In emotionally charged testimony Monday, Steve Federico, father of a young woman brutally murdered by a black career criminal in South Carolina, urged Democrats to end their support for dangerous offenders through lenient policies.

The House Judiciary Committee held a field hearing in Charlotte, North Carolina, to “examine violent crime in Charlotte and the surrounding areas, focusing on repeat offenders and lenient pretrial release decisions.”

Logan Federico, 22, was fatally shot in the chest by Alexander Dickey, 30, during a home invasion on May 3, 2025. She was visiting friends at a rented property in Columbia when the execution-style killing occurred. “When I tell you this story, think about your kids,” Federico said, his voice breaking with anguish.

“She was five foot three, weighed 115 pounds… BANG! … dead, gone!” he cried. Dickey, arrested 39 times with 25 felonies, had served only 600 days in prison over ten years. Federico condemned the system that allowed him to remain free, stating, “He should have been in jail for over 140 years.”

Federico criticized South Carolina’s Fifth Judicial Circuit Court Solicitor Byron Gipson, a Democrat elected in 2018, for his “soft-on-crime” approach. He accused Gipson of prioritizing political image over justice, noting the prosecutor had ignored his calls for accountability.

Earlier in the hearing, Rep. Deborah Ross (D-N.C.) mistakenly identified Federico’s daughter as Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, who was fatally stabbed by a repeat offender in August 2025. Federico demanded stronger measures against dangerous criminals, vowing to fight until his “last breath” for justice.

“You will not forget her! I promise you,” he declared. “You have the power… We’re asking you, we’re begging you all, to stop this!”