In February 2008, authorities responded to Melissa Oxley’s home after she discovered her husband, Benjamin “Ben” Oxley, was shot in the head. The investigation pointed towards James Matlean, the boyfriend of Ben’s ex-wife, as a possible suspect. While They Were Sleeping’ focuses on the circumstances surrounding Ben’s murder and the significant role played by his former wife, Dawn Oxley, in the case. Ben and Dawn Oxley met in the late 1990s and began a relationship that led to their marriage in 1999. They shared a daughter named Alyssa, who was six years old at the time of the incident. However, their marriage ended in divorce in 2004, and Ben later married Melissa Oxley in 2006. Following the divorce, Ben obtained full custody of Alyssa, and Dawn was required to pay monthly child support. The contentious nature of their relationship added to the complexities of the situation. At around 3:30 AM on February 21, 2008, Melissa placed a distressing 911 call upon finding her husband, Ben, with a gunshot wound to his head in their bedroom. Initially, she pointed the authorities towards an ex-boyfriend of Dawn, but he was eventually ruled out as a suspect. A few months into the investigation, the focus shifted back to Dawn, who was living with her boyfriend, James Matlean.
Where are Dawn Oxley and James Matlean now?
As the investigation progressed, authorities discovered inconsistencies in the alibis provided by Dawn and James, prompting them to scrutinize the couple closely. In August 2009, Dawn came forward with information, seeking immunity from prosecution in return for her testimony. She admitted to feeling anger towards Ben but denied any involvement in plotting his murder with James. According to Dawn, her expressions were merely that she wished Ben would disappear from her life. She claimed to have rejected James’ suggestion of killing Ben. Witnesses testified that Dawn and James had been drinking on the night before the murder. Moreover, Dawn’s son informed the police that the couple had discussed plans to kill Ben to gain custody of Alyssa and avoid paying child support. However, Dawn strongly denied these allegations, asserting that she fell asleep on the couch that night. She stated that James later woke her up, saying, “It’s done.” Dawn mentioned that she followed James to his mother’s house to leave his car there. She further emphasized that she had minimal contact with Ben in the weeks leading up to the incident, only seeing him during Alyssa’s visits. Dawn admitted to avoiding him, referring to their troubled past together.
James Matlean (Image via Cinemaholic)
Dawn’s testimony played a significant role in securing James’ conviction for Ben’s murder. Despite James admitting to the shooting, he claimed that Dawn was the mastermind behind the crime, stating that she wanted both Ben and Melissa dead. However, Dawn firmly denied these accusations. Following the trial, Dawn encountered legal issues and found herself in and out of prison. In October 2009, she served a six-month prison term for violating probation, as she had a second DUI and a previous conviction for domestic battery. Subsequently, in October 2011, Dawn received a 90-month prison sentence after pleading no contest to allowing a child to be present during the commission of a controlled substance violation.
A still of Dawn Oxley (Image via Cinemaholic)
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Source: vtt.edu.vn