On Friday, November 6, 2026, the Federico family entered the Richland County Circuit Court in Columbia, South Carolina, hoping to hear the terms of a plea agreement from Alexander Devonte Dickey, who is accused of murdering the 22‑year‑old college student during a burglary in May 2025. Logan’s mother clutched a framed photograph of her daughter, wiping away tears as the family waited for the hearing to begin.
Technical glitch forces postponement
After roughly an hour of waiting, the courtroom was informed that the hearing would be rescheduled. The court cited “technical difficulties involving court reporting” and referenced a statewide shortage of court reporters as the cause of the delay. At approximately 9:53 a.m. EST, attorneys re‑entered the room, but the explanation offered did not clarify how the reporting issue directly impacted the hearing schedule.
Background on the case
According to police, Dickey broke into the Cypress Street home where Logan was staying while visiting friends on May 3, 2025, and fatally shot her. Logan, a graduate of Cuthbertson High School in Waxhaw, North Carolina, planned to attend the College of Charleston and become an elementary school teacher. In the months following her death, her father has publicly demanded accountability for what he sees as systemic failures that allowed Dickey to remain free despite prior encounters with the criminal‑justice system.
FITSNews previously reported that missing convictions and inaccurate criminal‑history information led to Dickey receiving a first‑time‑offender sentence for a prior burglary because records from other counties were not reflected in his official file. The father took his concerns to Congress in September 2025, urging lawmakers to address incomplete criminal records and the repeated release of offenders. He also pressed prosecutors to seek the death penalty in his daughter’s case.
Prosecutorial dispute
The case has become a flashpoint between Fifth Circuit Solicitor Byron Gipson and South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson. Wilson urged Gipson to pursue a capital sentence, while Gipson said his office needed to complete a thorough review of the evidence before making a sentencing recommendation. On November 5, Gipson confirmed to FITSNews that Dickey had agreed to a plea deal, though the specific charges and any sentencing recommendation were not disclosed.
Family’s continued wait for justice
During the brief delay, an assistant solicitor spoke with the Federico family before escorting them out of the courtroom. After returning, the family briefly embraced Columbia Police Chief Skip Holbrook before leaving again. The postponement extends a wait for justice that began eighteen months ago and has already involved a public debate over how the case should be prosecuted.
FITSNews will continue to seek court records and additional information about the circumstances surrounding the Friday postponement, including through public‑records requests. The hearing has been “rescheduled to a later date,” but no new date has been set.
Impact on the community
The Federico family’s ordeal underscores broader concerns in South Carolina about the accuracy of criminal‑history databases and the availability of qualified court reporters. Local advocates for victims’ rights have called for reforms to ensure that repeat offenders cannot slip through the cracks due to administrative errors. As the case moves forward, the community remains attentive to how the justice system addresses these systemic challenges while seeking closure for Logan’s loved ones.
Original reporting: FITSNews — read the source article.
