The father of a college student killed during a home invasion earlier this year appeared at a congressional hearing in Charlotte on Monday, lambasting lawmakers for his daughter's 'preventable death' at the hands of a career criminal who, according to the grieving parent, was out on the street rather than in jail.
Father seeks justice and rehabilitation for his slain daughter.
Stephen Federico, the father of 22-year-old Logan Haley Federico, an aspiring teacher from Waxhaw, North Carolina, spoke to senators at a congressional hearing on the topic of repeat offenders and the criminal justice system.
‘How many of y’all have kids?’ The emotional dad asked addressing lawmakers. ‘When I tell you this story… think about your child.’
Logan Federico was shot and killed during a violent home invasion in Columbia, South Carolina in May. The suspect, Alexander Devonte Dickey, is a 30-year-old convicted felon with an extensive criminal history — 39 arrests and 25 felony charges. He was still on the streets the night Logan was killed the parent reminded lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, Republicans and Democrats.
Stated the visibly emotional father according to qcnews, ‘Think about your child coming home from a night out with friends, lying down, going to sleep, feeling somebody come into the room…and wake them. And drag her out of bed. Naked. Forced on her knees. With her hands over her head. Begging for her life. Begging for her hero. Her father. Me. That couldn’t be there.’
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A death that could’ve been prevented
Logan, who stood just 5 feet, 3 inches, and weighed 115 pounds, was shot and killed. Police said Dickey broke into multiple homes, stole from his victims, and went on a shopping spree using stolen credit cards before being arrested after a manhunt.
Federico pointed blame at a justice system that, in his eyes, failed his daughter and many others.
‘There is only one thing that would have kept my daughter alive, and that is putting a career criminal in prison,’ Stephen Federico told lawmakers.
‘He should have been in jail for over 140 years for all of the crimes he committed. You know how much time he spent in prison? A little over 600 days in ten years. He’s only 30 years old,’ Federico said. ‘He was committing 2.65 crimes a year since he was 15 years old. But nobody could figure out that he couldn’t be rehabilitated. Well, you’d have to put him in prison to see if he could be rehabilitated. Isn’t that the idea of prison? But no.’
Logan had just discovered her dream, to become a teacher, weeks before her death the father told lawmakers.
‘She finally figured it out,’ he said. ‘Two weeks before she was executed.’
The hearing, held by the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance, was meant to tackle the growing concerns over violent crime and repeat offenders. But instead of unity, it was marked by political division.
Democrats called for more funding for local prosecutors, saying understaffed offices are overwhelmed and can’t keep up with the case load. Republicans blamed lenient policies and judges, arguing that it’s not about money, but accountability.
Federico admonished lawmakers, blaming them for inadequate policies and inaction that led to the abrupt end of his 22 year old daughter’s life at the hands of a system that failed to protect her.
A GoFundMe has raised just on $45,000 to support the Federico family as they navigate their loss.
