IMPORTANT LEGAL NOTICE: This article discusses ongoing criminal proceedings. Alexander Dickey is charged with murder and other offenses but has not been convicted. He is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. This article discusses allegations, public court filings, and prosecutorial debates—not established facts. All individuals have the constitutional right to a fair trial by an impartial jury.
“He Executed Logan. I Want Him Dead.”
Those are the words of Stephen Federico, father of 22-year-old Logan Hailey Federico, who died from a gunshot wound during a home invasion in Columbia, South Carolina on May 3, 2025. Alexander Devonte Dickey, 30, stands accused of her murder. According to public records, Dickey had been arrested 40 times over the previous decade—racking up 25 felony charges—but had spent only 600 days in prison.
Legal Disclaimer: Alexander Dickey is presumed innocent until proven guilty. The following article discusses allegations, charges, and public court proceedings, but does not presume guilt. All individuals have the right to a fair trial.
“He should’ve been in jail for over 140 years,” Stephen Federico told Congress on September 29, 2025. “You know how much time he spent in prison? A little over 600 days in 10 years.”
Now, five months after Logan’s death, her case has erupted into a very public battle between South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson and Fifth Circuit Solicitor Byron Gipson over whether Dickey should face the death penalty—and the conflict has exposed deep fractures in South Carolina’s criminal justice system that allowed a career criminal to remain free long enough to kill an innocent young woman.
For attorneys across South Carolina, this case raises critical questions about prosecutorial discretion, death penalty procedures, criminal justice reform, and the accountability of elected prosecutors who fail to protect the public.
The Crime: A Multi-Day Rampage Ending in Murder
May 2-3, 2025: The Allegations
According to law enforcement affidavits, court documents, and charges filed against Alexander Dickey, prosecutors allege the following timeline:
Evening, May 2:
- Prosecutors allege Dickey fled a traffic stop by University of South Carolina police
- Allegedly smoked methamphetamine
- Wrecked his vehicle in a residential neighborhood near downtown Columbia
- Prosecutors allege he began burglarizing homes in the Five Points area
Early Morning, May 3 (approximately 3:00 AM):
- According to charges filed, Dickey allegedly broke into a home on Cypress Street, stealing keys, a shotgun, and other items
- He then allegedly entered the neighboring house where Logan Federico and her friend were sleeping after a night out
- Prosecutors allege he was armed with the stolen 12-gauge shotgun when he entered Logan’s bedroom
- According to witness statements referenced in court documents, Logan was found deceased from a gunshot wound
- Prosecutors allege Dickey stole her credit cards
May 3, Morning-Afternoon:
- Logan’s body was discovered at 11:14 AM by friends
- Prosecutors allege Dickey fled in a stolen vehicle
- According to charges, he allegedly went on a “shopping spree” using stolen credit and debit cards across the Midlands
- Allegedly burglarized multiple additional properties
- According to law enforcement, he allegedly set a home on fire in Gaston, South Carolina
- Barricaded himself inside the burning home
- Was arrested after being pulled from a window as the house burned
Logan Federico was a 22-year-old nursing student from Waxhaw, North Carolina, visiting friends who were University of South Carolina students and fraternity members. She was sleeping when Dickey murdered her.
The Criminal: 40 Arrests, 25 Felonies, 600 Days in Prison
Alexander Devonte Dickey, 30, has a criminal record spanning over a decade. According to public records and investigative reporting:
Arrest History:
- 40 total arrests dating back to 2014
- 25 felony charges
- 11 arrests in various jurisdictions across South Carolina
Convictions Include:
- Armed robbery
- Burglary (multiple counts)
- Grand larceny
- Theft
- Weapons charges
- Probation violations (repeated)
Time Served:
- Despite facing charges that should have resulted in well over 100 years of prison time, Dickey spent approximately 600 days total in prison over the 10-year period
Current Charges (Logan Federico Case):
- Murder
- Two counts of burglary
- Two counts of possession of a weapon during commission of a violent crime
- Possession of firearm by prohibited person
- Two counts of grand larceny
- Grand larceny of motor vehicle
- Three counts of financial transaction card theft
- Plus 23 additional charges in Lexington County, including arson
Dickey remains in jail without bond, awaiting trial.
The System Failure: How Did This Happen?
