Dixon was convictedthree decades after her death. Clarence Dixon, 66, died by lethal injection at the state prison in Florence for his murder conviction in the killing of 21-year-old Arizona State University student Deana Bowdoin, making him the sixth person to be executed in the U.S. in 2022. David was born on May 9, 1983 in Mission Viejo California. 5, Beckam White, due to arrive any day; and two beloved nephews, Kenny and Garry Dixson, sons of deceased brother Ronald. Dixon gasped afterthe drugs were administered and then looked like he went to sleep, she said. Clarence attended Hattie A. Watts School (K-12) and Grambling State University. In 2019, he signed a bill into law limiting the circumstances under which the state could seek the death penalty. Attorneys for Dixon are pursuingseparate legal action to stop the execution, asking the federal courts to reviewan Arizona state courts determinationthat he is mentally competent to be executed. hisrequest wasultimately denied by the Arizona Supreme Court. Dixon, who was an ASU student at the time and lived across the street from Bowdoin, had been charged with raping Bowdoin, but the rape charge was later dropped on statute-of-limitation grounds. Clarence Dixon was executed shortly after 10 a.m. Wednesday at the state prison in Florence. If he doesn't make a choice, lethal injection will be the default method, according to the warrant. He is the son of Rev. Rod McLeod, secretary of Death Penalty Alternatives for Arizona, said the death penalty was just wrong. In 2001, a cold case detective checked the DNA profile against a national database. Dixon was sentenced to death in 2008 for the 1978 murder of Arizona State University student Deana Bowdoin, which occurred while civil commitment proceedings for his mental illness were pending. "I did see what appeared to be some cutting into the groin, they did have to wipe up a fair amount of blood," saidPaul Davenport, a media witness for the Associated Press. Two weeks after McPaul's letter, Brnovich asked to expedite the men's executions, but hisrequest wasultimately denied by the Arizona Supreme Court. The quality of the drugs wasimportant because they could lead to a prolonged or ineffective execution if they were contaminated or not sufficiently potent, Dixon's attorneys said. She heard Dixon gasp after drugs were administered and then appeared to go to sleep. Dixon, who was serving a life sentence for a 1986 sexual assault conviction, was found guilty of Bowdoin's murder and was formally sentenced to death on January 24, 2008. Dixon seemed defiant andproclaimed his innocence in a calm voice. Dixon was executed for the 1978 rape and murder of Arizona State University student Deana Bowdoin. IUP to play Mercyhurst for PSAC title at 3 p,m. Hes enclosed in a room completely blind and has no idea whats going on or whats happening and theyre going to execute him today.. Clarence Dixon's last meal consisted of Kentucky Fried Chicken, a half pint of strawberry ice cream and a bottle of water, according to the Arizona Department of Corrections. ET: This article has been updated to add more information. He was convicted in 2008 for the 1978 murder of Deana Bowdoin, a 21-year-old senior at Arizona State University,who was found dead inside her apartment with a belt around her neck. She said she feels justice has finally been served. Follow coverage from Republic reporters of the executionhere. Dixon is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, according to his attorney and McPaul's letter. Hes enclosed in a room completely blind and has no idea whats going on or whats happening and theyre going to execute him today. All Rights Reserved. As prison medical staff put an IV line in Dixon's thigh, he said: "This is really funnytrying to be as thorough as possible while you are trying to kill me.". Because the crimes Dixonwas convicted of occurred before 1992, he had the choice between death by lethal injection or the gas chamber. Clarence was born on February 6, 1939 in Worton, MD to the. Pentobarbital was used successfully by the federal government in a series of executions conducted in 2020. Bowdoin had been strangled to death with a belt and had also been stabbed multiple times. Hepleaded not guiltyat his arraignment hearing inJanuary2003, but he was ultimately convicted a few years later. It was his choice how to conduct his trial and not present any mitigation, Maricopa County prosecutor Vince Imbordino said. A psychiatrist who examined Dixon concluded that he was not competent to stand trial. PHOENIX The planned execution of an Arizona man remained on track Monday after two last-minute court efforts ended without decisions that would sidetrack the . Reach the reporter at jjenkins@arizonarepublic.com or at 812-243-5582. Bowdoin had been . For 25 years, Deana Bowdoin's killer was a mystery. That type of frustration I think is powerful to use to continue our work as advocates because Clarence is not the only one, unfortunately, he had to be the first, she continued. Hes not a danger to society, hes more of a danger to himself," Kat Jutras, state advocacy director of Death Penalty Alternatives for Arizona, said about 15 minutes before the execution was scheduled to begin. AP CNN Convicted Arizona murderer Clarence Dixon was executed by lethal injection Wednesday morning despite several. [4], Bowdoin's