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Joseph Sonnier, Mike Dixon On ID’s ‘Shadow Of Doubt’: Doctor Murdered In Texas Love Triangle

By Traciy Reyes
Published on: 05:45 PST, Dec 26, 2016

The story of Dr. Joseph Sonnier and the man who had him killed, Mike Dixon, will air on Investigation Discovery’s crime series Shadow of Doubt. In the episode titled “The Doctor Is Out,” authorities search for a link between Dr. Sonnier’s secret life and a silent killer who wanted to see the good doctor dead. Authorities say that Joseph Sonnier was found dead in his home.

The investigation revealed that he was involved in a deadly love triangle, and at the center of that triangle was a beautiful woman who had stolen the hearts of two men. On ID’s Shadow of Doubt coverage, expect a dramatic re-creation of events, along with commentary from police detectives who worked the case.

Heart Struck

The discovery of Dr. Joseph Sonnier’s death in 2012 was made after landscapers showed up to his Tanglewood neighborhood home to do some work. But instead of finding the tools they needed to do the job, they found a dead body in a pool of blood.

As is the case with any murder, investigators descended upon the scene. There, they found that Joseph Sonnier had been shot and stabbed to death. An autopsy report would later reveal that two stab wounds went straight to the heart, which is an interesting detail since one heartbroken person had caused this entire tragedy.

In taking a look at the scene, it was obvious to seasoned investigators that Sonnier had struggled with his attacker before he was finally overpowered.

Digging into his background was the only way to get some leads, or so they thought. They learned that Sonnier was good at his job and well-liked. He worked as the chief pathologist at Covenant Health Systems, where he was considered the life of the party by his coworkers.

An Eligible Bachelor

He was also a magnet for the ladies. Dr. Sonnier was tall, in shape, and had a gorgeous smile. He knew that he was good looking, and he knew that many women loved him. At times, he took advantage of that by dating women on the side.

Perhaps, it was an angry woman who had decided to kill him. However, that theory was far from the truth. Detectives eventually received a tip from a man who stated that his roommate had tried to kill himself because he was the one who had killed Dr. Sonnier for a friend.

The killer turned out to be David Neal Shepard, and his friend was Dr. Thomas Michael Dixon, who was in love and broken-hearted over the break-up with his ex-girlfriend, Richelle, who was now dating Joseph Sonnier.

According to a previous episode of Dateline NBC, Richelle was a special kind of woman. She was “smoking hot” and was considered eye and arm candy for anyone who was dating her. A man would be proud to arrive at a party with her. Not only that, she was also intelligent and charming.

Jealousy Bubbles To The Surface

Dr. Joseph Sonnier treated her well. She also enjoyed quality time at his beautiful home, where he charmed her with his impressive lifestyle, according to the Texas Monthly.

  • He owned “a luxurious 5,600-square-foot home” in an upscale neighborhood.
  • Dr. Sonnier had a wine cellar.
  • His home included a “spacious bedroom with a fireplace.”
  • Sonnier created his own perfumes “made of ingredients that he had shipped in from France.”

Everything seemed good with Joseph Sonnier. But she underestimated how hard Mike Dixon would take the fact that she had moved on. Take a look at some of the messages that were exchanged between them, as reported by Texas Monthly.

Mike Dixon: “You threw me away. I don’t know why you play games with my heart.”

Richelle: “I love the way he makes me feel.”

In another text, the following statements were made.

Richelle: “I’m in love. Enjoy your get-a-way.”

Mike Dixon: “Does that mean we’re not going to NM?”

Richelle: “Ha ha, my life is better than yours. I am on top of the world.”

Sadly, Richelle’s world came crashing down after Sonnier was found dead, killed by the other man she once loved. According to investigators, Mike Dixon’s jealousy was more than he could handle, so he’d rather see her new lover dead than to watch the relationship play out on social media.

What’s particularly sad is that Dr. Sonnier’s children lost two parents in a tragic way. To read about what happened to Joseph Sonnier’s ex-wife, read here.

To learn the outcome of the case, watch Shadow of Doubt this Wednesday, at 10/9 p.m. Central on Investigation Discovery (ID).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6KdPM0uTRY

[Featured Image by sfam_photo/Shutterstock]

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