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Eyewitness News Reporter Leo Stallworth had an exclusive interview with Christina Burmeister's mother after the death sentence recommendation was announced.
Last week a Pomona jury convicted James Dixon of first-degree murder. Thursday, that same jury recommended he be sentenced to death.
For the family of 20-year-old Christina Burmeister, it's the only fitting punishment for Dixon, who was convicted of slashing Burmeister's throat after robbing and kidnapping her more than six years ago.
"It was true punishment for the crime that he committed," said Rosalie Burmeister, Christina's mother. "The loss of our daughter was a brutal, brutal murder -- the manner in which he murdered her, I should say. The loss was tremendous; we will never recover completely. We have recovered some, we are continuing our life, but that was a life that should not have been lost at that age. At any age."
Dixon's wife, Markeisha Dixon, and a third accomplice, Henry Singer, were both convicted and sentenced to life in prison for their part in the murder of the CalPoly Pomona student.
Prosecutors made James Dixon's trial a death-penalty case because they say after he and the others kidnapped Christina Burmeister near a Pomona fraternity house and robbed her in 2001, it was Dixon who used a knife to slash her throat and leave her body and her truck in Azusa Canyon.
Stephen Atchinson was Christina's boyfriend at the time of her death.
"It's been a nightmare," said Atchinson. "And I'm glad justice is finally being served."
Rosalie Burmeister says that if the good lord would spare her just a few seconds to speak with her daughter, she would say these words:
"Love you and can't wait to see you again. That's all I can say. I just want to see her again. I miss her and I love her. That's what I miss the most about her, was the love that she gave us back," said Rosalie Burmeister.
While Rosalie Burmeister said justice was served Thursday, there is still a lot of pain in her family.
