Summary
A tragic case of domestic violence unfolds with the story of Dawn Marie Pappin, who was murdered by her husband, David Viennes, in October 2009. Dawn, a vibrant woman who had recently moved to California, was reported missing after failing to contact her family and friends. Her husband, David, initially claimed she had left him and was off with friends, but his behavior raised suspicions among those close to her. Friends noted signs of domestic abuse, including instances where Dawn had visible injuries.
As the investigation progressed, David's story changed multiple times, and he ultimately confessed to killing Dawn during a violent altercation. He claimed he had taped her up and left her to die, later admitting to disposing of her body in a dumpster behind the restaurant he managed. Despite his attempts to downplay the incident as an accident, the evidence pointed towards a premeditated act of violence. In 2012, he was found guilty of second-degree murder and sentenced to 15 years to life in prison.
Dawn's remains have never been recovered, and her family continues to seek justice for her. The case highlights the critical warning signs of domestic violence, particularly the dangers of strangulation, which significantly increases the risk of homicide. The National Domestic Violence Hotline remains available for those in need of support, emphasizing that victims are not alone in their struggles.
Show Notes
If you or someone you love is being hurt by a partner, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or text START to 88788
In October 2009, Dawn "Pixie" Viens vanished from Lomita, California. She was 39, the hostess at Thyme Contemporary Cafe, the restaurant she ran with her husband, chef David Viens. He told everyone she walked out after a fight. But her Jeep never left the lot, she never picked up the money she'd been saving with a friend, and a text from her phone spelled her own nickname wrong.
Ashley and Ricky tell Dawn's story, from her childhood in Burlington, Vermont, and her years on Anna Maria Island, Florida, to the friends and family who refused to accept that she just left. We cover the missing person case, the Daily Breeze reporting that kept her name in the news, David Viens's 2011 jump from a cliff in Rancho Palos Verdes, his hospital confession, the 2012 murder trial, and his parole hearings through 2026. Dawn's remains have never been found.
Content warning: domestic violence and descriptions of what was done to Dawn's body.
If you or someone you love is being hurt by a partner, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or text START to 88788
Thanks to our sponsors:
CASH APP: Download Cash App today and make your money work for you. Click here to get started: https://capl.onelink.me/vFut/lz1ykcyo #CashAppPartner
Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App’s bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. Cash App Visa® Debit Flex Cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC, and The Bancorp Bank, N.A., pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. See terms and conditions for the Sutton prepaid card (https://cash.app/legal/us/en-us/card-agreement), Sutton debit flex card (https://cash.app/legal/us/en-us/debit-flex-card-agreement-sutton), and Bancorp debit flex card (https://cash.app/legal/us/en-us/debit-flex-card-agreement-bancorp). Discounts and promotions provided by Cash App, a Block, Inc. brand. Visit cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures.
PRIMAL QUEEN: Our listeners get a FREE MONTH of Primal Queen plus FOUR FREE GIFTS at PrimalQueen.com/CRIMESALAD. #ad
Keywords: Dawn Viens, Dawn Papin Viens, David Viens, Lomita, Thyme Contemporary Cafe, chef who cooked his wife, Rancho Palos Verdes cliff
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
More from Crime Salad
On September 30th, 2026, Tennessee gave Christa Pike two full doses of pentobarbital. She lived.
As Halloween approaches and the leaves change, we're revisiting one of the most controversial and notorious haunted attractions out there: McKamey Manor. Known as the most extreme haunted house experience, McKamey Manor has been pushing the boundaries of fear since 2001. It started as a backyard haunt in a quiet San Diego neighborhood, with the classic jump scares and eerie sounds we all expect. Over time, it transformed into something much darker: a psychological endurance test designed to push people to their limits, both mentally and physically.
In the early 1990s, the transitioning industrial town of Middletown, New York, became the hunting ground for a ruthless killer. It started with a horrific discovery along abandoned railroad tracks and quickly escalated into a string of brutal murders that paralyzed the Hudson Valley.
This week on Crime Salad, Ashley takes the mic solo to break down what authorities are calling one of the most disturbing cases in Philadelphia history. What started as a routine traffic stop involving 44-year-old Eugene Horsch near Independence Mall in June 2026 quickly unraveled a decade-long nightmare centered around a fortified rowhouse at 417 West Chew Avenue in the Olney neighborhood.
On the evening of June 9, 1995, a little league baseball game in Alma, Arkansas, provided the perfect cover for a predator. In the short time it took to catch fireflies with friends, six-year-old Morgan Nick vanished from the parking lot. What followed was a 29-year nightmare for her family, decades of missed clues, and a relentless hunt for justice that finally resulted in a massive forensic DNA breakthrough in 2024.