Aiken County Woman Arrested in Murder for Hire Plot

COLUMBIA, SC—United States Attorney W. Walter Wilkins stated today that Judy W. Dickson, age 42, of Salley, South Carolina, was arrested today on a federal Complaint for allegedly hiring a man to murder her estranged husband and his son.

According to an FBI Agent’s affidavit filed in federal court, Ms. Dickson allegedly agreed to pay a man $10,000.00 plus expenses to burn the Shallote, North Carolina, home of her estranged husband, Raymon Dickson, and his son, Ryan “Bugaboo” Dickson, while they slept inside. The man told Ms. Dickson he would carry out the plan, but instead alerted Raymon Dickson and the FBI.

An arrest warrant was issued yesterday by United States Magistrate Judge Robert L. Buchanan, Jr., of Aiken, and Ms. Dickson was taken into custody this morning by the FBI and the Salley Police Department. Bond was set at $250,000.00 during her initial appearance in federal court in Columbia today. Ms. Dickson remains in custody. She faces a maximum possible sentence of ten years imprisonment and a $250,000.00 fine.

Mr. Wilkins stated that the case was investigated by agents of the FBI and that he has assigned the case to Assistant United States Attorney Robert C. Jendron, Jr., of the Columbia office for prosecution.

The United States Attorney stated that the charge in the Complaint is merely an accusation, and that all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.