‘She was one of a kind’: Sacramento friends mourn mom of 4 killed in parking lot
It was supposed to be a quick trip, a run to the supermarket on another busy day.
But the unimaginable happened Tuesday and now Linda Tracy is gone. Sacramento police investigators are still working to determine how the 36-year-old mother of four became fatally pinned between her sport utility vehicle and another car in a shopping center’s parking lot on Rush River Drive in Sacramento’s Pocket neighborhood Tuesday evening. Two of Tracy’s four children were inside the car, police said, but were unhurt.
Tracy’s many friends, meanwhile, could only ask why, and what they could do to help the family she left behind: Her husband, Larry; daughter Lyla, 7; sons Logan, 5, and Liam, 2. Just two months ago, her third son, Lonzo, entered the world.
A GoFundMe account established soon after Tracy’s sudden death provided an emphatic clue. More than $41,000 had been raised by noon Thursday — 82% of the drive’s $50,000 goal.
“She was so caring and generous, outgoing, and loved her family and her friends with her whole heart,” the fund’s organizer, family friend Tosha Nichols, wrote on the account. “If you have ever met Linda, you know she was one of the most beautiful people you have ever met with a heart of gold and a beautiful soul. She lost her life at such a young age and leaves behind a family just as beautiful as her.”
The photo on the account’s page showed proud father Larry Tracy and children surrounding her in her hospital’s maternity room as she held her newborn child.
Of husband, Larry, “He has a long road ahead of him,” Nichols wrote.
Facebook photos told of happier times: wedding photos, then baby photos; beach vacations, and game-day road trips, Tracy dressed in Los Angeles Rams’ blue and gold.
One of the couple’s photos carried a simple caption: “I love us.”
Tracy went to C.K. McClatchy High School, her social media profile read; studied communication studies at Sacramento State and graphic communication at Sacramento City College. She had worked at the Franchise Tax Board as an IT specialist, according to state worker payroll data.
Friends quickly took to social media to express their sorrow. One, Ally Exis, called Tracy “one of a kind.” Exis wrote that she and Tracy, were both expectant mothers, sharing stories, support and a fast friendship now cut short.
“There are no words to describe the heartbreak,” Exis wrote. “She was truly one of a kind — loving, joyful, and full of warmth. Upon meeting we became fast friends and swamped mommy advice and later pregnancy info since we were pregnant at the same time. Her kindness touched everyone she met, and her absence leaves a void that can never be filled.”
This story was originally published June 5, 2025 at 1:09 PM.
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