A former Houghton County attorney was sentenced to 18 to 40 years in prison this week for fatally shooting a man inside a Michigan saloon restroom in 2023, closing out a case that dragged on for nearly three years amid judicial recusals and a landmark state Supreme Court ruling. Evan Dixon, 62, pleaded no contest to second-degree murder in the killing of 53-year-old Theron Duncan, who died after Dixon shot him inside the Douglass House Saloon in Houghton on November 11, 2023.
The shooting stemmed from what began as a joke, according to Tampa Free Press. Duncan had taken Dixon's dog to his nearby apartment and, upon returning, joked that he was holding the dog for ransom. The bartender told authorities Duncan had been joking, but Dixon claimed Duncan would not return his dog, made a gun gesture with his hand, and told the bartender, “I'll pop him.” Moments later, Dixon fatally shot Duncan inside the bar's restroom.
After the shooting, Dixon reportedly told those nearby, per Tampa Free Press, “Call 911. I'm so sorry.” At his sentencing hearing, Dixon addressed the court directly, saying, “I thought I had woken up in another alternate universe… but I’m not insane.” Prosecutors had originally charged Dixon with first-degree murder and a firearm offense, but those charges were dropped as part of the eventual plea agreement, according to Tampa Free Press.
A Case Slowed by Local Ties and a Statewide Legal Fight
Dixon's decades as a practicing attorney in Houghton County created an unusual complication for the local court system. Because he had worked alongside area judges and prosecutors for years, local judges recused themselves to avoid conflicts of interest, requiring Marquette County Circuit Court Judge Matthew Wiese to preside over the plea and sentencing, according to The Mining Gazette.
The recusals ran deeper than a single judge. 97th District Court Judge Nicholas Daavettila stepped aside after having previously worked alongside Dixon as an attorney, while 12th Circuit Court Judge Brittany Bulliet recused herself because she had previously served as county prosecutor and assistant prosecutor, the Mining Gazette reported. Those departures forced administrative delays and case transfers in a legal community where Dixon's professional relationships ran wide.
Compounding the local complications was a statewide legal battle over criminal defense strategy. Dixon's case was paused for months while state courts awaited a Michigan Supreme Court review on whether criminal defendants could raise a diminished capacity defense, according to The Keweenaw Report. On July 31, the Michigan Supreme Court issued a 6-1 ruling in People v. Madison that overturned 25 years of precedent, restoring a defense that had been barred in the state since 2001, per the Detroit Legal News.
Prosecutor Cites Lost Witnesses in Decision to Accept Plea
The prolonged delays came at a cost to the case itself. Houghton County Prosecutor Dan Helmer explained that during the extended wait for the Supreme Court's ruling, key witnesses passed away, a factor that contributed to the decision to resolve the case through a second-degree murder plea deal rather than proceed to trial, the Keweenaw Report noted.
Dixon's path through the legal system included a mental competency evaluation years earlier. He underwent psychological testing at the State Center for Forensic Psychiatry and was officially declared competent to stand trial in June 2024, according to the Mining Gazette. State Bar of Michigan records reviewed by ReliaGuide show Dixon was originally admitted to the bar on January 31, 1992, under license number P45738, before his license was later suspended for non-payment.
Judge Calls the Killing “Senseless” at Sentencing
At the August sentencing hearing, Marquette County Circuit Judge Matthew Wiese did not mince words about the crime, describing Dixon's actions as “senseless” and stating plainly that Duncan was dead only because Dixon killed him, the Mining Gazette reported. The court ultimately sentenced Dixon to 18 to 40 years in prison, with credit for time already served.
Duncan's family also spoke during the hearing. His daughter, Chinea Duncan, remembered her father as a devoted family man, according to Tampa Free Press, while other accounts noted Duncan rarely missed his grandson's football games. Duncan's mother, Helen Galang, addressed the court as well, sharing that she tells her late son she will see him again in the afterlife, the Keweenaw Report reported.
Beyond the prison sentence, the court ordered Dixon to pay $14,349.56 in restitution to cover Duncan's funeral expenses. Additional financial judgments included a $150 Crime Victims Assessment fee, a $60 DNA testing fee, and $68 in court costs, according to the Mining Gazette.
