BEDFORD – A man identified as a suspect in a homicide investigation was arrested in Bedford after law enforcement officers conducted surveillance across several counties.
According to a probable cause affidavit filed by Caleb B. Garvin with the Indiana State Police, 26-year-old Stephen Paul Dixon II is accused of unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon, a Level 4 felony, and unlawful carrying of a handgun with a prior felony within 15 years, a Level 5 felony.
Investigators said the incident began Oct. 6, 2025, when detectives with the Bloomington Police Department contacted state police regarding Dixon, who was being surveilled as part of a homicide investigation.
Officers reported Dixon was traveling with a female passenger, in a gray Volkswagen Passat.
Authorities said the pair traveled into Lawrence County near the Johnny’s Junction area before being observed by Lawrence County Sheriff Greg Day driving south on State Road 37 near the intersection with US 50 just south of Bedford.
Officers from multiple agencies, including the Indiana State Police and the Bloomington Police Department, continued surveillance as the vehicle traveled to Mitchell and later into Orange County.
While in Orleans, investigators said Dixon stopped at a Marathon gas station, where officers observed him exit the vehicle with a handgun on his waist. The vehicle later traveled to the Walmart area in Paoli before returning north toward Lawrence County.
Authorities said the surveillance ended when Dixon stopped at the Dairyland gas station in Bedford. Officers moved in to arrest him while the female entered the store.
Investigators said Dixon was still seated in the driver’s seat when officers issued commands for him to comply. The female exited the store during the arrest and was escorted away from the scene for safety.
According to police, Dixon was armed with a loaded Hi-Point 9mm semi-automatic handgun at the time of his arrest.
During an interview following the arrest, investigators determined the firearm allegedly had been used in a homicide as well as another shooting under investigation, according to the affidavit.
Dixon was later preliminary charged in Monroe County with murder, two counts of possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon, criminal recklessness, and two counts of unlawful carrying of a handgun with a prior felony conviction.
Dixon is accused of the fatal shooting of 29-year-old Shawn Sullivan. According to police, Sullivan was walking with two women when a car driven by Dixon sped up behind them. Sullivan threw a bike at the vehicle, hitting it, after which police say Dixon got out and shot Sullivan, who later died from a gunshot wound to the chest. In a police interview, Dixon admitted to the shooting but claimed he fired in response to Sullivan digging into a bag; he stated he intended to shoot Sullivan in the legs.
Bloomington Police detectives seized the firearm and obtained a search warrant to search the vehicle as part of the ongoing investigation.
All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. This article is based on the information provided in the probable cause affidavit and does not represent a final determination of guilt or innocence.
