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by JENN WOOD
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Stephen Federico remembers the call that shattered his family’s world.
His 22-year-old daughter, Logan Hailey Federico, had been shot and killed inside a rental home near the University of South Carolina campus in Columbia, S.C. She wasn’t in danger, wasn’t engaged in crime — she was simply visiting friends when, according to police, 30-year-old Alexander Devonte Dickey broke into the Cypress Street residence and fatally shot her in the chest during a burglary spree.
Four months later, Federico’s grief has become a mission. He is demanding accountability for what he calls a “preventable” killing — urging federal prosecutors to take the case, pursue the death penalty and expose the systemic failures that allowed a repeat offender with nearly 40 arrests to remain free.
“This wasn’t some guy that just went off the rails one night,” Federico told FITSNews. “This guy had a 10-year criminal history. The system failed. It failed Logan.”
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A CAREER CRIMINAL ON THE STREETS
Dickey’s record reads like a case study in South Carolina’s broken justice system. He had more than three dozen arrests, at least 25 felony charges, and multiple convictions (.pdf) — yet he repeatedly avoided lengthy prison sentences.
As FITSNews previously reported, many of his charges were mislabeled, pled down, or never properly entered into the state’s fingerprint-based South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) “Citizens Access to Criminal Histories,” or “CATCH” report system. In one pivotal 2014 burglary case, Dickey was sentenced as a first-time offender because prior convictions from other counties were missing from his official record. This mistake allowed him to avoid prison and remain on probation — resuming a cycle of arrests and releases that continued for a decade.
Federico says the officers who eventually tracked Dickey down after Logan’s murder didn’t need facial recognition to identify him — they recognized him immediately from prior arrests.
“They knew exactly who he was, where to find him, who his girlfriend was,” Federico said. “They’d arrested him before.”
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RELATED | ‘THE SYSTEM FAILED LOGAN’
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SILENCE FROM PROSECUTORS
In the days following Logan’s death, Federico and his family met briefly with S.C. fifth circuit solicitor Byron Gipson. Federico says Gipson acknowledged the case could qualify for the death penalty, but since that meeting on May 13, the family has heard nothing.
“We’ve been ghosted,” Federico said. “Not one update, not one iota of information, nothing. It’s like — get lost, Mr. Federico, this is our case, we’ll handle it how we want.”
That silence, Federico argues, is unacceptable in a case of this magnitude. He and his attorney are pushing for the matter to be moved under the Hobbs Act, allowing federal prosecutors — including U.S. attorney Bryan Stirling and deputy U.S. attorney general Todd Blanche — to take over. The Hobbs Act is a federal statute that allows prosecutors to pursue cases involving robbery, extortion, or violent crimes that affect interstate commerce. Because Dickey allegedly stole credit cards, vehicles and other property after Logan’s murder — and used those items across county lines — Federico believes her case qualifies.
A federal prosecution under the Hobbs Act would bring more experienced prosecutors, better resources and the possibility of seeking the federal death penalty – a decision which is not dependent on the views or discretion of a local solicitor.
“Logan’s murderer deserves the death penalty and (this case) checks every one of the boxes,” Federico said. “This should be a federally charged case. We shouldn’t leave it in the hands of people who don’t have the experience to handle it.”
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RELATED | SYSTEMIC FAILURES LED TO MURDER ON CHARLOTTE TRAIN
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A FATHER ON A MISSION
Since May, Federico has become one of the most vocal family advocates FITSNews has interviewed. He has appeared on multiple national media outlets – and pressed state lawmakers to address the systemic breakdowns that let violent offenders slip through the cracks.
His message centers on access — how Dickey accessed Logan, how he accessed a stolen shotgun, and how failures in record-keeping and supervision gave him access to freedom he should have long since lost.
But at the heart of Federico’s public crusade is his late daughter — a young woman he describes as a natural teacher, a loyal Swiftie, and a light in every room. Logan dreamed of finishing her degree at the College of Charleston and becoming an elementary school teacher. Federico still recalls small moments of devotion, like driving hours to deliver the boots she forgot before a night out in Charleston.
