William Francis Dixon, 52, of Mechanicsville
William Francis Dixon, 52, of Mechanicsville, who was arrested for an attempted kidnapping and armed robbery March 18, 2025, has a violent criminal past, including a 1994 conviction for second-degree rape and attempted first-degree murder after a violent attack on a woman in St. Mary’s County.
Dixon was taken into custody on March 18, 2025, following an incident in which he allegedly assaulted a woman, threatened her with a knife, and attempted to force her into his vehicle.
However, court records reveal this is not Dixon’s first serious offense. In 1994, Dixon was convicted of second-degree rape and attempted first-degree murder following an attack on March 12, 1994. According to court documents, Dixon pleaded guilty to both charges in December 1994 and was sentenced to life in prison, suspended to 40 years, along with a concurrent 20-year sentence for rape.
At the time, authorities stated that Dixon followed a woman home, gained entry to her residence under false pretenses, and then attacked her in the basement. The victim was stabbed more than 40 times with a flathead screwdriver and was initially hospitalized in critical condition.
Dixon served time at Roxbury Correctional Institution in Hagerstown before being released on a supervised probation period.
The St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office continues its investigation, and Dixon remains in custody as he awaits further court proceedings.
Anyone with additional information about the case is urged to contact the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division.
For the 1994 rape and assault, Dixon was charged with the following.
- ASSAULT-W/INTENT MURDER
- ASSAULT-W/INTENT RAPE
- RAPE 1ST DEG: SUFFOCTE ETC
- RAPE-2ND DEGREE:FORCE
- ASSAULT
- BATTERY
- MAIM-MALICIOUS INJURY