Investigative reporting by FITSNews and other South Carolina news outlets has revealed systemic failures that allowed Dickey to remain free despite his extensive criminal history:
1. CATCH System Failures
South Carolina’s “Citizens Access to Criminal Histories” (CATCH) system—a fingerprint-based database designed to track repeat offenders—failed to properly document Dickey’s arrests. Many of his charges were:
- Mislabeled
- Never entered into the system
- Recorded incorrectly, preventing repeat-offender sentencing enhancements
2. Plea Bargains and Sentence Reductions
Despite multiple violent felonies, Dickey repeatedly received:
- Reduced charges through plea agreements
- Probation instead of prison time
- Time-served sentences that released him back onto the streets
- Suspended sentences
3. Multi-Jurisdictional Confusion
Dickey’s 40 arrests occurred across multiple South Carolina counties. According to Solicitor Gipson, only one of Dickey’s previous arrests occurred in the Fifth Circuit (Richland and Kershaw counties), meaning most prosecutorial decisions about his prior offenses fell to other solicitors’ offices.
This jurisdictional fragmentation meant no single prosecutor had a complete picture of Dickey’s criminal history when making sentencing recommendations.
4. Failure to Trigger Repeat Offender Enhancements
South Carolina law provides for enhanced sentencing for repeat offenders. However, if the CATCH system doesn’t properly document prior convictions, prosecutors and judges may not know they’re dealing with a repeat offender—allowing defendants like Dickey to receive lighter sentences repeatedly.
The Father’s Plea: Congressional Testimony That Changed Everything
On September 29, 2025, Stephen Federico testified before the U.S. House Judiciary Subcommittee during a hearing in Charlotte, North Carolina on violent crime and repeat offenders.
His testimony was devastating:
“Think about your kids. Think about your child coming home from a night out with their friends, laying down, going to sleep, feeling somebody come in the room and wake them … forced on her knees, with her hands over her head, begging for her life.”
Federico’s key points:
- The system failed Logan through a “decade of cascading failures”
- Dickey should have been in prison for over 140 years based on his charges
- He actually served only 600 days across 10 years
- Prosecutors repeatedly offered lenient plea deals
- The CATCH system failures prevented proper sentencing
- “Soft-on-crime” policies put violent criminals back on the streets
Federico’s testimony concluded with a plea to lawmakers: “Stop protecting the people that keep taking our children from us.”
The hearing was broadcast nationally and sparked immediate action from South Carolina officials.
The Showdown: Attorney General vs. Solicitor
September 30, 2025: AG Wilson’s Letter
The day after Federico’s congressional testimony, Attorney General Alan Wilson sent a letter to Fifth Circuit Solicitor Byron Gipson demanding that Gipson seek the death penalty against Alexander Dickey.
Wilson’s letter argued:
- The case includes “clear statutory aggravating factors,” particularly that the murder occurred during a burglary
- Dickey’s extensive criminal history demonstrates he is “an appropriate candidate for the ultimate punishment”
- The brutality of the crime—shooting an unarmed young woman at point-blank range in her sleep—warrants capital punishment
- Deadline: October 10, 2025 for Gipson to declare his intentions
Wilson also warned that if Gipson was “unable to proceed,” the Attorney General’s Office was prepared to take over the prosecution.
October 1, 2025: Solicitor Gipson’s Response
Byron Gipson fired back immediately, calling Wilson’s deadline “reckless, irresponsible and unethical.”
Gipson’s response argued:
- Making a death penalty determination only four months into the case, without completing due diligence and evidence analysis, “would set a dangerous precedent”
- Key forensic evidence remains pending
- Most of Dickey’s 40 prior arrests occurred outside the Fifth Circuit’s jurisdiction, making prosecution of those offenses the responsibility of other solicitors
- The deadline is politically motivated rather than justice-focused
- Rushing the decision could jeopardize the case
Gipson notably did not commit to seeking the death penalty, stating only that his office would continue reviewing evidence.
October 2, 2025: AG Wilson Doubles Down
Wilson responded by assigning Melody Brown, chief of the Attorney General’s Capital & Collateral Litigation Section, to assist Gipson’s prosecution team.
Brown’s credentials are impressive:
- One of the most experienced death penalty prosecutors in South Carolina
- Worked on all six executions carried out in South Carolina since September 2024
- Decades of experience in capital cases
Wilson also announced his office would conduct a “full audit of the defendant’s criminal record and prior proceedings” to determine exactly how the system failed.
October 3, 2025: Congressional Intervention
U.S. Representative Nancy Mace escalated the conflict by writing to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, urging the U.S. Department of Justice to take over the case.
