In an inner-city park, thousands gathered to light the way home for women in honor of a young comedian who didn’t make it there. sparked an outpouring of emotion, anger, grief, and vigils protesting violence against women. The judge described it as one of the worst examples of murder. Court justice ruled outrageous and depraved conduct like this will be met with severe sentencing in which mercy plays no role.
Justice Key said his crime was an attempt to enact his dark and violent sexual fantasies culminating with the death of his victim. He placed the offending on the most extreme end of the scale. 0:02 a.m. She’s texting, “I’m almost home. Everything’s okay. Just a few hundred meters from home.” A route she knew by heart, the park she’d walk through so many times before.
She takes off her shoes and walks barefoot across the field. At that moment, a man is already following her. Staying behind, slowing down when she slows down, hiding behind objects, making sure he isn’t seen. At around 2:40 a.m., a random passerby finds her body in Princess Park. He calls emergency services and starts CPR.
Paramedics arrive fast. But, um, they can’t save her. The autopsy confirms it death by asphyxiation and compression of the neck. There are signs of a brutal beating on her body. It also confirms she was sexually assaulted. Police start reviewing surveillance footage. In one of the videos, they spot a man walking behind her that night.
And then, he walks into the station himself. 19 years old, his name is James Todd. At first, he says the night was like a blur, denies any involvement more than 600 times. Then, the police ask for his DNA. And that’s when he changes his story. Don’t worry about the DNA. I did it. And after that, the horrifying scenes from that night in the park start coming to light.
All right, guys. I’m going to take just a quick minute of your time. I’m really curious where my audience is from, so I want to ask you, where are you watching this from, and what time is it for you right now? Thanks for sticking with me. Drop it in the comments, and I’ll keep going. Melbourne, Australia, a vibrant, electric city packed with iconic landmarks and known as a major hub for art and culture.
Around 5 million people call it home, and one of them was Eurydice Dixon. Eurydice Jane Dixon was born on November 10th, 1995. People described her as bold, determined, and sharp, genuinely kind to everyone she met with a deep, real passion for the arts. But, um, life wasn’t always easy for her. When she was just 7 years old, tragedy struck.
Her mother struggled with heroin addiction and later died from an overdose in a shopping mall. She was very close with her brother Christopher, her sister Polly, and her father Jeremy. Eurydice was often called a natural performer, and pretty soon she started building a career in stand-up comedy, proving she had a powerful and truly unique voice on stage.
She was more on the introverted side, but over time, she really came out of her shell, channeling her thoughts and intelligence into comedy, using it to talk about her own experiences. People saw her as a committed feminist, someone who could laugh at herself and her own ideas, and social issues often became part of her sets.
She was incredibly supportive of other comedians. One of them even called her the best friend a comic could have. She always found something funny even when a joke didn’t land. She performed at comedy clubs and quickly started gaining recognition in Melbourne’s buzzing comedy scene. Tuesday, June 12th, 2018, Eurydice was performing stand-up at the Highlander Bar, a place she went to often, trying out new material, and like the set went amazing.
People said she was absolutely over the moon with how well it was received. After the show, she left the club, walked her boyfriend Tony to the tram stop, and then headed home. It was a route she took all the time. When she reached Princess Park, she took off her shoes and started walking barefoot from west to east.
She loved that park, and she did this every time she passed through it. She was just a few hundred meters from home when at 0:02 a.m. on Wednesday, June 13th, she sent a message to her boyfriend Tony, “I’m almost home. Everything’s okay. How are you?” She walked across two football fields, then stepped onto a third almost at the house where she lived with her brother and her dad.
At around 2:40 a.m., a passerby heading home from work made a horrifying discovery. On the field inside Princess Park, he found a body. He immediately called emergency services and started CPR. The ambulance arrived really fast, but despite everything the paramedics tried, they couldn’t save her. Eurydice Dixon was pronounced dead at the scene.
The area was quickly sealed off, and a murder investigation began. Detective Inspector Andrew Stamper urged anyone who had been in the area between 11:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m. to come forward. They might have seen something important. Um, police also asked people to check their dashcams and security footage.
