No arrests in 10-year-old murder of Chinese language teacher
AUSTIN, Texas - A man is fighting for justice after his mother was killed 10 years ago. The killer hasn’t been arrested yet.
"I will never have the chance to share my life with her," said Yuchong "Jacky" Chen, Grace Chen’s son.
Jacky Chen’s mother, Xiaojia Chen, also known as Grace, was killed 10 years ago. It was February 2014 and Jacky had just spent a week with his mother in San Francisco.
"I just couldn't believe that just two days after the last time I saw her in the airport that I wouldn't be able to see her again," Chen said.
On Feb. 19, 2014, Chen received a phone call from his friend that his mother wasn’t okay. Grace Chen was found dead in the middle of the day on the second floor of a shopping complex.
She was found in a private bathroom, accessible only to people who had a key, and the door was locked at the time. She was near the Chinese language school she had opened in Northwest Austin.
MORE CRIMEWATCH
- Homeless man who terrorized south Austin neighborhood for months gets help
- 13-year-old arrested for murder of man in North Austin: APD
- Teen recovering after being shot in triple shooting in southeast Austin
"She's really passionate about sharing what she knows about the Chinese arts and language and the culture with people who are not from the Chinese community," Asian American Cultural Center-Austin founder Amy Wong Mok said.
Grace Chen was prominent in Austin’s Asian American community and was adored by her students.
"People remember her generosity," Mok said.
Community members wondered how this could happen to her.
"It was such a shock to everybody," Mok said.
"There's no way for us to bring her back right. The only thing we can do is find out what happened," Chen said.
MORE CRIME COVERAGE
- Missing Kay-Alana Turner: Possible remains found by Texas EquuSearch
- Man crashes 18-wheeler into empty vehicles, charged with DWI: APD
- 75 theft/shoplifting cases reported in March in Kyle
They want to know who did it. "It's still a mystery to us," Mok said.
"It's such a burden for this person to carry for 10 years. Maybe it's time to just come forward," Mok said.
They want closure and justice.
"Hopefully, that will ease the pain for me and everyone who cares about her," Chen said.
"She's not forgotten, no way," Mok said.
The Austin Police Department said they don’t have an update on the case at this time. If you have information that can help, call Austin police.