North Carolina father pushes for death penalty in daughter's murder as two cases renew debate over released criminals

A grieving North Carolina father is pressing prosecutors to seek the death penalty for Alexander Dickey, the man accused in the execution-style killing of his daughter Logan Federico, 22, who was visiting her boyfriend at the University of South Carolina in May. Stephen Federico says the loss is preventable and that the case exposes what he describes as a dangerous gap in the system that allowed a repeat offender to remain free.

Dickey, 30, has a lengthy rap sheet that includes about 39 arrests and 25 felonies, with eight prior cases involving robbery, drug possession and larceny. He was released early from a five-year burglary sentence in 2023, with probation set to end in June. Prosecutors say he entered a fraternity house bedroom in the early hours of May 3, startled Logan as she slept beside her boyfriend, and forced her to her knees, naked and begging for help, before shooting her in the chest with a stolen 12-gauge shotgun and fleeing in a stolen vehicle. He has not entered a plea in the case.

Four months later, another young woman met a similarly brutal fate at the hands of a violent repeat offender. Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, 23, was riding the Charlotte light rail on August 22 when Decarlos Brown Jr., 34, lunged from behind and stabbed her repeatedly in the neck as she texted her boyfriend. Zarutska’s death was captured on video and shocked the nation. Brown has a lengthy arrest record, severe mental health issues and a history of violence.

Last week, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Brown would be charged with a federal crime — one count of committing an act causing death on a mass transportation system. The move means the federal government could pursue the death penalty, a possibility that the Trump administration publicized after the tragedy. Federico says his family has been left in limbo and is still waiting for justice. The father, who works 60 hours a week, has described fighting for justice as a second full-time job: "Before Iryna… there was Logan Federico, and nobody cares. Her murder was preventable." He added, "The crime that [Brown] committed on the train was rookie compared to what Alexander Dickey did. You won't see much worse than Dickey." He said he hopes President Trump and U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi can help push for federal charges against Dickey and said he has been in talks with officials including Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.

Federico said his family hired Richard Harpootlian, the same attorney who defended Alex Murdaugh in a high-profile murder trial, to press for federal charges in Dickey’s case and to advocate for the death penalty. He criticized Richland County Solicitor Bryan Gipson, whom he said does not believe in the death penalty. Gipson’s office declined to comment on the pending case. Federico said he wants to expose what he calls systemic dysfunction that allowed a serial offender to evade prison for too long. He claimed that between 2013 and 2015, Dickey’s fingerprints were never taken, prompting his release, though South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) has said the prints were never sent.

Dickey is charged with Logan Federico’s murder, two counts of first-degree burglary, two counts of possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime, and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, plus two counts of grand larceny, grand larceny of a motor vehicle, and three counts of financial transaction card theft. He is being held at the Lexington County Detention Center without bail and awaiting trial. Federico said he will continue to pursue federal charges and a death-penalty path, arguing the case shows why national attention and federal involvement can matter in such crimes. "I should be able to mourn my daughter. And I haven’t yet," he said, describing the effort as a second full-time job. "Parents need to be horrified… I’m not just out for Logan. I am out for everyone."