Curtis Dixon's Father May Have Helped To Falsify Son's College Application

James Dixon, an former executive assistant to the chancellor of UNC-Charlotte at the time, may be investigated for apparently helping his son lie on his application to UNC-Wilmington.

His son, Curtis, was accused of killing 18-year-old Jessica Faulkner of Cary in his dorm room. He committed suicide last week.

Dixon sent a transcript that claimed his son was home-schooled. The application never included the three years he spent at Charlotte's Zebulon Vance High School. Nor did it report his criminal record for larceny or his enrollment at two other UNC schools.

The UNC Task Force that met to shore up the admissions process released its report this week. While it did not know about James Dixon's role, the group said it did know about the application and loopholes in the system.

"The fact that the information wasn't accurate is the important point, not that somebody faxed it and had a friend take it over to the admissions office or acquaintance take it for them," Kanoy said.

The District Attorney's offices in New Hanover and Mecklenburg counties are reviewing the information. Falsifying a transcript is a misdemeanor. Dixon resigned from his job in July after 14 years with UNC Charlotte. WRAL could not reach him for comment.

New procedures will cross-check home schooled students with a public school database. They will also cross check applicants with UNC schools and outside universities.

Another case involved John Peck, who was accused of killing another UNC-Wilmington student, Christen Najouks. University officials claimed Peck failed to disclose his previous criminal convictions on his application to the university.