Any detail, no matter how small, could help piece together what happened. During the investigation, the autopsy soon confirmed the cause of Eurydice’s death, asphyxiation and compression of the neck. There were blunt force injuries found on her body and head, and it was also confirmed that she had been sexually assaulted.
Whoever did this was clearly a dangerous offender, someone who needed to be stopped as soon as possible. Police issued general safety advice, telling people to stay aware of their surroundings. But, like, those warnings sparked backlash. A lot of people felt it was shifting responsibility onto victims. Even Victoria’s Premier, Daniel Andrews, criticized the response, saying she had been aware of her surroundings, she took care of herself, she acted responsibly, and she did everything that was expected of her.
There’s a deep sense of shock and sadness at what happened here earlier in the week. Behind me, a collection of floral tributes has been growing. Friends have remembered Eurydice Dixon as clever, funny, and beautiful. There’s been an outpouring of emotion on social media, and criticism of the police advice for people to be mindful of their safety.
Some have described that as victim-shaming. Later, Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton issued an apology, saying they never meant for their comments to come across as victim-blaming. While reviewing surveillance footage that showed her walking home, investigators soon noticed something off. There was a young man in the video who stood out, and he was walking behind her.
Realizing this was their strongest lead, or most importantly, they knew they had to talk to him. So, police released his image to the media, hoping someone would recognize him, or that he might come forward himself. And by Wednesday evening, that young man walked into a police station in Broadmeadows. It was James Todd, 19 years old.
Police wanted to understand why he was following Eurydice in the footage. And he said that at first, he started following her because she seemed drunk. “Look at this drunk idiot. Maybe she’ll do something funny,” he said. But, that turned out to be false. The autopsy showed there was no alcohol and no drugs in Eurydice’s system.
James claimed the whole night felt like a blur to him. He had scratches on his face, and he said they were most likely from his cat, but, um, police weren’t buying that. After denying any involvement more than 600 times, investigators told him they wanted his DNA and other forensic samples because if he had nothing to do with it, his DNA wouldn’t be at the crime scene.
And that’s when he changed his story. Don’t worry about the DNA. I did it. I’ll tell you everything. The truth about James Todd and what really happened finally started coming out. In Melbourne, they gathered some 10,000 men, women, children, united in somber silence, then in song. [singing] The crowds that filled Princess Park to remember Eurydice Dixon, a jarring contrast to its emptiness the night the 22-year-old was killed there walking home from her comedy gig.
Thousands of people have gathered in Melbourne for a vigil in honor of an inspiring comedian who was raped and murdered last week. Tonight, those who knew her have come together with strangers to pay tribute to the 22-year-old’s life and to reclaim the park. A sea of faces lit by candlelight as raw emotion surfaced.
The message has united hundreds who walked along Sturt Street in Ballarat. The sentiments felt by thousands across the nation who stood hand in hand for the woman abused and killed last week. Just to Melbourne where people have gathered in solidarity and reflection. This murder’s been felt throughout the entire country with vigils being held in multiple cities.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull spoke at a vigil in Canberra alongside Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and said that this young woman should have been able to walk through a park in her own city just as safely as she could walk through a room in her own home or any public place. And then Bill Shorten added, This vigil is a promise to every Australian woman you deserve to be safe and nothing less is acceptable.
Almost 10,000 people gathered in a park in Melbourne for a vigil. At 6:00 p.m. the park lights were turned off and the entire space was lit by candles. Some of the people there had already taken part in protests and vigils after the murder of Jill Meagher who was killed by a stranger while walking home back in 2012, a case we’ve covered before.
Victoria’s Premier Daniel Andrews called Eurydice’s murder a terrible terrible tragedy and such a senseless, meaningless, thoughtless and evil act when he attended the vigil with his wife Catherine. As the gathering was coming to an end, singer Katie Noonan performed Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah. The state government is also calling on the community to change attitudes.