murder went unsolved for over twenty years and became a cold case. Dixon made several comments to the medical team, insulted them, told them "they worshipped death," mocked their Hippocratic oath,and addressed the woman he was convicted of killing,Deana Bowdoin, according to Hayden. Hayden said Dixon referenced Bowdoin directly a number of times, and said she knew he did not kill her. "Thirteen: The number of women that this inmate victimized. "Navajo culture and religion holds every life sacred and instructs against the taking of human life for punishment," McPaul said. ", Jennifer Moreno, Dixon's attorney, said Arizona has a "history of problematic executions. Most of the group of protesters appeared to either be a part of or working in coalition with Death Penalty Alternatives for Arizona, a grassroots organization that aims to raise awareness about issues with the death penalty and seeks to abolish it. On Monday, the state produced a new batch of the drugs and provided Dixon's team with testing results regarding its potency. Family and friends can send flowers and/or light a candle as a loving gesture for their loved one. Clarence "Dick" Dixson, 91, of Indiana, passed away peacefully Saturday, April 23, 2022, at Rose Haven Personal Care Home. The child's remains was discovered in the desert northwest of Tucson nearly seven months after her disappearance. Dixon's execution by lethal injection took place on May 11. Doug Ducey issued a statement following Dixons execution, calling it justice served. Clarence Wayne Dixon and an execution chamber at Florence state prison.Arizona Department of Corrections, AZ Central, Reuters, and The Guardian. Circuit Courtof Appeals, spoken against granting Dixon parole and written to Gov. During his trial for Bowdoin's murder, Dixon fired his court-appointed lawyers and represented himself. Visitation will be Saturday, January 21, 2023 from 9:00 A.M. until the commencement of the celebration at MK Dixon Funeral Home in Baldwin, La. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much Frank Strada (deputy director, Arizona Department of Corrections), Troy Hayden (media witness) and Leslie Bowdoin James (sister of Deana Bowdoin) speak after the execution of inmate Clarence Dixon on May 11, 2022, at the Arizona State Prison Complex in Florence. His attorneys asked for mercy, saying Dixon was blind, frail and in poor healthand didn't represent a danger to society or anyone in the prison system. Dixon hit the girl over the head with a metal pipe. His issues with drug addiction and alcoholism led to divorce in 1978, according to court records. [10] In 2021, the state also announced it had refurbished its gas chamber, allowing inmates the option of being executed by lethal gas. Jan Brewers leadership andpreceded Duceys election by four months. How Dixon was identified:For 25 years, Deana Bowdoin's killer was a mystery. It was way, way, way too long," she said. Troy Hayden, a media witness from Fox News, said the execution team had trouble getting IVs into Dixon, who grimaced and appeared to be in pain while this was happening. The crowd wasmostly quiet, talking with each otherwhile holding signs. [3], On January 6, 1978, 21-year-old Deana Lynne Bowdoin, an Arizona State University senior, met her parents for dinner and then went to meet a friend at a nearby bar. "The state has had nearly a year to demonstrate that it will not be carrying out executions with expired drugs but has failed to do so," Moreno said in a statement, according to AZCentral. He was convicted of murder in her killing. He deserved to have a life despite what he did in his past, and I think that were all here to offer our love to the victim and our condolences for what theyve experienced over this 44-year period of time.. Witnesses said Wood could be seen repeatedly gasping for air. appreciated. Outside, a group of protesters started slowly dispersing when police began to leave, though some stayed back for official word of the execution. Clarence passed away in 1956, at age 59. Discovery Company. Consider uploading your photo of Clarence Dixon so that your pictures are included in Clarence Dixon's genealogy, . Protesters gathered outside the state prison in Florence where Clarence Dixon is scheduled to be executed at 10 a.m. for the 1978 murder of Deana Bowdoin. Arizona hasn't carried out the death penalty since the botched 2014 execution of Joseph Wood, who was reportedly gasping and struggling to breathe for much of the two hours that it took to put him to death. As stateresumes death penalty, former executioner tells his story, 1 p.m.: Group aims to raise death penalty awareness, 12:30 p.m.: Ducey, Brnovich release statements on execution, 11:36 a.m.: 'Hes a member of the Navajo Nation and deserved to live', 11:36 a.m.: Deana Bowdoin's family reacts, 10:51 a.m.: Dixon executed by lethal injection, 9:45a.m.: Navajo Nation opposes death penalty, execution of tribal member, Brnovichannounced the state's intent to seek warrants of execution. Winds light and variable.. It took 25 minutes to put IVs in because execution team had trouble and ended up inserting an IV into an alternate location, Hayden said. More than 20 years passed before detectives suspected Dixon inBowdoin's murder. "Under these circumstances, the execution of Mr. Dixon a severely mentally ill, visually disabled, and