Antonie Ronnie Dixon
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Antonie Ronnie Dixon is a convicted murderer serving a life-sentence, in Auckland, New Zealand. He became prominent due to heavy media coverage of his crimes, partly because of the involvement of the methamphetamine drug known in New Zealand as 'P'.
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[edit] The crimes
After consuming a cocktail of orange juice, cocaine and methamphetamine, Dixon attacked two women, Renee Gunbie and Simonne Butler, with a Samurai sword at Pipiroa in January 2003, severing their hands before the sword broke. After stealing a vehicle and travelling to Auckland, he fatally shot James Te Aute in Highland Park with a home-made sub-machine gun. After taking a hostage, Dixon was captured by New Zealand Police.
[edit] The trial
During the trial, Dixon earned a reputation for his unusual hair-cut and facial expressions. Many analysts suggested that these were a transparent ploy to gather support for his plea of insanity. Photographs of Dixon at the trial were featured in leading newspapers around the country.
[edit] Dixon in popular culture
Due to the nature of the crimes and the prominence of the the trial, images of Dixon took root in the public psyche. Some aspects of the crime, such as Gumbie's severed hand giving the bird, or the use of the home-made sub-machine gun and claims of being followed by 747s, were viewed as humorous. During the trial, Dixon's facial expressions and haircut became a source of amusement for many. On the television program Eating Media Lunch, cast members could be seen wearing T-Shirts with an unflattering portrait of Dixon's face printed on them. On an episode of Bro'town Vale Pepelo decribed "upside-down b" (a euphenism for P) as "that highly adictive drug that makes you cut off peoples hands!" a reference to the Dixon case.
