The career criminal charged with killing a young aspiring teacher went on a ‘shopping spree’ with stolen credit cards after shooting her dead.
Alexander Dickey, 30, was arrested on May 4 after going on a violent rampage that included theft, grand larceny, arson and murder.
Police said Dickey kicked off his crime spree by breaking into a home on Cypress Street in Columbia, South Carolina, and killing 22-year-old Logan Federico.
The beautiful college student was found dead in her friend’s home after visiting from Waxhaw, North Carolina, for the weekend.
Federico and her friends were out the night before on May 2 and returned home to Cypress Street before 3:00 a.m., according to the Columbia Police Department.
Dickey allegedly first broke into another home on the residential neighborhood street and stole several items, including a gun, which cops say he used to shoot Federico in the chest as he broke into her friend’s home shortly after.
He stole wallets and credit cards from the scene and then fled in a stolen car, investigators claim. It’s unclear if he stole Federico’s cards or used them.
‘Dickey drives away in the stolen vehicle to West Columbia and goes on (what’s best described as) a shopping spree with the stolen credit and debit cards at several stores,’ said Columbia Police.
‘Dickey then drives to Saluda County and attempts to make additional fraudulent purchases. The stolen vehicle will not start, leaving Dickey seemingly stranded.’
A multi-agency manhunt including the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), the Columbia Police Department and the Lexington County Sheriff’s Office was launched to track down the alleged killer.
Dickey was not caught for almost two days after Federico’s body was found, until he was caught setting fire to another home in Gaston, during the evening of May 4.
He allegedly forced his way into the home before a tense standoff with cops outside the home led him to set the property on fire.
Authorities said Dickey is known as a repeat violent offender with past convictions, including for assault, and now faces a slew of charges, including murder and robbery, related to his alleged multi-day spree.
Dickey was initially hospitalized after the house fire before he was booked into the Lexington County Detention Center.
He is scheduled to appear at the Columbia Municipal Court at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday for a bond hearing, reported WIS.
Tributes poured in for Federico as she was identified as the victim of the home invasion shooting, with her father Steven holding a heartbreaking press conference.
As he fought back tears, he said: ‘I am Logan Federico’s father, better known as dad or her hero. Unfortunately, that day, I could not be her hero.’
He described his daughter as a hard-working and loving 22-year-old who supported her education by working two jobs.
‘She will live on forever, maybe not physically; she will touch people and protect over people,’ he said.
‘Somehow she will have a huge, huge decision about what kids life and looking over them. She became goal-oriented and worked hard.’
Federico’s family launched a GoFundMe to help raise money to cover funeral expenses.
‘She was taken from us far too soon, but not without leaving a legacy of laughter, light, and love,’ the fundraiser said.
‘A big personality in every room, Logan was fun, fierce, and full of heart—just like her favorite Taylor Swift anthem, “22” (which she insisted was written just for her).
‘Logan may be gone, but her spirit—bold, brilliant, and unforgettable—will always live on.’