It’s about showing our grief but also demanding changes in terms of the way women are seen and treated in our community. When Monday morning came, shocked locals discovered that Eurydice’s memorial had been vandalized with obscene images. People were outraged that her memory could be disrespected in such a disgusting way.
Low, it’s lower than low. It’s the absolute pits. It’s absolutely disgusting. They should just be lifted out of the joint. Hours later, Victoria’s police chief added to the growing memorial. Just a few hours later, Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton also visited the memorial. He called what happened horrific and shocking and said those responsible would absolutely be held accountable.
As the outrage over her death kept growing, several buildings across the country, including Melbourne Town Hall, were lit up in orange. That’s the color the United Nations uses as a symbol in the fight against violence toward women and girls. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull also addressed Parliament speaking about Eurydice’s murder.
Our hearts go out to Eurydice’s family. Our prayers, our sympathy, our love are with them as they grieve her loss. Women must be safe everywhere. On the street, walking through a park, in their homes, at work. We need to ensure that we have a culture of respect for women. Not all disrespect of women ends up in violence against women, but that’s where all violence against women begins.
And I not look I know that we are all united in this here. This is not a partisan issue. This is a heartbreaking tragedy. I thank the honorable member for the question and I believe, Mr. Speaker, that I speak for every honorable member in saying we must never ever ever tolerate violence against women. Eurydice Dixon, we mourn her loss, we grieve with her family, and we say never again.
While James Todd was at the Broadmeadows Police Station, the truth about what he had done that day and the horrifying final moments of Eurydice’s life finally started to come out. On the day of the murder, Eurydice, he had finished his hospitality classes at around 3:00 p.m., then took a train into the city with three classmates.
Later, he tried to buy alcohol at Liquorland but was refused because he didn’t have ID. So, he went to another store where he bought vodka and rolling papers. After that, he headed to Batman Park with his friends and they started drinking. At some point, one of his friends decided to leave and go home. After they finished the vodka, James went off and bought cider and then like marijuana from some men in the park.
At around 8:30 p.m., they went to Southern Cross Station where Todd bought whiskey. Then they got on a train heading toward Broadmeadows. One of them got off at Flinders Street and James Todd got off at Newmarket. There, he bought tobacco, then went back into the city and got off again at Flinders Street at 10:25 p.m.
From there, he walked toward Elizabeth Street. At 10:43 p.m., he passed by Woolworths where Eurydice was with Tony. James Todd kept walking to McDonald’s where he got something to eat. After that, he went back to the intersection of Swanston and Flinders where Eurydice was saying goodbye to Tony who was getting on his tram.
James Todd stood near the Young and Jackson Hotel, then decided to head back toward the station. That’s when he saw Eurydice walking alone. At 11:08 p.m., he let her walk past him and then started following her trying not to be noticed, hiding behind objects, slowing down when she slowed down. After she took off her shoes and walked through the park, he attacked her.
He came up from behind, grabbed her dress and her hair, and forced her to the ground. Eurydice fought back with everything she had. She scratched his face multiple times, but he overpowered her. After the assault, he said he strangled her for about 5 to 10 minutes. While her body lay there in the park, he used the front camera on her phone to look at the scratches on his face for around 10 minutes.
After that, he went to Royal Park Station where he fell asleep on a bench at 2:14 a.m. At 3:55, he walked through Princes Park again where he urinated on one of the paths. Then he went back toward the place where he had left her body, but police were already there and told him to leave the area. At 5:50, he got on a train to go home and by 6:37, he was already in his room.
There, he used his iPad searching for information about Princes Park and reading the news about a woman’s body that had been found that morning. After that, he also made internet searches related to assault and strangulation. At 6:34 p.m., he got a call from one of his friends who told him he had seen his face on the news.
Police were looking for him. He found the number of the local police station and called saying that he was the person in the released photo. His girlfriend and her mother drove him to the station where his own mother was already waiting. He told his girlfriend she had nothing to worry about. And after he confessed to what he had done, he told the officers, She looked like she was stumbling.
