Concord Man's Accused Killer To Stand Trial

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA — New details emerged this week in a Martinez courtroom during a two-day preliminary hearing for a man accused of beating a Concord resident to death with a fireplace poker at the victim's condominium last July before stealing a car and fleeing to Oregon.

Terrance Boyd Dixon was taken into custody in the vicinity of Bandon, Oregon, and extradited back to Contra Costa County to face a murder charge for allegedly killing Michael Downie.

Prosecutors said Dixon, 55, has prior felony convictions for attempted murder and robbery in Nevada, and neighbors had seen him at Downie's home in the days before the crime scene was discovered in the 1200 block of Pine Creek Way on July 27, 2018.

A friend who'd been asked to check on Downie that night found the 64-year-old's body on the floor and called police. Detectives who were called to the scene around 10:30 p.m. said there was blood on the floor with spatter patterns on the furniture, walls and other nearby surfaces. An autopsy would later reveal that Downie had died as a result of blunt force trauma to the head, and that he had methamphetamine in his system at the time of death.

Detectives found a meth pipe at the scene, as well as a plate with a razor blade and a white powder they suspected was cocaine.

There were no signs of forced entry to the condo, and Downie was only wearing a pair of blue shorts, which suggested that the killer may not have been a stranger, according to Concord police.

Downie's blue 2013 Hyundai had been stolen from the crime scene, and a vehicle matching its description was captured on security video parked in a McDonald's parking lot on San Pablo Avenue that night. Shortly after, an automated license plate reader (ALPR) detected Downie's Hyundai heading east on state Highway 4 around 1:22 a.m.

Mobile data for a cellphone allegedly belonging to Dixon indicates that he was headed east on Highway 4 at about that time, which was a key point presented by the prosecution. That same phone was also in the vicinity of the west county McDonald's where Downie's vehicle may have been parked before it went east, as well as in the vicinity of Downie's home during the time frame in which the murder is believed to have taken place.

The phone seems to have changed hands at least twice, and was later tracked to a homeless woman who the prosecution presented as a witness.

She identified Dixon as "Willy," an apparent alias, and said he had given her the phone.

She also acknowledged that she had been smoking about a gram of meth per day in August, and had smoked meth Wednesday morning before coming to the courthouse to testify, which prompted Judge Theresa Canepa to call for a recess until an attorney could be appointed for the witness later that afternoon.

The Hyundai Dixon allegedly stole was stopped by law enforcement in Sacramento County in August. One of the men inside allegedly said he had purchased it from Dixon for $2,000 cash at an AM\PM in Lodi, and Dixon had thrown in a bicycle to sweeten the deal. But investigators said they had been unable to verify the specifics of that transaction.

There was a small amount of blood found inside the vehicle, but DNA evidence determined that it had not come from Downie.

Diana Garrido, an attorney with the public defender's office, argued that given the bloody nature of the crime scene it would have been difficult for Dixon to commit that murder and steal the victim's car without getting any of Downie's blood on the vehicle's interior.

Garrido also pointed out that another man, a former lover with whom Downie may have had a history of violence, was seen in the vicinity of the crime scene by neighbors in the days before the murder.

Detectives have acknowledged that the individual in question had been a suspect, and that he had bruises and visible abrasions on his skin when they interviewed him, but his alibi had been verified and DNA evidence ruled him out.

Prosecutors concluded their argument by alleging that by getting rid of his phone, as well as Downie's car Dixon was essentially trying to disappear - and the other suspects had been ruled out.

Canepa acknowledged that there was sufficient evidence to have Dixon stand trial. He remains in custody and is scheduled to return to court on Feb. 11.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

• Fireplace Poker Used In Concord Homicide: D.A.
• Concord Murder Suspect Surrenders In Oregon
• Suspect Identified In Concord Homicide
• Coroner IDs Man Found In Concord Home

By Bay City News Service

Photos courtesy Concord Police Department