by | Published
On November 15, 2023, a Bexar County jury found 57-year-old Vernon Dixon guilty of the murder of his stepson-in-law, 21-year-old Avante Boyce.
Dixon was sentenced to life in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Dixon faced three convictions: Murder (life sentence), Felon in Possession of Firearm (60 years), and Tampering with Evidence (60 years). The life sentence, being the longest, will be the controlling factor as the sentences run concurrently.
The jury considered Dixon's two prior convictions for Possession of Cocaine Under 28 grams and Felony Possession of a Controlled Substance, designating him as a habitual offender and increasing his range of punishment from 25 to 99 years or life imprisonment.
Dixon shot Avante Boyce twice while the victim was seated in a vehicle on March 31, 2022, in the presence of Boyce's girlfriend and child. The gunshots severed Boyce's iliac artery, leading to significant blood loss, and Boyce was pronounced dead at a local hospital soon after the shooting.
Following the guilty verdict, Dixon claimed incompetence, prompting a competency test and a separate hearing. However, Dixon was found to be competent, allowing for the imposition of punishment.
Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales remarked, "This was a senseless killing with no discernible motive. San Antonio and Bexar County are safer because Vernon Dixon, as a habitual offender, will likely spend the rest of his life in prison."