Like she couldn’t defend herself. James Todd was later charged with the rape and murder of Eurydice Dixon. Using a prison phone, he called his father. He said he was disappointed with how the murder of Eurydice had turned out adding that he felt like crap afterward and that next time would be better. But who was this young man really sitting in front of them? When police started digging into his past, they made some deeply disturbing discoveries.
He was the middle of three sons and the environment he grew up in was described as neglected and unsanitary. The kitchen floor was so rotted that parts of it had actually collapsed. The toilet was clogged and trash and clutter filled every room. There were also several animals being kept inside the house. His mother suffered from depression and when she was later asked whether that had contributed to the condition of the home, he replied, No.
It was always like that. He had been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and as a child, James Todd showed repetitive behaviors and intense fixations on certain interests like dinosaurs. At the age of 12, his school referred him to mental health services because of growing concerns about his emotional state and how he interacted with others.
As a teenager, he was prescribed treatment to help regulate his mood, especially his outbursts of anger. He spent less and less time at home, sometimes even sleeping on the streets. He asked his girlfriend if he could move in with her and would often spend weekends at her place. While in custody, Todd was diagnosed with sexual sadism disorder.
Professor James Ogloff, a forensic psychologist with more than 35 years of experience studying offenders, including murders and rapists, later assessed James Todd and gave interviews to The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald about sexual sadism disorder. He said that it’s still not fully understood how this condition develops in people, but it’s extremely rare.
We don’t know why this happens, but we do know there are people like him whose sexual interests seem to be most satisfied by inflicting pain and ultimately taking another person’s life. It’s not driven by hatred toward women. It’s a sexual interest. People want a simple answer, but there just isn’t a quick fix for something like this.
When investigators looked into James Todd’s internet search history, they found that he had been searching for what are known as snuff films. An anti-feminist vandal who defaced the memorial site to murdered comedian Eurydice Dixon has avoided jail. Andrew Nolch was slammed for his lack of remorse by the magistrate after he blamed his actions on man haters.
Dougal Beatty was in court. Convicted to serve 200 hours community work, the 29-year-old pleaded guilty to painting a vulgar image of male genitalia on the memorial to Eurydice Dixon just days after she was killed in June. Blatant man hating upset me so much that I thought I had to make a statement for men’s rights.
He told media he wanted to cause maximum outrage, but claimed he meant no offense to the murdered 22-year-old. Andrew Nolch will now have to undergo a men’s behavior change program as part of his rehabilitation and treatment. The magistrate also ordered him to provide a DNA sample because she felt it was in the public interest.
He’ll now have to repay almost $20,000 for the cleanup bill. After he missed five work shifts and violated his bail conditions by leaving the country, it was seen as a serious disregard for the court’s orders. Actions like that left no room for leniency, and in the end he was sentenced to 5 months in prison. It came across as the natural result of repeated violations that only deepened the justice system’s lack of trust in him.
On Thursday, June 14th, James Todd appeared in the Melbourne Magistrate’s Court. The atmosphere in the courtroom was tense given the intense public attention surrounding the case. His lawyer argued that he should not be identified at first in order to allow more time to obtain full and accurate information about his autism spectrum diagnosis.
According to the defense, those details could be important for how his condition would be assessed moving forward. The lawyer also claimed that making his identity public could put him at risk while in custody. He emphasized that because of how high profile the case was, there was a real chance of hostility from other inmates.
On top of that, he argued that publicity could interfere with witness testimony since potential witnesses might be influenced by public reaction. The judge ruled that only Todd’s face would be protected from publication allowing partial restrictions on identification, but not full anonymity. It felt like a kind of compromise between keeping the court process open and addressing safety concerns.
No bail application was made, and he remained in custody, which really highlighted the seriousness of the situation and the lack of grounds for release at that stage. Despite previously denying any involvement in the murder of Eurydice Dixon, this afternoon 19-year-old James Todd pleaded guilty to four charges: murder, rape, attempted rape, and sexual assault.
