WI v. Josie Dikeman: Deadly Home Homicide Trial – Image for illustrative purposes only (Image credits: Unsplash)
La Crosse, Wis. – Jurors in a western Wisconsin courtroom have begun weighing evidence in a case that has gripped the community with its details of alleged brutality against a young child. Josie Dikeman, 34, stands accused of first-degree intentional homicide in the February 2023 death of her boyfriend’s 6-year-old son, Alexavier “AJ” Pedrin. If convicted, she faces a possible life sentence. The trial, now in its fourth day as of May 4, 2026, has featured intense testimony revealing a troubled blended family dynamic.
The Circumstances of a Child’s Final Hours
A medical examiner determined that Alexavier died from blunt force trauma, with injuries including multiple bruises on his face, scalp, and neck, a torn liver, and brain swelling. Traces of Xanax appeared in his bloodstream, raising further questions about the events leading to his death. Prosecutors emphasized that Dikeman remained the only adult present in the home at the time. She called 911 on February 11, reporting that her son lay unresponsive on the ground and mentioning a bag of drugs nearby that he might have accessed.
Just weeks earlier, the boy had sought treatment for a fractured femur, prompting a doctor’s concerns over possible abuse. Online court records showed Dikeman’s unsuccessful bid to shift the trial from La Crosse County. These elements set the stage for a prosecution narrative centered on deliberate violence.
Prosecutors Outline a Pattern of Abuse
Opening statements from the state painted Dikeman as responsible for choking the child around the neck and striking his face, inflicting the fatal blunt force injuries. They highlighted the presence of Xanax and the absence of other adults during the critical period. Testimony revealed Dikeman exchanged over 100 texts with another man from evening until midnight on the day before the 911 call, even arranging a date for later.
Evidence included the child’s battered appearance and the timeline of events. The prosecution also noted Derek Pedrin, the boy’s father and Dikeman’s boyfriend, as a domestic abuser, though their focus stayed on her actions. This account aimed to establish intent and direct responsibility.
Defense Shifts Blame to the Father
Dikeman’s legal team countered with a stark accusation: Derek Pedrin inflicted the abuse and bore ultimate blame for his son’s death. They described him as terrorizing the household, with beatings captured on video and children fleeing to Dikeman’s room out of fear. Drunken rages allegedly left the kids trembling under his watch each night.
Pedrin took the stand multiple times, describing a blended family that included his two children from a prior relationship, Dikeman’s son, their two shared children, and another child with a different partner. He admitted struggling with alcohol, which fueled aggression toward Dikeman but not, he insisted, his own kids. Videos played for the jury showed heated arguments, including one where a child claimed Pedrin struck him. Pedrin acknowledged buying Xanax for Dikeman and violating a no-contact order by entering the home on February 10, where he found Alexavier vomiting before police arrested him.
Witness Accounts Add Layers to the Narrative
Deputy Joseph Kernin of the La Crosse County Sheriff’s Office testified about a welfare check on February 10. He recalled spotting what he believed was Pedrin in the home, despite restrictions, and observed Alexavier sleeping peacefully with only a minor, days-old eye injury. Body camera footage from that visit supported his observations, showing no signs of recent distress.
Pedrin returned to testify on Day 3, denying Xanax use before the death and expressing willingness to kill Dikeman if she escaped conviction. Recordings captured Dikeman consistently denying harm to the child during jailhouse calls arranged to aid investigators. He never witnessed her mistreating his children or depriving Alexavier of food.
What matters now: As the trial progresses, jurors must sift through conflicting accounts from family members and law enforcement to determine responsibility in a case marked by prior red flags like the femur fracture.
A Grandmother’s Enduring Grief
Cheryl Anderson, Alexavier’s grandmother, remembered her grandson as a joyful presence among his cousins, whom he treated like the three musketeers. “He was a typical little kid that just had fun,” she told WXOW. The loss has left a void, especially as she watches his cousins carry on without him.
Anderson’s words underscored the personal toll, evoking the innocence shattered in this saga. “It’s hard seeing my other grandsons without him… I’m just so sad what he went through.”
The trial continues to unfold, with both sides presenting a web of accusations and denials rooted in a chaotic home life. Whatever the verdict, the case exposes deep fractures in family bonds and the devastating consequences for the most vulnerable.
