Family Believes Woman Was Killed by Boyfriend For Heartbreaking Reason

By: Katrina Manning | May 27, 2016

Candace Pickens, 23, loved being a mother to her three-year-old son Zachaeus. Her aunt told The Washington Post, "When she found out she was pregnant, she was scared at first. But once she had that baby, it was so natural for her. She loved being a mother. And no matter what she was going through, I think he was the one thing that kept her going." Yet, her boyfriend and her son's father, Nathaniel Elijah had a long history of violent behavior, including domestic abuse.

In addition, police suspect him of having ties to a Los Angeles gang. Her family claims that Elijah wanted Pickens to have an abortion when she got pregnant, but she didn't want to. On May 12, Pickens' body was found by someone jogging in a park in Ashevill, N.C. Asheville, N.C. She had been shot dead with one bullet to the head. Right next to her was her son Zachaeus, injured but alive. He was also shot just one day after his third birthday.

Waters said, "My grandson is in stable condition and doing great and he has the doctors surprised. He's moving his arms and legs and he's doing more than what people expected. He's talking, he asked for juice and he said 'daddy.' He even made his own song up about juice." Dixon has been arrested for this crime and police managed to save a young woman who he was holding hostage. He has been charged with first-degree murder and child abuse.