The man who raped and murdered Melbourne woman Eurydice Dixon will return to court for a plea hearing today before he is sentenced. The court heard from psychologist who spoke in detail about his sexual sadism disorder trying to explain his behavior from a clinical professional perspective. Their conclusions were measured, careful, at but at the same time honestly deeply unsettling outlining a complex and dangerous psychological profile.
The courtroom fell into this heavy tense silence as these details were discussed because it wasn’t just about a diagnosis. It was about how it connected to real actions. Dr. David Thomas testified for the defense and stated that Todd posed a significant risk of reoffending. His assessment was precise and cautious in wording, but the message was clear.
He explained that this risk is tied to deep psychological mechanisms that don’t just disappear on their own. They require serious ongoing control. He also revealed that during an interview, James Todd admitted that the moment he entered the park, he already knew a sexual attack was going to happen. That statement sounded like a direct acknowledgement of intent, something formed even before everything began, and it left this chilling sense of inevitability about what followed.
Um he also said that I wasn’t sure I was going to strangle her until I actually started the attack. Um the court also heard that he had a sexual partner, and during consensual sex, he had strangled her, but stopped the moment she clearly told him to stop. The way this was presented in court was calm, almost controlled, but the tension in the room was obvious.
It immediately drew attention because it raised serious questions about control and awareness. The fact that he stopped as soon as she asked became a key detail, and both sides interpreted it very differently. Dr. Thomas noted that this happened at a very early stage in their relationship. He pointed out that there was no evidence Todd had been consuming the level of violent content at that time that he was later found to be watching in the months leading up to the crime.
According to him, that could suggest a different level of external influence back then and the absence of the escalation that would later become clear. Senior prosecutor Dr. Nanette Rogers argued the opposite. She said this incident actually showed that he understood strangulation could harm someone. She emphasized that this awareness existed long before the events of the case.
Her argument came across as reinforcing the idea that he knew exactly what he was doing and had control over his actions. His defense lawyer, barrister Tim Marsh, on the other hand, argued that Todd did not plan Eurydice’s murder before the attack began. He stressed that this wasn’t a premeditated act, but rather something that developed in the moment, something as he claimed that wasn’t prepared in advance.
The defense was clearly trying to shift how intent and responsibility would be viewed. James Todd’s girlfriend and female friends also testified saying that despite his difficult and dysfunctional childhood, he had always been kind and respectful toward women. They described him as someone who in everyday life didn’t show aggression, someone attentive and polite in how he treated others.
And his girlfriend said, “I thought James was a completely normal person. He always seemed pretty happy and well-adjusted.” Uh another friend added that James was open and easy to talk to even with strangers. She described him as someone who could just like step into a conversation without effort keeping it going, making people feel comfortable, coming across as genuine and approachable.
You could tell she was trying to show a different side of him, the one that at first glance didn’t raise any red flags or seem dangerous. People often came to him for advice, she said, and he knew how to apologize if he did something wrong. According to her, he seemed like someone who could admit mistakes and take responsibility, which honestly made everything that happened even harder to process.
That contrast between who he appeared to be in everyday life and what he actually did, it just felt deeply unsettling. Dr. Thomas and Dr. Ogloff disagreed on how much remorse James Todd actually felt. Their conclusions in court didn’t just differ in wording. The overall tone of how they assessed his state of mind was completely different. Dr.
um Thomas said that after being taken into custody, Todd gradually started to understand the harm he had caused. Over time, he showed signs of recognizing the consequences and reflecting at least to some extent on his actions. But Dr. Ogloff saw it very differently. He said that after the murder, Todd’s behavior was um extremely concerning.
He searched online for material related to sexual violence and even returned to the park, the very place connected to the crime. According to the expert, those actions raised serious doubts about whether any genuine remorse was there at all. During a conversation with Ogloff, Todd said he felt nothing. Just nothing.
Judge will consider a life sentence for the man who has pleaded guilty to murdering a sparring comedian Eurydice Dixon as James Todd’s plea hearing enters its second day. Eurydice’s sister, Polly, spoke in court with a voice that was controlled, but you could hear how broken she was underneath. She said that what James Todd did didn’t just take her sister’s life.
