In the quiet of a Saturday morning on October 14, 2017, in Austell, Georgia, the life of 22-year-old Khristopher Dixon was tragically cut short in his own home. Dixon, a man described by neighbors as friendly and focused on his burgeoning T-shirt and tattoo businesses, was not known to seek out trouble. That morning, however, trouble arrived at his doorstep in the form of an acquaintance, Corey Nelson.
Dixon let Nelson into his Crestside Drive townhouse, and as he began to walk up the stairs to his bedroom, Nelson fatally shot him in the back of the head with a. 380-caliber handgun.
The brutal act was witnessed in part by Dixon's roommates, who reported hearing no arguments or altercations before the sudden sound of gunfire. They recounted a chilling sequence of events to investigators: after the initial shot, Nelson came downstairs, only to return upstairs and fire two more rounds into Dixon's head. A neighbor reported hearing the screech of tires as a dark SUV sped away from the scene just before law enforcement arrived. Responding to a 'person shot' call, Cobb County police discovered Dixon deceased from multiple gunshot wounds.
The investigation swiftly pointed toward Corey Nelson. Detectives uncovered Instagram messages sent from Nelson to Dixon just minutes before the murder, simply stating, 'I'm here.' A search of Nelson's Atlanta residence uncovered the murder weapon. Perhaps the most damning evidence was found on Nelson's own cellphone: a photograph of Dixon's body taken immediately after the murder, and a note Nelson had written to himself that read, 'starting a new life now.' Despite the wealth of evidence, a clear motive for the killing was never determined by authorities.
The day after the senseless killing, Corey Nelson was arrested and charged with murder and aggravated assault. In October 2021, Nelson pleaded guilty to the murder of Khristopher Dixon. During the plea hearing, Dixon's family expressed their profound grief over the loss of a young man they described as motivated, artistic, and hardworking. Senior Assistant District Attorney Stephanie Green characterized the murder as a 'senseless killing.' Corey Nelson was sentenced to life in prison for the execution-style murder of his acquaintance.
