'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
ID's new show, Does Murder Sleep? is all set to premiere on August 2, 2023, with the shocking case of Ben Oxley's death, an incident that literally shook the small town of Minden, Nevada. Dating back to 2008, this case became notorious for the spiraling clues which took the investigation in many directions simultaneously.
The upcoming episode of Does Murder Sleep? is titled Deadly Awakening and it will uncover the details behind the brutal murder of Oxley, who was shot to death while sleeping on his bed. The synopsis for the episode reads:
"In February 2008, Ben Oxley is shot in the head at point-blank range while sleeping in bed. His wife becomes the focus of the police investigation, but it will take over two years before investigators bring the actual killer to justice."
Ben Oxley's murder took long to resolve, but it eventually did. Though there are some doubts that remain about another suspect on the list, Oxley's ex-wife Dawn, the man who committed the murder, James Matlean, was incarcerated.
Who was Ben Oxley and how did he die?
Ben Oxley was born in January 1972 in California. He was raised in Hawaii and was very interested in sports, particularly football. Ben was also the adventurous kind and enjoyed watersports like surfing and jet skiing. After graduating, Ben worked hard to make a life for himself and became an air-conditioning repairman.
At the time of the incident, Ben was 36 years old and married to Melissa Oxley. This was the second shot at love after having a failed marriage with Dawn, with whom he also had a daughter, Alyssa. His daughter lived with him and Melissa in their Minden, Nevada house.
It all seemed to go smoothly for the couple till one faithful night when Melissa allegedly woke up covered in the blood of her dead husband. Melissa reportedly called 911 at around 3:30 AM on February 21, 2008, reporting that her husband had been shot in their bedroom.
Of course, the first shreds of suspicion fell on the current wife, who stood to gain a lot from the murder. Moreover, authorities could not believe that Melissa did not hear a shotgun go off in their bedroom. Additionally, there were no signs of forced entry into the house, making it much more complicated.
Over the months that followed, however, suspicions shifted from Melissa, mainly because Melissa never inquired about the insurance money and didn’t seem to care about the payout.
However, a new pair came into suspicion, Ben's ex-wife, Dawn, and her boyfriend, James Matlean. After the authorities trailed them for sometime, Dawn went on to confess that she had indeed spoken to James about getting rid of Ben Oxley, but did not want James to hurt her ex-husband. Dawn's 16-year-old son also reportedly testified that he had heard his mother and James talk about killing Ben.
After gaining immunity for her testimony, Dawn finally revealed that James had killed Ben Oxley by shooting him with a shotgun. James pleaded guilty to the murder but also alleged that Dawn was involved.
Ultimately, Dawn was never charged but James remains incarcerated at High Desert State Prison in Indian Springs, Nevada.
Does Murder Sleep will air on August 2, 2023, at 10.00 PM EST.