Mace’s letter argued:
- Under Executive Order 14164 (signed by President Trump), DOJ is directed to “pursue the death penalty for all crimes of a severity demanding its use”
- The case has sufficient federal jurisdiction due to:
- Dickey using stolen credit cards across state lines (Logan was from North Carolina)
- Interstate commerce implications
- Use of a firearm in a violent crime
- South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson “has never prosecuted a death penalty case” and may have “jeopardized the case’s standing”
- Fifth Circuit Solicitor Byron Gipson has reportedly told the family he will not pursue the death penalty
Mace stated: “The feds need to step in immediately and take over from Wilson and get this done correctly without prejudice or politicizing this young woman’s murder.”
Also on October 3: U.S. Representative Ralph Norman called for the impeachment of Solicitor Byron Gipson, citing “neglect of duty” regarding the Federico case.
October 4, 2025: Father Wants Federal Prosecution
Stephen Federico publicly stated he wants federal prosecutors to handle his daughter’s case, citing the state system’s failures and his belief that Gipson won’t pursue the death penalty.
“I haven’t heard a damn word from Byron Gipson in South Carolina,” Federico said. “Four months, no communication.”
Gipson’s office responded that they have maintained communication with the family “on numerous occasions,” including as recently as September 11, but that “the substance of those conversations will remain confidential.”
October 10, 2025: The Deadline
Tomorrow—October 10, 2025—is AG Wilson’s deadline for Solicitor Gipson to declare whether he will seek the death penalty.
As of this writing, Gipson has not made a public announcement of his decision.
The Legal Issues: What Attorneys Need to Know
This case raises critical questions across multiple practice areas:
1. Prosecutorial Discretion and Accountability
The Core Question: How much discretion should elected solicitors have in capital cases, and when should the Attorney General intervene?
- South Carolina law gives circuit solicitors primary responsibility for prosecuting crimes in their jurisdictions
- The Attorney General can intervene in certain circumstances, but the boundaries are not always clear
- This case tests whether public pressure, victim advocacy, and political considerations should influence prosecutorial decisions
Practice Implications:
- Criminal defense attorneys must understand how prosecutorial turf battles affect case strategy
- Victim advocates need to know when to escalate cases to higher authorities
- Government accountability lawyers should monitor whether elected prosecutors are serving the public interest
2. Death Penalty Procedures and Timelines
The Core Question: What is the appropriate timeline for making death penalty determinations?
- AG Wilson argues four months is sufficient time for this straightforward case
- Solicitor Gipson argues forensic evidence is still pending and rushing the decision could jeopardize the prosecution
- Defense attorneys will scrutinize any perceived irregularities in the decision-making process
Practice Implications:
- Death penalty cases require extensive preparation, investigation, and legal analysis
- Rushing the decision could create reversible error
- Political pressure should not drive prosecutorial timelines
3. Federal vs. State Jurisdiction
The Core Question: Should federal prosecutors take over high-profile state murder cases?
Rep. Mace’s argument for federal jurisdiction rests on:
- Interstate commerce (stolen credit cards from North Carolina victim)
- Federal firearms laws (possession by prohibited person)
- President Trump’s executive order prioritizing death penalty cases
Practice Implications:
- Federal death penalty cases have different procedures, standards, and potential penalties
- Federal prosecutors have more resources but may be less familiar with local circumstances
- Defendants may face both state and federal charges (though double jeopardy prevents conviction for the same act)
4. Systemic Criminal Justice Reform
The Core Question: How do we prevent repeat violent offenders from remaining free long enough to kill?
The Logan Federico case exposes:
- CATCH system failures
- Multi-jurisdictional coordination problems
- Plea bargain practices that prioritize efficiency over public safety
- Failure to trigger repeat offender enhancements
Practice Implications:
- Legislative reform is likely coming to South Carolina’s criminal justice system
- Attorneys should prepare clients for potential changes in sentencing practices
- Criminal defense lawyers may face more aggressive prosecution of repeat offenders
- Victim advocates have a window of opportunity to push for systemic improvements
5. Ethical Considerations for High-Profile Cases
This case demonstrates the tension between:
- Seeking justice for victims and their families
- Ensuring due process for defendants
- Avoiding politically-motivated prosecutorial decisions
- Maintaining professional relationships between prosecutors and elected officials
Attorneys must navigate ethical rules carefully when handling high-profile cases that generate intense public scrutiny and political pressure.
