True Crime Reader: Domestic Violence Caused Dixie To Kill

DIXIE’S LAST STAND an Amazon Hot New Release available now

From the Author: This particular #truecrime #author blog post is a little different as it deals with a controversial topic, domestic violence, brought up in my latest book DIXIE’S LAST STAND: Was It Murder Or Self-Defense?

I invited Jennifer Marshall — who is a loyal member of several true crime Facebook forums — to write about her reaction to DIXIE’S LAST STAND. (You can find out more about the book and how to purchase it at #Amazon #Kindle by clicking here.)

Here’s Jennifer’s full column:

Dixie Shanahan talks to her attorney, Greg Steensland

From the very early years  of Dixie’s life, she was constantly subjected to a life of domestic abuse. As a result, by the time she met Scott Shanahan, she was already used to violence.

I truly believe if it wasn’t for Scott’s parents, I don’t think she would have stayed. For any woman to have the same things said to you  everyday, for example “your worthless,” or worse, this can eventually be etched into your mind as “that’s what I am.” Those terrible

Scott Shanahan was a brutal, abusive husband

and insensitive comments are only said to destroy your self esteem and that is something Dixie didn’t have.

If everyone can take a moment and imagine what a punch in the gut or poke in the eye would feel like, then imagine Dixie went through that everyday for years. To me that’s insane. It would make anyone snap to a point of self defense.

So she killed him in his sleep.

Maybe she did that because if he was in fact awake he would have no doubt killed her. Self defense.

Dixie Shanahan cries during an interview

I truly believe that if Dixie had not killed him then he would have killed her and maybe the children. The horror of not being able to sleep or having nightmares of a fist hitting you repeatedly in the face or stomach can make anyone snap.

As for the body in the bedroom, honestly that tells me that she did it for the whole family feel. That’s all she ever wanted was a whole family and a normal life. It’s sad she hasn’t had that yet because justice failed her. The prosecutor seemed to have looked for a put-someone-in-jail card by accusing her of doing it for the money.

It does not matter about money or other issues except the main point: her husband beat her relentlessly.  If I was in front of the jury today to explain exactly what she went through that led to his untimely death, I would make them close their eyes while I explain in-depth what each blow and each poke did to every part of her.

I would then ask them to imagine the pain intensifying every second. I’ll say it’s painful. Very painful.

I feel the jury made a mistake and should have found Dixie not guilty because she is a battered woman who obviously felt no way out.