murder was absolutely senseless and uncalled for. Our hearts are shattered and will never be mended the same. We are having difficulty accepting the truth and the fact that we will never see her precious face again and just to be in her lively presence will forever kill us internally. Our Dad is terminally ill with stage 4 stomach cancer and is taking the news extremely hard. Our Mom too is ill. We are forever broken. Our sister enjoyed making memories and vlogging those memories via photos and videos and she was known for it. The thought of her gone is very surreal. She was too trusting of others and saw the good in people & always overlooked peopleʻs hidden agendas - which we believe is what led to her demise. Ngaire was a loyal mother, daughter, sister and friend. She will be forever missed and forever mourned. Everyone loves and misses you dearly with all our heart, mind body and soul. Rest easy my dear sister, until we meet again at the gates of heaven. You didnʻt deserve this and justice will be served.”
The comment section is reserved for those of you who knew Ngaire and want to share any further thoughts or memories of Ngaire.
- Jack Cameron