It shattered their entire family leaving behind a void that can never be filled. Her words carried this deep ongoing pain like something that doesn’t fade with time no matter what. She also said that since her sister’s murder, she’s been living with post-traumatic stress disorder. According to her, it comes with constant anxiety, intrusive memories, and this intense exhausting anger over what happened.
She made it clear those feelings don’t go away. They don’t get easier. They just keep bringing her back to that moment over and over again changing her life on a deep level. Eurydice’s boyfriend, Tony, also addressed the court. He said that after everything that happened, he would never be able to look at people the same way again. His entire sense of the world had changed.
Trust was gone and any feeling of safety had completely disappeared. His words were short, but you could feel the weight of them like pure exhaustion and emptiness. When delivering the sentence, Supreme Court Justice Stephen Kaye took into account the testimony of Professor Ogloff who had appeared for the prosecution. The judge noted that based on the expert evidence presented, James Todd had limited prospects for rehabilitation.
That assessment was grounded in an analysis of his behavior, his psychological condition, and the nature of the crime itself. Even though Todd was young, the judge specifically emphasized that there was not enough evidence to show that his sexual sadism disorder could be effectively treated.
The way it was said felt cold, clinical, but clear, leaving very little hope for change in the future and reinforcing just how dangerous he was considered to be. The justice disagrees with the 20-year-old’s lawyers that Todd’s autism spectrum disorder decreased his culpability, instead ruling the killer’s sexual sadism disorder was the dominant factor.
She was vulnerable and in the circumstances defenseless. In a most callous and cowardly manner, you set upon her. The sheer terror which Eurydice must have experienced during those dreadful moments is unimaginable. The offending by you was totally and categorically evil. Your conduct and your intentions and motivation struck at the very heart of the most basic values of a decent civilized society.
In his sentencing, which lasted nearly 2 hours and unfolded in this tense, almost suffocating courtroom atmosphere, Justice Stephen Kaye made it absolutely clear without hesitation that Todd’s actions were depraved and inhuman. He emphasized every word, calling them completely and unquestionably evil, cowardly, and openly sadistic.
There was this cold certainty in his voice, like a final judgment that couldn’t be argued with. At the same time, the judge noted that Todd’s upbringing could be considered a mitigating factor, pointing out that he had grown up in total neglect in an environment where the lack of care and supervision wasn’t the exception, it was the norm.
The court was also shown video footage of the house he lived in. Those images became a significant part of the case. What was seen on that recording was honestly hard to even call conditions. While reviewing it, Dr. Thomas said it was one of the most extreme environments he had ever seen in his entire professional career.
The way he said it was calm, measured, but it still made the level of neglect and chaos painfully clear, the kind of environment that shaped the person sitting there in court. The judge also stated that James Todd would pose a serious and ongoing threat to society if he were ever released. He stressed the high level of risk, making it clear this wasn’t just about what had already happened, but about the danger he could represent in the future.
It sounded less like a possibility and more like a warning. For destroying the life of an innocent woman, James Todd will spend the rest of his days rotting in a jail cell. The man who raped and murdered Melbourne woman Eurydice Dixon has been sentenced to life in jail. The 20-year-old showed no emotion as the sentence was handed down, life imprisonment with a non-parole period of 35 years.
In addition, he received 2 years for sexual assault, 11 years for rape, 7 years for attempted rape to be served concurrently. The numbers were read out in court in this flat emotionless tone, but behind them was the weight of crimes that can never be undone or erased. The sentence was delivered evenly, yet every word seemed to echo in the silence that filled the room.
It was the formal end of the process and at the same time, just another reminder of what had happened. The court’s decision doesn’t bring back what was lost, and it doesn’t take away the pain, but it does establish accountability clearly without any doubt. There was no sense of relief in that room, just this heavy awareness of an ending that doesn’t really feel like closure.
