WILMINGTON, N.C. – The father of a college student who was raped and murdered two years ago is pursuing a wrongful death lawsuit against her murderer’s father and the University of North Carolina, Wilmington (UNCW).
John Faulker’s daughter, Jessica was sexually assaulted and strangled in her dorm room by Curtis Dixon, a freshman at the time of the murder.
Faulkner claims that UNCW should not have admitted Curtis because he had emotional and psychological issues as well as a history of stalking and disorderly conduct. Dixon had previously attended the North Carolina School of the Arts but was expelled for stalking a female student with a knife. He had also attended UNC Charlotte (UNCC) where he had run-ins with the law.
After Dixon strangled Faulkner, he called her father and admitted to the murder. He then turned himself in to the authorities. While awaiting trial, he committed suicide.
Dixon’s father, James Dixon III who is an assistant to the chancellor at UNCC, completed a UNCW application for his son but did not mention his son’s previous troubles. He pleaded guilty to forgery and paid a $1,000 fine.
In 2004, the same year as the Faulkner murder, another UNCW female student was also killed by a different male student. Both had been stalked by their attackers.
The killings led UNC to share information and conduct criminal background checks of some students.