The Public Relations Battle
Beyond the legal arguments, this case has become a public relations war between:
- Attorney General Wilson (positioning himself as tough on crime, protective of victims)
- Solicitor Gipson (positioning himself as careful, ethical, not politically motivated)
- Rep. Nancy Mace (positioning herself as advocate for victims, federal intervention proponent)
- Stephen Federico (grieving father seeking justice and systemic accountability)
For attorneys handling high-profile criminal cases, managing online reputation and public perception becomes critical—especially when cases generate national media attention.
What Happens Next?
Immediate Timeline:
October 10, 2025 (Tomorrow): AG Wilson’s deadline for Solicitor Gipson’s decision
- If Gipson commits to seeking death penalty → Wilson’s office assists but Gipson maintains primary prosecutorial authority
- If Gipson refuses → AG Wilson may attempt to take over the case, triggering potential legal challenges
- If Gipson remains silent → Unprecedented conflict requiring judicial or legislative intervention
Potential Outcomes:
- Gipson seeks death penalty → Case proceeds under Fifth Circuit Solicitor’s Office with AG assistance
- Gipson refuses, AG takes over → Legal battle over prosecutorial authority, potential delays
- Federal prosecution → DOJ evaluates whether federal charges are appropriate
- Legislative intervention → South Carolina General Assembly may pass laws clarifying prosecutorial authority in capital cases
Long-Term Implications:
For South Carolina’s Criminal Justice System:
- CATCH system reforms to prevent database failures
- Stricter repeat offender sentencing enhancements
- Multi-jurisdictional coordination improvements
- Plea bargain restrictions for violent felonies
- Potential changes to solicitor election/retention processes
For Death Penalty Practice:
- Increased scrutiny of solicitors who avoid capital cases
- More AG intervention in high-profile murders
- Political pressure on elected prosecutors
- Victim advocacy influencing prosecutorial decisions
For Criminal Defense:
- More aggressive prosecution of repeat offenders
- Fewer lenient plea deals for violent crimes
- Enhanced sentences becoming more common
- Federal charges in cases previously handled at state level
Connecting to Broader Crisis: The Pattern Emerges
The Logan Federico case is not isolated. It’s part of a larger pattern of prosecutorial accountability issues in South Carolina that we’ve documented:
South Carolina’s Child Sex Crimes Crisis revealed Attorney General Wilson’s office dismissed 92.5% of child pornography cases in Dorchester County from 2019-2022. Now, in the Federico case, Wilson is demanding aggressive prosecution from a local solicitor while his own office faces scrutiny for lenient treatment of serious crimes.
The common thread: South Carolina’s fragmented prosecutorial system, with 16 circuit solicitors and one attorney general, creates accountability gaps where serious criminals fall through the cracks.
What Attorneys Should Do Now
1. Monitor the October 10 Deadline
Tomorrow’s decision by Solicitor Gipson will set precedent for future high-profile cases. Attorneys should:
- Watch for official announcements from both Wilson’s and Gipson’s offices
- Note how the decision affects their own capital cases
- Prepare for potential legislative changes
2. Review Death Penalty Procedures
Whether you practice criminal defense or victim advocacy, understanding South Carolina’s capital punishment procedures is now essential:
- Statutory aggravating factors (S.C. Code § 16-3-20)
- Death penalty qualification procedures
- Jury selection in capital cases
- Appellate procedures for death sentences
3. Understand Multi-Jurisdictional Issues
Dickey’s case demonstrates how criminals can exploit jurisdictional boundaries. Attorneys should:
- Coordinate with prosecutors in other circuits when clients have multi-county charges
- Understand how CATCH system failures affect sentencing
- Advise clients about repeat offender enhancements
4. Prepare for Criminal Justice Reform
When a case this high-profile exposes systemic failures, legislative action typically follows. Attorneys should:
- Join South Carolina Bar Criminal Law Section
- Attend legislative hearings on criminal justice reform
- Offer expert testimony on proposed changes
- Educate clients about potential legal changes
5. Navigate Ethical Challenges
High-profile cases create ethical minefields. Attorneys must:
- Avoid improper political pressure on prosecutorial decisions
- Maintain confidentiality even under intense public scrutiny
- Balance zealous advocacy with professional responsibility
- Resist media sensationalism while serving clients effectively
The Bottom Line
Logan Hailey Federico should be alive today. She should be finishing her nursing degree, planning her future, building her career. Instead, she’s dead—killed by a man who should have been in prison but was free because South Carolina’s criminal justice system failed spectacularly.