“She knew Daddy was there no matter what,” he said.
That bond fuels his relentless push for reform. He is advocating for stricter gun-owner liability laws, audits of solicitor’s offices, and a proposed “Logan’s Act” to ensure watchdog oversight of county justice systems. He and his family are also channeling grief into legacy projects: scholarships through South Piedmont Community College, benefit events, and advocacy efforts to make campuses and communities safer.
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“Logan and I had a special relationship,” Federico said. “She was blossoming as a 22-year-old. She wanted to be a mother, a wife, a teacher. She was just getting started. I can’t bring her back — but if I can keep this from happening to one more family, then maybe there’s purpose in all this pain.”
For Federico, the fight is not only about his daughter — it’s about preventing the next tragedy.
“It’s not about left or right,” he said. “It’s about right and wrong. If someone doesn’t do their job — if they don’t enter prints or fail to flag a repeat offense — people die. My daughter died.”
Until someone in power takes ownership, Federico says he will keep speaking out.
“I’ve got two full-time jobs now — my construction job and my job as Logan’s dad,” he said. “Somebody has to do it. Somebody has to make sure this never happens again.”
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
As a private investigator turned journalist, Jenn Wood brings a unique skill set to FITSNews as its research director. Known for her meticulous sourcing and victim-centered approach, she helps shape the newsroom’s most complex investigative stories while producing the FITSFiles and Cheer Incorporated podcasts. Jenn lives in South Carolina with her family, where her work continues to spotlight truth, accountability, and justice.
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5 comments
Dude is still in the throes of grief. He has lots of big ideas to ensure that this never happens again, but sure as the sun will rise in the morning, it WILL happen again. Another, somewhat better focused dad had the same idea in the 1980’s. His name was Ray Rossi, whose daughter Bobbi was brutally murdered in September of 1984. Ray tried fixing it through his organization, “CAVE”. I think Ray did achieve a measure of reform, but as this case and others before it proved, it did happen again. You cannot coat the whole world with styrofoam and expect that nobody will ever again die or suffer serious injury. It is just not possible or practical. It is kind of sad and shameful how Fits News goads these people whose minds are clouded with grief, onward in the belief that they will stop bad people from ever doing more bad tbings. People have been trying since time began and it hasn’t happened, yet.
I know the Rossi family and I believe it is a different issue that the Rossi family had than the father above in article.
The father in the article is upset as the justice system failed and did not do their job.
I believe that when people are in the throws of grief is a great time to brainstorm and get their ideas out.
I don’t think either father was trying to coat the whole world, they were trying to bringing awareness in the best way they know how.
I commend both of these families for doing something.
I feel so sorry for Mr. Federico and his family for the senseless loss of his beautiful daughter. The sad thing is like the comment above, the trend that solicitors, prosecutors and Dist. Attorney’s will continue to slap these monstrous animals on the wrist and turn them back out into society. Look at the RAP sheet of the low life illegal who raped and murdered Laken Riley in Georgia, same thing, keeps committing crimes and they turned him loose until he finally killed a beautiful young lady. Yet the sorry liberal D.A. decided that she DID NOT think he deserved the death penalty, so she took it off the table. Liberal prosecutors are the problem, yet if Mr. Federico took matters into his own hands and gave this Animal, Alexander Dovonte Dickey, the real vigilante justice he deserves, that same D.A. would be all about giving the death penalty to Mr. Federico. Simply said, the problem is all about liberal democratic Governors, Mayors, Senators, Congressmen, and prosecutors, vote them all out! I pray that God gives this family some peace, I cannot imagine the pain and heartbreak they are suffering, all because so many elected officials did not do their jobs.
The Fifth Circuit is a liberal cesspool. He is correct that Gipson is an inept buffoon who is more interested in protecting criminals than victims. Just go to the clerks office and look at the records of his plea agreements. And don’t let Sheriff napoleon syndrome fool you, he says one thing publicly but is right in step with Gipson as is the police chef.
Don’t forget Gipson and the judge he clerked for were the ones responsible for letting convicted murderer Jeriod Price out early before the Supreme Court ruled against them.