He’s 180 Pounds. I’m 300 Pounds” – A Life Shattered by Misidentification
When Ty’Ran Dixon, a former Newberry College football player, heard a knock on his door in October 2023, he could never have imagined his life would spiral into a nightmare. Within hours, he was behind bars, accused of the brutal murder of Jasmine Roach—a crime he did not commit. For over two months, Dixon sat in jail, enduring 21 agonizing days in solitary confinement, his dreams and reputation destroyed by a system that failed him.
The injustice becomes even more shocking when considering the facts: the true suspect, Tyren Dickson, weighed just 180 pounds. Dixon? A solid 300 pounds. The difference was not minor—it was glaring. Yet investigators ignored the clear mismatch, arresting the wrong man while the real killer remained free. A text message with the correct suspect’s name and social media links was sent to the Sheriff within 12 hours of the murder. Still, the information was dismissed, leaving an innocent man trapped in a cell.
Investigators Knew the Truth—But Did Nothing
Nine days after Dixon’s arrest, internal emails revealed investigators questioning whether they had the right man. Yet instead of correcting their mistake, they doubled down. Officers even considered showing Dixon’s photo to a witness but never followed through. Meanwhile, Dixon remained locked away, enduring the crushing weight of wrongful imprisonment.
What makes this case even more tragic is the preventable nature of it all. By December 2024—more than a year after the murder—the true suspect, Tyren Dickson, was finally arrested and charged. By then, Dixon’s life had already been scarred forever. His family, friends, and community watched in disbelief as a man who gave his all on the football field was dragged through the mud of injustice, his name smeared by negligence.
Fighting for Justice After a Stolen Freedom
Today, Dixon is fighting back. He has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against Barnwell County Sheriff Steven Griffith, deputies, and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. His claims—false arrest, negligence, and civil rights violations—aim not only to clear his name but also to shed light on a justice system that allowed this miscarriage of justice to happen.
The Barnwell County Sheriff’s Office continues to deny wrongdoing, but Dixon’s lawyers argue the case highlights a devastating breakdown in the investigative process. They stress that if law enforcement had simply followed basic procedures, Dixon would never have spent a single night in jail. Instead, he endured months of trauma, days in solitary, and the lasting emotional toll of being branded a killer.
Dixon’s story is more than a legal battle—it’s a heartbreaking reminder of the fragility of justice and the devastating impact of wrongful arrests. As he seeks justice in the courtroom, he also seeks to reclaim the dignity stolen from him, reminding the world that one man’s life was forever altered because those sworn to protect him refused to see the truth.
