The distraught father of a 22-year-old aspiring trainer murdered by a “profession felony” whereas visiting buddies on the College of South Carolina scolded lawmakers on Monday for the lax crime insurance policies that allowed her killer to stay free.
Stephen Federico delivered a uncooked, gut-wrenching tackle throughout a congressional listening to in Charlotte geared toward tackling rising considerations over violent crime and repeat offenders — talking simply weeks after the high-profile homicide of Ukrainian nationwide Iryna Zarutska.
Rigidity was already excessive earlier than the grief-stricken father addressed the committee, after Democratic North Carolina Rep. Deborah Ross mistakenly pointed to a photograph of his daughter, figuring out it as Zarutska.
“That is my daughter, okay? That is Logan Federico,” he chastised Ross. “How dare you not know her.”
Ross repeatedly apologized for the error earlier than the listening to continued.
“What number of of y’all have youngsters?” the grieving father sternly requested the committee. “Right here’s what I would like you to do. After I inform you this story… take into consideration your youngster.”
His daughter, Logan Federico, was fatally shot on Could 3 whereas visiting buddies at USC in Columbia, South Carolina, after 30-year-old “profession felony” Alexander Dickey broke into the Cypress Road dwelling.
“Take into consideration your youngster coming dwelling from an evening out with buddies, mendacity down, going to sleep, feeling anyone come into the room…and wake them. And drag her away from bed. Bare. Compelled on her knees. Together with her fingers over her head. Begging for her life. Begging for her hero. Her father. Me. That couldn’t be there,” Federico mentioned whereas combating again tears and anger.
“She was 5-foot-3. She weighed 115 lbs… BANG!” he shouted on the members of the committee.
“Useless. Gone. Why? As a result of Alexander Devonte Dickey — who was arrested 39 goddam instances, 25 felonies — was on the road.
Dickey had an extended document of break-ins and went on a bank card spending spree after taking pictures Logan, earlier than being taken into custody.
Federico blasted the justice system for its failure to guard not solely his daughter but in addition numerous others.
“He ought to have been in jail for over 140 years for the entire crimes he dedicated. You understand how a lot time he spent in jail? A little bit over 600 days in ten years. He’s solely 30 years outdated,” Federico mentioned.
“He was committing 2.65 crimes a 12 months since he was 15 years outdated. However no one might determine that he couldn’t be rehabilitated. Properly, you’d should put him in jail to see if he might be rehabilitated. Isn’t that the thought of jail? However no.”
The heartbroken father vowed to maintain combating.
“I’ll combat till my final breath for my daughter. I’m not going to be quiet till anyone helps. Logan deserves to be heard. Everybody on this panel deserves to be heard. And we’ll. Belief me,” he vowed.
“You will have the ability. We put you into energy to do what it’s a must to do. We’re asking you, we’re begging you all to cease this.”
Information present Dickey confronted practically 40 fees since 2013, however was sentenced in solely eight instances, involving theft, drug possession, and larceny.
In 2023, Dickey pleaded responsible to third-degree housebreaking, receiving a five-year sentence with over 410 days credited and had his probation shortened “for compliance.”
Within the early morning of Could 3, Dickey drove a stolen automobile into the neighborhood and parked on Cypress Road, apparently at random, in keeping with Columbia police.
He then allegedly broke into one dwelling, stealing automotive keys and a firearm, earlier than coming into the home the place Federico was staying, the place he allegedly executed her.
Round 4 p.m. on Could 4, a Gaston resident reported seeing a person — later recognized as Dickey — emerge from the woods and steal a automotive. He crashed the automobile shortly after, then fled on foot to the identical Gaston dwelling regulation enforcement had visited the day prior to this, the place he pressured his means inside.
Authorities surrounded the residence and ordered him to emerge, at which level Dickey allegedly tried to set hearth to the house. Lexington County Sheriff’s Workplace deputies detained him on the residence.
Dickey is charged with homicide, two counts of first-degree housebreaking, two counts of possession of a weapon through the fee of a violent crime, possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, two counts of grand larceny, grand larceny of a motorized vehicle, and three counts of economic transaction card theft.
He faces life in jail for the costs filed in opposition to him.
with Publish wires