After the sentence was handed down, Eurydice’s father Jeremy spoke to the media. His appearance in front of the cameras was controlled, but you could feel the tension. He spoke slowly, carefully choosing his words, like each one carried a weight that couldn’t fully be expressed. His voice stayed steady, but underneath it you could feel everything he’d been through, the kind of pain that doesn’t go away, and the strength it takes just to speak about it out loud.
I am very glad this killer is off the streets. Uh what I wish for James Todd and what I believe Eurydice would wish is that he gets better uh and comes to a full realization Yeah, and realizes what he’s done. I extend my insincere sympathy for those who love him. Uh it’s a terrible tragedy all round. Uh Eurydice herself uh should be remembered as her friends will remember her for her wit and her courage and uh for her kindness, not not not not for her death.
While in prison, James Todd will undergo behavioral therapy and receive medication for his disorders. He’ll spend most of his time behind bars in protective custody because he’s at risk from other inmates. of the judge said James Todd will struggle behind bars. That’s right, Peter.
James Todd has already had conflict with at least one other prisoner. He has been put in isolation to stop him being targeted. James Todd filed an appeal against his sentence. In breaking news, the killer of Melbourne woman Eurydice Dixon has lost his appeal to reduce his life sentence. After weighing the relevant sentencing considerations, life imprisonment with a non-parole period of 35 years was within the range of options available to the sentencing judge.
We have described the applicant’s conduct as unspeakably loathsome and cruel in our written reasons. The sentence of life imprisonment was not disproportionate and was not imposed purely for the purposes of community protection. Given the applicant’s limited rehabilitation prospects and the seriousness of the offending, it was open to the sentencing judge to fix a non-parole period of 35 years.
After her death, new scholarships were created in her honor for emerging female stand-up comedians. It was a quiet but deeply meaningful gesture, like a way to keep her voice alive in a world where she still had so much left to say. The state government announced it just before the opening of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, an event that usually celebrates laughter and talent, but this time it carried a kind of quiet underlying grief.
The announcement came at a moment when the stage was preparing for laughter, but the memory of Eurydice had already changed what that laughter would sound like. Her name wasn’t mentioned as just a formality. It felt like a reminder of a talent taken far too soon and a story that can’t be forgotten. In a statement, Eurydice’s father Jeremy, along with her brother Christopher and sister Polly, said their words were measured but filled with both deep pain and pride at the same time, like every sentence took effort but also felt necessary just
to keep her memory alive. We hope these scholarships will continue into the future. Eurydice truly loved comedy. We also want to thank everyone who has shown support for Eurydice, expressed grief over her death, and spoken out about violence against women, an issue that mattered deeply to her as well. Festival director Susan Provan said that the first recipients of these grants are bold, sharp, and deeply committed women dedicated to their comedy careers, and driven by a genuine heartfelt love for humor.
According to her, this isn’t just support, it’s recognition. Recognition of those who, despite everything, keep stepping onto the stage, opening up in front of an audience, speaking honestly, sometimes painfully, but always from a real place. This scholarship is inspired by the potential and ambition of Eurydice Dixon, a beloved young comedian remembered by her friends as brilliant, fearless, and beautiful.
She wasn’t afraid to dive into difficult topics, to talk about things others stayed silent about, and she did it with a sharp sense of humor and quiet inner strength. Her laugh loud genuine was instantly recognizable. It could fill a room, ease the tension, and leave behind this warmth even after she had stepped off the stage.
Eurydice Dixon was like a bright light in Melbourne’s comedy scene. She stood out not just for her talent, but for her ability to see beyond the surface, to notice the details others missed. She’ll be remembered for her intelligence, her insight, her wit, for the way she could balance lightness with depth. The impact she left behind is not It’s not something you can measure.
You feel it in memories, in words, in that quiet moment after the laughter fades. And in a way, she’s still here. Um through these grants and through the young women in comedy whose lives they’ll change. In every performance, every bold joke, every step onto the stage, there’s a part of her story. Quiet, but still there, still inspiring.
Even after everything.
