MYSTERY ensued when a local pathologist’s home became the center of a crime scene investigation.
Ultimately, police discovered the culprit behind Dr. Joseph Sonnier’s murder had a previous romance with his then-girlfriend Richelle Shetina.
What happened to Dr. Joseph Sonnier?
On July 10, 2012, Dr. Joseph Sonnier was found dead at his home in Lubbock, Texas.
He was stabbed and shot to death and found by his landscapers the next day.
Just days later, a man named Paul Reynolds contacted the police and said that David Shepard, who was staying with him at the time, mentioned that he killed someone in the same area.
The man later confessed to the crime and alleged that Dr. Thomas Michael Dixon paid him three silver bars and a box of expensive Cuban cigars in return for the killing.
As a result, Shepard pled no contest to the charge of capital murder and testified against Dixon to avoid the death penalty.
In 2014, Dixon was tried for Sonnier’s murder, but Shepard changed his story on the stand, claiming Dixon had nothing to do with the murder and he acted alone.
As a result, the trial ended in a hung jury, and the judge declared a mistrial, but he was then tried again the following year with Reynolds on the stand instead of Shepard.
He was then convicted on two counts of capital murder in November 2015 and sentenced to life in prison without parole, ABC News notes.
However, in a shocking turn of events, the 7th District Court of Appeals in Amarillo, Texas, reversed the decision and granted him a new trial after reviewing his appeal in December 2018.
Where is Dr. Thomas Michael Dixon now?
After Dixon’s conviction was reversed, a judge set his bail at $2million, which he quickly paid.
On January 28, 2019, he was then released from prison but in April 2020, Justices of the Seventh Court of Appeals revoked his bail, sending him back behind bars.
On January 14, 2022, the court released an opinion that will now keep him in prison for life.
He was acquitted of the second count of capital murder, but the first count was affirmed, meaning he will continue to serve his sentence of life without parole for the murder of Sonnier.
Over the years, it has been reported that the murder occurred because Dixon was jealous of Sonnier’s girlfriend, Richelle Shetina, whom he had an affair with back in 2010.
How can I watch ABC 20/20?
Joseph Sonnier’s demise at the hands of Thomas Dixon is retold in an episode of ABC’s 20/20 titled This is Revenge.
On May 11, 2023, This is Revenge was broadcasted via the above-mentioned network at 9pm EST.
Show anchor Ryan Smith collected first-hand testimonies from those who were involved with the case, including an exclusive interview with Richelle.
The case was also featured in a previous episode titled Deadly Dance in Texas, which aired on March 8, 2019.
For those that miss Thursday’s broadcast, there are streaming options available.
When the episode’s cable premiere concludes, audiences can head on over to watch the special by streaming it on Hulu.
Previously, Dateline NBC covered the investigation on August 13, 2022, in an episode titled Obsession in the Lone Star State.