21-year-old son charged with first-degree murder of mother after hit-and-run spree
Gibson Nash, 21, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder after allegedly strangling and beating his mother, Margaret Dufour, in their Eagle Creek home and then fleeing in her car.
According to Polk County authorities, Gibson Nash, 21, strangled and beat his mother, Margaret Dufour, 56, to death in their Eagle Creek residence on July 21. After the homicide, Nash stole Dufour’s 2022 BMW and caused three hit-and-run crashes, ramming into multiple vehicles before colliding head-on with another car. First responders observed blood on his hands and shoes, prompting suspicion despite the accidents not causing injuries.
At the hospital, doctors found he had attempted a Tylenol overdose and was suffering liver failure. The investigation revealed Dufour had bailed Nash out of jail on July 14 and had recently relocated to provide him with improved mental-health services. Sheriff Grady Judd called the crime “one of the most personally violent murders we’ve seen in a very long time.” Nash remains hospitalized and will be transferred to the Polk County Jail after his condition stabilizes.
Why it matters
The case highlights the challenges of mental-health care and domestic violence within families.
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