St. Mary’s County State’s Attorney Jaymi Sterling announced today that William Francis Dixon, 53, of Mechanicsville, Maryland, was sentenced to 53 years in prison for attempted kidnapping, armed robbery, and dangerous weapon charges following a March 17, 2025, attack on a woman who was a complete stranger to him.
“This was a predatory and horrifying attack by a convicted felon with a demonstrated history of extreme violence against women on an innocent victim who was a complete stranger to him,” Sterling said.
The incident unfolded around 3:30 p.m. in the 28000 block of Old Village Road in Mechanicsville. Dixon spotted the woman at a nearby shopping center, followed her vehicle to her child’s school bus stop, and struck while she waited. Armed with handcuffs and a knife, he assaulted her and attempted to drag her toward his teal Saturn SUV. The victim fought back fiercely, broke free, returned to her car, and called 911 with a detailed description of her assailant and the vehicle. Dixon fled south on Route 235.
Security camera footage from the shopping area proved critical. It showed Dixon tailing the victim from the store, repositioning his SUV closer to hers, and then pursuing her. A partial license plate captured on video, combined with the victim’s account, helped narrow the search. Detectives issued a public appeal with images of the suspect’s vehicle. A witness who saw the release contacted authorities and supplied Dixon’s name, vehicle details, and home address in the 26000 block of Forrest Hall Drive.
The victim later identified Dixon in a photo lineup. He matched the description of a white male about 5 feet 10 inches tall, heavyset, with brown facial hair and glasses. The next day, March 18, 2025, deputies executed a search warrant at his residence, arrested him without incident, and recovered the victim’s personal belongings.
Dixon’s criminal history weighed heavily in the case. In 1994, at age 22, he pleaded guilty in St. Mary’s County Circuit Court to second-degree rape and attempted first-degree murder after stabbing a 28-year-old woman approximately 50 times with a screwdriver, raping her, and leaving her for dead. The victim survived. He received a life sentence with all but 40 years suspended, plus a concurrent 20-year term for the rape. Released on good-time credit after serving just under 25 years, he was on supervised parole when the 2025 offense occurred.
A St. Mary’s County jury convicted Dixon on multiple charges after a five-day trial that ended in December 2025: attempted kidnapping, armed robbery, first-degree assault, theft valued between $100 and $1,500, and wearing and carrying a dangerous weapon with intent to injure. He had faced a potential maximum of 78 years.
“With this new sentence, the Defendant will likely spend the rest of his life behind bars. This victim and the previous victim, along with every potential victim, are now safe from him,” Sterling said. “I want to sincerely thank the detectives, the incredible prosecution team, and especially our office’s Evidence Review Unit. I am certain these results would not have been possible without their endless hours of investigation, dedication, and brilliance.”
Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Alena Mosier and Assistant State’s Attorney Holley Hickman prosecuted the case on behalf of the citizens of St. Mary’s County. Detective Andrew Burgess of the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office served as lead investigator. The Honorable Timothy J. Doory presided.
The swift resolution underscores the coordinated efforts of law enforcement and prosecutors in protecting Southern Maryland communities from repeat violent offenders. Dixon remains held without bond pending transfer to state prison to begin serving the sentence.
The case drew attention in St. Mary’s County, where residents and officials have long emphasized the need for accountability in crimes involving weapons and threats to women. Sterling’s office highlighted how victim courage, community tips, and thorough evidence review combined to deliver justice in both the current case and by reinforcing the consequences of Dixon’s prior near-fatal attack more than three decades earlier.
