Information on the current state of the South Carolina death penalty and a spotlight on the developing case of the murder of Logan Federico.
By Gabriela Griggs
Staff Writer
South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson has recently called upon his office to urge the death penalty be given to Alexander Dickey, a man accused in the murder of 22-year-old Logan Federico during May of this year.
At around 3 in the morning on May 3, North Carolina native Logan Federico was fatally shot by Dickey. Authorities claim he fled shortly after from the residence of a friend of Frederico’s.
AG Wilson, in a letter written to Fifth Circuit Solicitor Byron Gipson in charge of the case, said he believed Dickey to be past the point of rehabilitation.
“This case includes charges that qualify as statutory aggravating factors, including that a murder was committed while in the commission of burglary in the first degree. A review of Mr. Dickey’s prior criminal history of numerous convictions since 2014 reveals an individual that has failed to be rehabilitated by prior incarcerations or prohibition supervision.”
Public records show that Dickey has been frequently committing crimes throughout the past ten years. Currently, he has around 25 felony counts and 40 charges. His record shows counts and arrests for arson, robbery, and burglary, amongst others. Wilson says this history is proof that he is a candidate fit for the death penalty.
“[Dickey’s] past history, as well as his current violent crime charges show an appropriate candidate for the ultimate punishment,” Wilson said.
Federico’s father, Steve Federico, has also spoken out criticizing the South Carolina criminal justice system’s treatment and communication of this case. Federico spoke before a House Judiciary Subcommittee in Charlotte on September 29.
“[Dickey] should’ve been in jail for over 140 years for all the crimes he committed,” Federico said. “[Dickey] was committing 2.65 crimes a year since he was fifteen years old, but nobody could figure out that he couldn’t be rehabilitated. I haven’t heard a damn word from Byron Gibson in South Carolina. Not one word. Four months, no communication… how pathetic is that?”
In response to Federico’s testimony, Gibson’s office claimed that they have been maintaining consistent communication with the family, even citing a recent phone call that occurred on September 11.
“This office is committed to regular communication with the Federico family throughout the pendency of this case,” Gibson’s office said.
Following their response, Gibson also wrote back to General Wilson about his process in the case. Gibson said his office was still reviewing the evidence of the case and that they were not ethically in a position to confirm or deny whether they’d seek the death penalty yet.
“The decision to seek the Death Penalty in any case should not, cannot, and will not be taken lightly,” Gibson said. “It would be reckless, irresponsible, and unethical for my office to make this decision without first having conducted a comprehensive review of all evidence in this case. To make such a determination a mere four months into the case, without investing the due diligence necessary to conduct a thorough analysis of all facets of the evidence, would set a dangerous precedent. In the meantime, Mr. Dickey remains in pre-trial confinement without bond, where he will stay until this case is resolved.”
The original letter from General Wilson gave Gibson and his office until Oct. 10 to publicly decide whether or not to pursue the death penalty for Dickey, but that deadline has since been negated by Gibson.
The murder of Logan Federico, and especially the treatment of the case by the South Carolina Justice System, has brought forth further national attention, like House representative Nancy Mace (S.C.) said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“What happened to Logan Federico right here in South Carolina was not random, it was the deadly consequence of weak-on-crime leadership,” Mace said. “She was just 22 when a repeat criminal with nearly 40 arrests and 25 felonies dragged her out of bed and executed her in cold blood. This monster should have been behind bars. Instead, South Carolina families are paying the price for a justice system who protects criminals and betrays victims. South Carolina will not be a safe haven for predators. Logan’s father is right, this revolving-door ‘justice’ system is a disgrace, and we will fight until it ends.”
As of 2025, South Carolina currently has 24 men on death row, with the oldest sentence dating back to 1989 and the most recent dating 2019. None of these inmates currently have any planned execution dates.
South Carolina has continuously been facing national attention for its death penalty practices, having executed the first person by firing squad in the United States since 2010 during March of this year. It is one of only five states that currently utilize firing squads as a legalized death penalty, alongside Mississippi, Utah, Oklahoma, and upcoming, Idaho, as of July 2026.
The case of Logan Federico has brought upon high waves of criticism towards the South Carolina justice system, particularly in how it appears to leniently charge and treat repeat offenders. It’s especially timely too considering the fatal light rail stabbing of Iryna Zarutska in Charlotte last month, a case that is also receiving national attention due to the perpetrators extensive criminal record.
While there is no current verdict on Dickey’s sentence, Federico’s father and General Wilson continue to promote the death penalty for this case.
“You will not forget her, I promise you,” Federico said. “You will be sick and tired of my face and my voice until this gets fixed. I will fight until my last breath for my daughter. You need to fight for the rest of our children, the rest of the innocents, and stop protecting the people that keep taking them from us. Please – you have the power.”
