A grieving North Carolina father delivered an emotional plea to lawmakers this week, urging them to strengthen penalties for repeat offenders after his daughter was brutally murdered by a man with a long criminal record. His testimony, alongside that of another bereaved family member, shined a harsh light on how gaps in the justice system continue to enable career criminals to victimize communities again and again.
The hearing, held by the House Judiciary Committee in Charlotte, was convened to address concerns over violent crime and the failures of the judicial process. It followed a series of shocking incidents in the state, including the Charlotte light rail stabbing last month that claimed the life of a 23-year-old woman.
A Father’s Anguish
Stephen Federico’s daughter, Logan, was just 22 years old when her life was cut short in Columbia, South Carolina. According to authorities, the suspect, 27-year-old Alexander Dickey, broke into the home where Logan was visiting friends, robbed the group, and then fatally shot her in the chest.
For Federico, the tragedy was compounded by the realization that Dickey had an extensive rap sheet. Court records revealed more than two dozen felonies in South Carolina alone. Despite repeated arrests for serious crimes such as burglary, he was allowed back on the streets.
Speaking before lawmakers, Federico shared his devastation and anger: “I will fight until my last breath for my daughter. You need to fight for the rest of our children, the rest of the innocents, and stop protecting the people that keep taking them from us, please.”
A Record of Repeat Offenses
Dickey’s criminal history paints a troubling picture of systemic breakdowns. Prosecutors noted he had previously been charged with first-degree burglary, an offense that carries a minimum 15-year sentence. Yet in 2023, he pleaded guilty to a lesser charge as a so-called “first-time offender.”
Investigations later revealed that part of the problem lay in incomplete records — Dickey’s fingerprints had not been properly entered into the system, leading to an inaccurate rap sheet. Without the full picture of his criminal history, courts treated him more leniently than his actual record should have allowed.
By May 2025, Dickey was again on a burglary spree. This time, he killed Logan, stole her debit card, and was arrested after using it at a local store. Federico described the horrifying moment police identified his daughter’s killer on surveillance footage: “When they saw his face on the video, they didn’t have to do a check. He was arrested so many times they knew who he was.”
Other Families Speak Out
Federico was not alone in expressing frustration. At the same hearing, Mia Alderman spoke of her granddaughter, Mary Collins, who was brutally murdered in 2020. Collins was stabbed more than 100 times before her body was found wrapped in plastic and stuffed inside a mattress.
Five years later, Alderman says justice still feels out of reach. Trials for those charged in Collins’s death have dragged on, delayed by backlogs in the court system. One suspect has repeatedly violated release conditions, while others remained free on bond for years before their cases moved forward.
“Five years is not justice. Five years is torment,” Alderman told lawmakers. “Justice delayed is justice denied, and time is stealing our justice with the backlogged court system for murder trials. And Mary is not the only victim. The same system that failed Mary failed Iryna.”
The Charlotte Light Rail Stabbing
The testimony came just weeks after another tragedy shook Charlotte. On a crowded light rail train, 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska was stabbed to death by a man with a long record of violence. The suspect, Decarlos Brown Jr., had already served time for robbery and faced years of documented mental health struggles, including schizophrenia.
At the time of the murder, Brown was awaiting a competency evaluation. Earlier in the year, he had been arrested for abusing the 911 line, but a magistrate judge released him on a misdemeanor charge. Advocates say these repeated leniencies created the conditions for yet another preventable tragedy.
Rep. Mark Harris, who represents part of Charlotte, underscored this concern during the hearing: “Sadly, it’s all too common for a criminal to be let off easy by a judge only to have him turn around and commit an even worse crime.”
A Call for Change
The House Judiciary Committee convened the session in Charlotte not only to highlight the stories of grieving families but also to explore reforms that might prevent similar tragedies. Supporters argue for stronger penalties for habitual offenders, better record-keeping, and stricter monitoring of violent criminals. Others emphasize the need to address mental health in the justice system, pointing out that ignoring treatment needs often results in violent outcomes.
For Federico, however, the issue remains painfully personal. His daughter, Logan, had a future ahead of her — stolen by someone who, he insists, should never have been free to commit more crimes. His testimony was both a plea and a warning: the cost of inaction will be measured in more innocent lives.
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