physically frail member of the Navajo Nation is unconscionable., Jimmy Jenkins, Lacey Latch and Chelsea Curtis. A Warner Bros. Following the execution of Clarence Dixon? Frank Atwood,sentenced in Pima County in 1987 for the murder of an 8-year-old girl, Vicki Lynne Hoskinson, is scheduled to be executed June 8. It is unclear if he accepted her offer. To view the online obituary, sign the guest registry or send condolences, please visit www.robinsonlytleshoemaker.com. Its a bad policy, a bad law. He was married and startedclasses in 1976 but withdrewwithin a yeardue to mental illness. Dixon was killed by lethal injection Wednesday morning at the state prison in Florence for his murder conviction in the killing of 21-year-old Arizona State . Toma said the Department of Corrections also diagnosed Dixon as schizophrenic, in 1981, and found him to be "severely confused and disturbed." He loved music and sports lettering in. When Clarence Dick and Joanne retired, they enjoyed traveling. Dixon was born with inadequate oxygenation, which led to a congenital heart condition. It was learned that Dixon had lived across the street from Bowdoin at the time of her murder. Dixon's death was announced late Wednesday morning by Frank Strada, a deputy director with Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry. The pandemic also delayed executions in many states, though annual execution numbers have been generally decreasing since the early 2000s, according to an analysis from the Death Penalty Information Center. CLARENCE DIXON OBITUARY Clarence William Dixon Jr. 82 of Middletown, DE passed away peacefully on November 4, 2021 at home surrounded by his loving family. None of Bowdoin's family or friends knew of any connection between her and Dixon, however. Just over a dozen protesters gathered Wednesday morning at an intersection near Butte and Pinal Parkway avenues, liningthe state prisons barbed wire fence with anti-execution signage. Hayden appeared to be in pain while the team attempted to insert the IVs, Hayden said. Frank Strada (deputy director, Arizona Department of Corrections), Troy Hayden (media witness) and Leslie Bowdoin James (sister of Deana Bowdoin) speak after the execution of inmate Clarence Dixon on May 11, 2022, at the Arizona . Following thebotched execution of Joseph Wood in 2014, whichleft the double murderersnorting and gasping for nearly two hours, Arizona hadnot executed another inmate until Dixon. The first two inmates scheduled for execution were Dixon and fellow death row inmate Frank Jarvis Atwood. The two stayed at the bar until midnight and then Bowdoin told her friend she was going home. The state of Arizona performed an execution for the first time in nearly eight years. We are sad to announce that on September 2, 2021 we had to say goodbye to Clarence Dixon of Delair, New Jersey. His attorneys conceded he was lawfully arrested by Flagstaff police. Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. Flipboard. Norfolk Southern train derails in Springfield, Ohio, At least 12 dead after winter storm slams South, Midwest, Trump speaks at CPAC after winning straw poll, Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant to "take some time away" from the team after allegedly brandishing a gun in a club, Man charged for alleged involvement in 2 transformer explosions, Promising drug could provide alternative to statins, new study finds, 3 children killed, 2 others wounded at Texas home, Nikki Haley slams potential GOP contenders, and Trump and George W. Bush, NTSB to investigate in-flight turbulence that left 1 passenger dead. The tribe has long opposed the death penalty and executions of tribal members, stating that it was a violation of their cultural and religious teachings. List of people executed in the United States in 2022, "Arizona death-row prisoner won't be executed in gas chamber", "Death Row Diaries: DNA solves student murder 23 years after woman's death", "Fort Defiance native scheduled for May 11 execution", "Deana Bowdoin, ASU student murdered in 1978, still awaits justice", "Arizona inmate fails to opt for gas chamber execution, slated for lethal injection instead", "Information for Inmate 038977 Dixon Clarence, W", "Arizona Supreme Court urged to call off death row inmate's mental competency exam", "Arizona authorities ask to expedite 2 executions, citing shelf life of lethal injection drug", "Revealed: Republican-led states secretly spending huge sums on execution drugs", "Arizona 'refurbishes' its gas chamber to prepare for executions, documents reveal", "Arizona wants to speed up executions because its drugs are going out of date", "Attorney general's request to speed up executions denied as Arizona Supreme Court tosses schedule", "Arizona attorney general asks state Supreme Court to proceed with executions again", "Arizona Supreme Court issues execution warrant for death row prisoner Clarence Dixon", "Arizona Clemency Board denies death row prisoner Clarence Dixon's request for commutation, reprieve", "Arizona on track, for now, for 1st execution since 2014", "Arizona puts inmate Clarence Dixon to death in state's first execution in 8 years", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Clarence_Dixon&oldid=1133625708, People executed by Arizona by lethal injection, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 14 January 2023, at 