Stephen Federico is pushing Congress to pass “Logan’s Law,” legislation named for his daughter, a 22-year-old college student killed during a home break-in in Columbia, South Carolina, last year. The bill would create a public database tracking repeat violent offenders, require cross-county and interstate communication among law enforcement, and hold prosecutors accountable for how they handle habitual criminals.
Federico spoke Thursday at a South Carolina roundtable on crime reduction attended by U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche.
“This was preventable. And d—–, I’m not going to save just one more life,” Federico said. “I’m going to save thousands.”
He drew a comparison between failures in the domestic justice system and gaps in immigration enforcement.
“We are fighting 15 million that crossed our borders — some horrific criminals, some not,” he said. “Now we’re also fighting the constant felon. How are we supposed to win without Logan’s Law?”
Logan’s Law was introduced by U.S. Rep. Russell Fry, R-S.C., and the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. It has not yet reached the floor of either chamber of Congress.
“Common sense works. Common sense is easy,” Fry said, likening the proposal to existing offender registries. “We have a sexual abuse registry that is publicly searchable. This is for violent crimes. It’s the same concept.”
Blanche called on lawmakers to act without delay.
“It took a tragedy to push it to the forefront,” Blanche said. “But that’s OK. I think the worst thing we could do is not act.”
He said he expects the measure to draw support from both parties. “I don’t think it’s a controversial issue,” Blanche said. “I know President Trump supports it.”
What happened to Logan Federico
Federico, a North Carolina college student, was staying with friends at a home in Columbia on May 3, 2025, when Alexander Dickey allegedly broke in. According to Columbia police, Dickey drove a stolen vehicle into the neighborhood, broke into one house to steal keys and a gun, then forced his way into the home where Federico was staying. He allegedly stole credit cards and fatally shot her.
Her father said Logan was awake during the break-in.
“He didn’t kill our daughter for a debit card,” Federico said. “She was the only one awake who could identify him. He killed a witness.”
Dickey’s criminal record stretches back to 2013 and includes convictions for breaking and entering, burglary, grand larceny, strong-arm robbery, possession of a stolen vehicle and resisting arrest. Despite that history, he was not held in long-term confinement before the killing.
Federico laid the blame on a justice system he says has lost track of who it’s supposed to protect.
“What we do as a society right now is make the criminal more important than the innocent,” Federico said, citing reduced sentencing and no-cash bail policies. “We have turned the page. We are the underdogs.”
