JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The victim advocacy group Justice Coalition is joining forces with the family of 21-year-old Baron Dixon to host a candlelight vigil in his memory Friday night.
“Justice for Baron” signs were displayed and shirts with his photo on the front were worn in his remembrance.
Dixon was found shot to death near the intersection of Normandy Boulevard and Chaffee Road on Christmas Day.
There have been no arrests in the case.
Dixon’s mother, Gina Gibbs, said the weeks and months without her son have been unbearable. She said he was everything to her.
“He was my baby. He liked to help people,” Gibbs said. “You’d always see him with the baby in his hands. That was my son’s biggest goal in life was to be a good father.”
His child, 20-month-old Baron Dixon Jr., now has to grow up without his father.
Dixon was shot and killed inside his car on Christmas Day.
Gibbs said her son was working to start his own business to help put his fiancée, Haley Barnhill, through nursing school.
Barnhill told News4JAX Friday was her first day of clinical.
“Just doing simple normal things in life that Baron will never be able to experience with his son or with any of us anymore,” Barnhill said.
Dixon was also passionate about fixing up cars. In fact, she said that’s what he was doing when he was killed. She said he was trying to buy a car to fix it up and later sell.
“He was in his Christmas pajamas,” Gibbs said. “He was just going to pick up the car and come back for dinner. I was almost done making Christmas dinner.”
Instead, the unthinkable happened and life changed in an instant. Barnhill said Christmas celebrations will never be the same.
“We will never be able to have a normal Christmas anymore,” Barnhill said. “We’ll have to explain to Junior how Baron was murdered on Christmas and why it will never be the same anymore.”
Dixon’s loved ones say he was not the type of person involved in trouble, nor did he invite it. They described him as a peacemaker and said they’re truly at a loss over why this happened.
Gibbs also shared a heartfelt plea as no new information has been provided.
“My son was not involved in any of that. He would discourage anybody from something like that,” Gibbs said. “He does matter, and we need answers. We need somebody to help -- to speak up. Stop being scared to talk and do the right thing. Like does anybody have the courage to do the right thing anymore?”
Barnhill said she would tell Baron that she is sorry they didn’t get a chance to say goodbye because she knows he felt alone in that car.
If you have information on the murder of Baron Dixon, you’re asked to contact the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office at 904-630-0500. You can also call CrimeStoppers at 866-845-TIPS.