19:12. "For these reasons, the Navajo Nation submits its strong opposition to the executionof a Navajo tribal member by the State.". He was killed by a lethal injection of pentobarbital. Dixon hasexhausted his appeals, but his attorneys in recent weeks have filed a series of legal challenges accusing the state of planning to use expired drugsforhis execution. According to the Arizona Attorney General's Office, there are more than 20 people on death row who have exhausted their appeals. Dixons attorneys saidtheir clientlived with untreated paranoid schizophrenia virtually all of his adult life. "Committinga crime not only disrupts the harmony between the victim/family and the perpetrator, but it also disrupts the harmony of the community. Bowdoins sister, Leslie James, was present for the execution. Colleen Clase, chief counsel for Arizona Voice For Crime Victims and Bowdoin James' lawyer, said the family continually sought justice for Deana. [1], Dixon was born on August 26, 1955, in Fort Defiance, Arizona. Clarence Dixon execution: His last words, and victim's sister and execution witness speak. She said it has been a large part of her life, but not all of her life, adding she has lost many family members. The group remained mostly quiet until about 10 a.m. when they gathered closer together and took turns speaking into a mic as Dixon was due to be executed. You have permission to edit this article. Clarence "Dee" Dixon, 86, passed away peacefully on Sunday, April 24th, 2022 at the Libby Care Center. Growing up in Phoenix, Bowdoin went to Squaw Peak Elementary and graduated with honors from Camelback High School. "They denied my appeals and petitions to change the outcome of this trial. Last year, the state prompted an an outcry after it emerged that it had secretly refurbished its gas chamber in 2020, and purchased materials to make hydrogen cyanide, a deadly gas used in Nazi concentration camps during the Holocaust. The state was then forced to overhaul its procedures and finda new approved drug cocktail. Brnovich announced that additional testing had been conducted on the lethal injection drugs, and they would have a beyond-use date of at least ninety days. They took about 25 minutes to do so, first trying Dixon's arms before eventually making an incision in his groin area. He was the first Native American the federal government executed in modern history. bought a solid brick of potassium cyanide in December 2020 for $1,530. US, Europe, Asia Pacific. Deana Lynne Bowdoin, 21, was a senior at Arizona State University when she waskilled inher apartment in the early morning hours ofJan. 7, 1978. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. My focus was on securing justice for Deana Bowdoin, her family, and our communities, and that has been achieved today.. On July 12, 2021, the Arizona Supreme Court denied the request to speed up the executions, and they were both halted. The state's lastgas chamber executionwasWalter LaGrand in 1999, documented by witnesses as lasting 18 minutes andcharacterized as agonizing. James has attended every proceeding in her sister's case up tothe 9th U.S. Kat Jutras of Death Penalty Alternatives for Arizona became emotional while protesting the execution of Clarence Dixon on May 11, 2022. Rock Hill, South Carolina - Clarence Dixon, Sr. age of 72, passed away on August 25, 2021 at MUSC Health Lancaster Medical Center. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. The process has been long and grueling for Bowdoin James, who told media her husband just died 12 days ago. A DEATH row inmate ranted about "worshipping death" and sent a final message to his victim in his final words before his execution. The murder of Bowdoin had occurred only two days after the verdict. Dixon was the first inmate to be executed in the state of Arizona since the botched execution of Joseph Wood in 2014, who was reportedly gasping and struggling to breathe for much of the two hours that it took to put him to death. Dixon was executed at 10:30 a.m., according to. "But I lookforward to resolution of Dixons criminal matter through the imposition of punishment. The same year, he was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon when he attacked a 15-year-old girl, whom Dixon would later claim reminded him of his ex-wife. In 1965, he was hired by the U.S. [14] On April 5, 2022, the Arizona Supreme Court issued an execution warrant for Dixon, scheduling him for execution on May 11, 2022. Her murder remained unsolved for more than 20 years. Dixon was convicted of sexual assault and murder for the 1978 death of Arizona State University student Deana Bowdoin. Clarence Dixon, 66, died by lethal injection at the state prison in Florence for his murder conviction in the killing of 21-year-old Arizona State University student Deana Bowdoin, making him the sixth person to be executed in the U.S. in 2022. "Forty-threeand 20: the number of hearings and the number of years I have attended since the indictment," she said. Dixon did appear to lose consciousness a few minutes after the injection, confirmed Troy Hayden, a media witness for Fox 10. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. He made choices, she said, and therefore Im not even going to waste any more breath or words on him.. Deana Bowdoingrew up in the Valley and graduatedwith honors from Camelback High School.