Sariah Dixon, a 19-year-old African American woman from Belleview, FL, tragically lost her life on November 6, 2017. The young mother of a 2-year-old boy was found shot to death at her apartment complex. The Belleview Police Department received a call around 8:30 a.m. reporting a woman screaming and gunshots in the 5900 block of Southeast Front Road. Upon arrival, officers discovered Sariah Dixon lying between the apartments with a fatal gunshot wound. This incident marked the first homicide in Belleview in over five years.
The primary suspect in Sariah Dixon's death was her estranged boyfriend, 20-year-old Frank Friday. Frank Friday, also African American, had a history of domestic violence against Sariah. Court records revealed multiple instances of domestic violence, including charges of battery, resisting an officer, stalking, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, domestic violence by strangulation, and false imprisonment. Despite these charges, many of the cases were dropped, often at Sariah's request. She had sought protection from Frank Friday on at least two occasions, but the legal measures were insufficient to prevent the tragic outcome.
On the morning of the shooting, witnesses reported seeing a gray Impala leaving the apartment complex. Shortly after, a gray Impala was involved in a traffic crash nearby, and a man was seen walking away from the scene. Sheriff's deputies identified the man as Frank Friday, who had fled the scene after shooting Sariah Dixon. During the subsequent manhunt, Frank Friday shot himself and was hospitalized in critical condition.
The investigation into Sariah Dixon's death highlighted the challenges faced by domestic violence victims and the limitations of the legal system in providing adequate protection. Despite the history of abuse and the protective orders in place, Sariah's attempts to leave the relationship and seek safety were ultimately unsuccessful. The case underscored the need for more robust measures to protect victims of domestic violence and prevent such tragedies from occurring in the future.