Her father’s words echo: “He should’ve been in jail for over 140 years. You know how much time he spent in prison? A little over 600 days in 10 years.”
Tomorrow, October 10, 2025, Solicitor Byron Gipson faces a deadline to decide whether Alexander Dickey should face the death penalty. But the real deadline—the one that matters most—has already passed. The system had a decade to stop Dickey before he killed Logan Federico. It failed.
For South Carolina attorneys, this case represents a watershed moment:
- Will elected prosecutors be held accountable for declining to seek appropriate sentences?
- Will the Attorney General’s intervention power be clarified and strengthened?
- Will the CATCH system be fixed to prevent repeat offender sentencing failures?
- Will plea bargain practices prioritize public safety over efficiency?
- Most importantly: Will South Carolina’s criminal justice system learn from this tragedy and prevent the next one?
The answers to these questions will shape legal practice in South Carolina for years to come. Attorneys who understand the implications of the Logan Federico case—and who advocate effectively for systemic reform—will help build a justice system that truly protects the innocent.
Logan Federico deserved better. South Carolina must do better.
About the Author
Jim Toppe is the founder of Toppe Consulting, a digital marketing agency specializing in law firms. He holds a Master of Science in Management from Clemson University and teaches Business Law at Greenville Technical College. Jim also serves as publisher and editor for South Carolina Manufacturing, a digital magazine. His unique background combines legal knowledge with digital marketing expertise to help attorneys grow their practices through compliant, results-driven strategies.
About This Article
This analysis was prepared by Toppe Consulting, a digital marketing firm specializing in helping South Carolina law firms communicate their expertise on critical legal issues. We understand that high-profile criminal cases require thoughtful, professional analysis that respects victims while examining systemic failures honestly.
If your practice involves criminal defense, victim advocacy, death penalty litigation, or criminal justice reform, ensuring your online presence reflects your expertise and values is essential. We help attorneys position themselves as trusted authorities on the issues that matter most to their communities.
Toppe Consulting
Digital Marketing for Legal Professionals
jim@toppeconsulting.com | toppeconsulting.com
(Based in Salem, SC—Serving South Carolina)
Works Cited
“Alexander Dickey, Man Charged with Killing Logan Federico, Appears in Court.” WLTX, www.wltx.com/article/news/local/suspect-logan-federico-killing-appears-in-court/101-58034967-c7a7-487a-b0bb-300262d2f5bc. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
“Congresswoman Nancy Mace Urges DOJ To Intervene In Logan Federico Murder Case After SC Attorney General Alan Wilson Jeopardizes Case.” Representative Nancy Mace Official Website, 3 Oct. 2025, mace.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-nancy-mace-urges-doj-intervene-logan-federico-murder-case-after. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
“Father of Slain 22-Year-Old Wants Federal Prosecutors to Handle Daughter’s Murder Case.” SC Daily Gazette, 2 Oct. 2025, scdailygazette.com/2025/10/02/father-of-slain-22-year-old-wants-federal-prosecutors-to-handle-daughters-murder-case/. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
“Logan Federico Murder: S.C. Attorney General, Solicitor Clash Over Death Penalty.” FITSNews, 2 Oct. 2025, www.fitsnews.com/2025/10/02/logan-federico-murder-s-c-attorney-general-solicitor-clash-over-death-penalty/. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
“Rep. Nancy Mace Demands Death Penalty for South Carolina Murder Suspect, Urging AG Bondi to Step In.” Fox News, 5 Oct. 2025, www.foxnews.com/media/rep-nancy-mace-demands-death-penalty-south-carolina-murder-suspect-urging-ag-bondi-step. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
“S.C. Attorney General Urges Death Penalty in Killing of Logan Federico.” CBS Austin, 2 Oct. 2025, cbsaustin.com/news/nation-world/sc-attorney-general-urges-death-penalty-in-killing-of-logan-federico-alexander-dickey-alan-wilson-byron-gipson-steve-federico. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
“SC AG Wants Death Penalty for Suspect in Logan Federico Case, Assigns Senior Attorney to Assist.” WIS News, 2 Oct. 2025, www.wistv.com/2025/10/02/sc-attorney-general-wants-death-penalty-suspect-logan-federico-case/. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
“South Carolina AG Demands Death Penalty Against Career Criminal Charged in College Student’s Murder.” Fox News, 2 Oct. 2025, www.foxnews.com/us/south-carolina-ag-demands-death-penalty-against-career-criminal-charged-college-students-murder. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
