Archie Dixon was sentenced to death by the State of Ohio for the murder of his roommate. According to court documents Archie Dixon and Timothy Hoffner would kidnap their roommate Christopher Hammer who was brought to a forested area and buried alive. Archie Dixon and Timothy Hoffner would take money from the victims bank account along with his personal identification. Archie Dixon and Timothy Hoffner would be arrested, convicted and sentenced to death.
Archie Dixon 2021 Information
Number A325702
DOB 05/30/1973
Gender Male Race White
Admission Date 01/11/1996
Institution Chillicothe Correctional Institution
Status INCARCERATED
Timothy Hoffner 2021 Information
Number A315988
DOB 06/06/1972
Gender Male Race White
Admission Date 07/06/1995
Institution Chillicothe Correctional Institution
StatusINCARCERATED
Archie Dixon More News
Archie J. Dixon, defendant-appellant, and Christopher Hammer were friends and former housemates. On September 22, 1993, Dixon and a co-defendant, Timothy Hoffner, beat Hammer, tied him to a bed, and stole the contents of his wallet and his automobile. Dixon and Hoffner then drove Hammer to a remote area, buried him alive in a shallow grave, and left him to die. Dixon was convicted of the aggravated murder, aggravated robbery, and kidnapping of Hammer, and was sentenced to death.
{¶ 2} Hammer began his friendship with Dixon and Hoffner in the summer of 1993. For a short period of time in mid-August 1993, Dixon, Hoffner, and Hammer stayed at the Toledo home of Kirsten Wilkerson, Dixon’s girlfriend.
{¶ 3} In early September 1993, Dixon, Hoffner, and Michael Elting borrowed Hammer’s car, a 1987 Dodge Daytona, to go to the movies. According to Elting, Dixon and Hoffner discussed what they could do with Hammer’s car and where they could store it.
{¶ 4} On the afternoon of September 21, 1993, Dixon told Wilkerson that he and Hoffner were going to “get Chris tonight.” Wilkerson understood this to mean that Dixon and Hoffner were going to kill Hammer. Later that evening, Dixon, Hoffner, and Hammer met at a Toledo pool hall.
{¶ 5} In the early morning of September 22, Dixon, Hoffner, and Hammer arrived at Wilkerson’s house. Once there, Dixon and Hoffner attacked Hammer and severely beat him. Hoffner tried to break Hammer’s neck, and Dixon struck Hammer in the head with a wine bottle. Hammer, in substantial pain and bleeding, begged his attackers to stop. Dixon and Hoffner then tied Hammer to a bunk bed ladder, and Dixon went through Hammer’s wallet, taking $11 in cash, Hammer’s birth certificate, and his Social Security card. At one point, Dixon and Hoffner discussed how they could dispose of Hammer’s body.
{¶ 6} Dixon and Hoffner left Wilkerson’s house to dig a grave, while Hammer remained tied to the ladder. After Dixon and Hoffner returned, they, along with Wilkerson, drove Hammer to the grave site in Hammer’s car. Wilkerson stayed at the car while Dixon and Hoffner walked Hammer into the woods, where they smoked a cigarette and said a prayer. Then they gagged and blindfolded Hammer, tied his hands and feet behind his back, and pushed him into the grave, still alive. Dixon and Hoffner held Hammer down while they covered him with dirt. After Hammer was completely buried, Dixon and Hoffner walked back and forth across the grave, packing down the dirt.
{¶ 7} On September 25, 1993, as part of a plan to sell Hammer’s car, Dixon obtained a state of Ohio identification (“ID”) card with his photograph but in Hammer’s name. On September 30, Dixon obtained a duplicate certificate of title for Hammer’s Dodge Daytona. Dixon then sold Hammer’s car to a Toledo car dealer for $2,800.
{¶ 8} On November 1, 1993, an Ottawa Hills police officer stopped Dixon for vehicle equipment violations while he was driving Hoffner’s Chrysler Cordoba. When the officer discovered that Dixon did not have driving privileges, the officer impounded the car. During an inventory of the car, police found the ID card with Dixon’s picture but Hammer’s name, address, birth date, and Social Security number.
{¶ 9} By November 8, 1993, police officers investigating Hammer’s disappearance had located his Dodge Daytona at a used car lot in Toledo, had confirmed its unauthorized sale on September 30, and had identified Dixon as the prime suspect in the vehicle transaction. On November 9, Dixon was arrested and charged with forgery. Police, who did not advise Dixon of his Miranda rights, questioned him regarding the sale of Hammer’s car. However, the primary interest of the police was not the sale of the car but Hammer’s disappearance. During this interview, Dixon confessed to the auto title forgery but denied all knowledge of Hammer’s disappearance.
{¶ 10} Early on the afternoon of November 9, Hoffner led police to the location of Hammer’s body. Dr. Cynthia Beisser, Deputy Coroner of Lucas County, performed the autopsy and concluded that Hammer had died of asphyxia. Dr. Beisser opined that Hammer had died within eight minutes of being buried and remained conscious during the first two to three minutes.
{¶ 11} After Hammer’s body was exhumed, police interviewed Dixon again. Police twice advised Dixon of his Miranda rights. He signed a waiver-of-rights form and provided a tape-recorded account of the kidnapping, robbery, and murder of Hammer that reflects the facts already described.
{¶ 12} The defense presented no evidence during the trial phase.
{¶ 13} The grand jury indicted Dixon, Hoffner, and Wilkerson for the aggravated murder, kidnapping, and aggravated robbery of Hammer. Dixon was indicted on three counts of aggravated murder. Count nine of the indictment charged Dixon with aggravated murder involving prior calculation and design pursuant to R.C. 2903.01(A). Count ten charged Dixon with aggravated murder while committing kidnapping, and count 11 charged Dixon with aggravated murder while committing aggravated robbery, both pursuant to R.C. 2903.01(B). Dixon was also indicted for kidnapping in count twelve, aggravated robbery in count 13, and three counts of forgery in counts 14, 15, and 16.
{¶ 14} Each count of aggravated murder contained two identical R.C. 2929.04(A)(7) death-penalty specifications. The first specification charged aggravated murder during a kidnapping, and the second charged aggravated murder during an aggravated robbery.
{¶ 15} The jury convicted Dixon as charged and recommended the death penalty. The trial court sentenced Dixon to death for the murder, ten to 25 years in prison for each kidnapping and aggravated robbery conviction, and to 18 months in prison for each forgery offense. All prison terms were consecutive. The court of appeals affirmed Dixon’s convictions and sentence of death. The cause is now before this court upon an appeal as of right.
https://caselaw.findlaw.com/oh-supreme-court/1334698.html
