A 22-year-old college student from North Carolina tragically lost her life when a man intruded into her friend’s residence in South Carolina, stole multiple credit cards, and fatally shot her in the chest over the weekend.
During a press briefing on Monday, Columbia Police Chief Skip Holbrook labeled the incident as a “random” act of violence. The alleged perpetrator, 30-year-old Alexander Dickey, was characterized as a “repeat offender.”
Logan Federico, a young woman aspiring to become a teacher, had been in Columbia, South Carolina, visiting friends and was lodging at a residence on Cypress Street from the evening of May 2 until the morning of May 3.
Early on Saturday, Dickey drove a stolen vehicle into the neighborhood and parked the car on Cypress Street, seemingly at random, according to Columbia police. He allegedly broke into one home and stole the keys to another vehicle and a firearm. He then broke into the home where Federico was staying, police said.
He also shared a message from his daughter to Dickey. “You can’t kill my spirit,” he said.
Stephen Federico holds a photo of his daughter during a May 5 press conference. (Columbia PD)
Dickey is charged with murder, two counts of first-degree burglary, two counts of possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime, possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, two counts of grand larceny, grand larceny of a motor vehicle, three counts of financial transaction card theft.
“Dickey…he’s a criminal,” Holbrook said.
“He deserves to be in jail for the rest of his life.”
Court records show Dickey was involved in 40 criminal and traffic cases between 2013 and the present. He has convictions for breaking and entering, burglary, grand larceny, strong-arm robbery, possession of a stolen vehicle, resisting arrest and more.
The Columbia Police Department said it is “grateful for the outstanding partnership between the Richland County Coroner’s Office, the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, and our City of Columbia team. Because of our joint efforts, a suspect has been identified and apprehended.” (Columbia PD)
His most recent conviction for resisting arrest resulted in a 30-day prison sentence.
“Our deepest condolences go out to the Federico family and all who knew and loved her. No words can ease the pain of their loss, but we stand with them in support and sorrow,” Columbia police said in a Monday statement. “This case highlights the strength of collaboration. We are grateful for the outstanding partnership between the Richland County Coroner’s Office, the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, and our City of Columbia team. Because of our joint efforts, a suspect has been identified and apprehended.”
“We remain committed to pursuing justice and supporting Logan’s family every step of the way,” the department added.
