UPDATE: The Murders of David Nixon & Steven Ray Johnson (Maine)
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Hey, Dark Downeasters. I'm dropping into your feed on a non-release day because I have an update for you on this week's episode. On September 18th, 2023, I released an episode about the cases of David J. Nixon and Stephen Ray Johnson. That episode is titled Murder on Goose Rocks Beach. If you listened, you know that the story had a few loose ends. I couldn't find a definitive answer about what happened to the convicted killer, Dean Alton Curtis. I'm going to be talking about the case of David J. Nixon and Stephen Ray Johnson.

I knew that he passed away in 2001, but details in his obituary led me to believe he may have been released from prison long before his sentence was up. I couldn't confirm that either way until now. Within 24 hours of releasing that episode, I received an email from a family member, a family member of Dean Curtis. She's given me permission to share pieces of the email that she sent me. It reads, quote,

Hi Kylie. I listened to your podcast today about my uncle Dean Curtis. I heard the ending where you do not know what happened to him. I just want you to know that he died in prison and was never released. He died at the medical center due to complications with AIDS. Thank you for doing the research and finding so many answers. Growing up, just knowing my uncle was in prison, I had always been told he killed two people. But my family was in denial about his true nature.

That is why they talk about him being a car salesman in his obituary. His father, Reginald Curtis, was a car salesman, and my guess is that he probably worked alongside him for a short time. My heart aches for the victims. Being related to a monster, and no less, being shuttled down to Thomaston to visit him in prison, has been surreal and sad. In prison, Dean joined the church and worked to connect prisoners with outside pen pals.

He also did a great deal of woodworking, including creating incredibly detailed, beautiful wooden replicas of sailing ships. His work was sold in the prison store, and it was truly amazing. He suffered severe abuse as a child, I know this. Still, I can't forgive him for what he did. And the letters and drawings he sent me from prison just make me feel sick. I want you to have the comfort of knowing he never saw the light of day again, Erica."

Erica, thank you for reaching out and sharing this context with me and Dark Down East listeners. I'm Kylie Lowe, and this is Dark Down East.