South Carolina congresswoman Nancy Mace has called for the Justice Department to step in to investigate and prosecute the murder of an aspiring teacher.
Logan Haley Federico, 22, an avid Taylor Swift fan, was killed while sleeping in a fraternity house during a visit to her boyfriend at the University of South Carolina on May 3.
Alexander Dickey, 30, a repeat offender with a long criminal rap sheet, was arrested and charged in her slaying.
Prosecutors say Dickey crept into her bedroom, startled Logan awake and forced her to her knees while she was naked and begging for help.
He is accused of shooting her in the chest with a stolen 12-gauge shotgun. Prosecutors say he then fled in a stolen vehicle. He has not entered a plea in the case.
Logan’s father Stephen Federico has demanded Dickey face the death penalty and accused South Carolina prosecutors of not pushing hard enough for the ultimate punishment.
Republican lawmakers have now joined his cause and are urging the Trump administration to take up the case.
Mace told Daily Mail this week that state law enforcement has shown ‘unforgivable weakness’ in handling the investigation.
The Republican lawmaker has spoken to the Federico family, who are desperate for the case to be taken seriously and ‘don’t believe they’re going to get a fair shake in South Carolina.’
Mace said she has personally contacted White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, urging federal prosecutors to take over the investigation under three Title 18 statutes covering murder, robbery, and illegal possession of a firearm across state lines.
The move would also mean the Trump administration could pursue the death penalty.
A heartbroken Stephen Federico speaks at the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Oversight field on violent crime in Charlotte, North Carolina Sept. 29 as a framed photo of his daughter, Logan Federico, 22, is on display. Logan’s mother Melissa and brother Jacob are also present
Career criminal Alexander Dickey, 30, a killed Logan by shooting her execution style in May. Logan’s family is seeking the death penalty
Mace accused South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson of politicizing the case and jeopardizing the state’s ability to pursue the death penalty, claiming he ‘got ahead of his skis’ with public comments that could allow defense lawyers to challenge any capital-punishment bid.
‘Because Alan Wilson politicized the case, he has jeopardized justice for Logan Federico and her family,’ Mace told Daily Mail. ‘Now we need the Feds to step in.’
Dickey has been sentenced in eight cases involving robbery, drug possession and larceny.
In 2023, he was sentenced to five years in prison for burglary, but was released early with his probation set to end in June.
The case has reignited debate over whether there should be tougher restrictions on potentially dangerous criminals who are freed from jail.
She also took direct aim at Fifth Circuit Solicitor Byron Gipson, calling for his impeachment by the state legislature and alleging he has a pattern of leniency toward violent offenders. ‘He’s been soft on crime.
‘He’s one of the ones that let Alexander Dickey out,’ she said, referencing a previous release that sparked outrage.
‘He indicated to the family he would not seek the death penalty. That is reprehensible. That is unforgivable. It’s inexplicable that he would do that against the wishes of the Logan family.’
Mace vowed to make Gibson’s removal a test case in her wider campaign against ‘soft-on-crime prosecutors and judges,’ warning that South Carolina’s justice system has repeatedly failed victims.
Congresswoman Nancy Mace (R-SC) told Daily Mail this week that state law enforcement has shown ‘unforgivable weakness’ in handling the investigation
Stephen Federico took the microphone and grew emotional when he spoke about the career criminal who killed his daughter Logan in cold blood
South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson sent a letter to Gipson on September 30 asking him to ‘strongly consider filing a notice of intent to seek the death penalty.’
However, Gipson hit back and told and told Wilson that his office will not make his October 10 deadline to decide about what the sentence his office will seek and that they are ‘not in a position to ethically make an informed decision about someting of this magnitude in order to meet your imposed deadline’.
She cited other recent controversies — including the Scott Spivey case, in which the family of a man shot 17 times during a Horry County road-rage encounter say the state turned its back on them — as evidence of a ‘systemic problem.’
‘I’m uncovering case after case where this has happened,’ she said. ‘I’m going to ensure this doesn’t just happen for Logan Federico, but for every victim across South Carolina — and across the country.’
Mace ended her statement with a pointed call to action: ‘Pam Bondi needs to take this case over from the state. Justice has to mean something.’
Stephen Federico told Daily Mail last month that his family has been left in limbo and is still waiting for justice.
The father, who works 60 hours a week to provide for his family, has described fighting for justice as a second full-time job.
Logan, 22, was a massive Taylor Swift fan and an aspiring teacher
Stephen Federico is seeking the death penalty and will not stop until his daughter, Logan, gets justice
He has also faced South Carolina lawmakers in the state capitol, demanding justice for her daughter and others victimized by criminals who should be behind bars.
Federico responded to the letters that were sent by AG Wilson to Solicitor Gipson by saying that the judicial system was responsible for letting Dickey on the streets in the first place.
‘What parent in their right mind would want them trying Alexander Dickey’s case. They failed Logan once. I cannot let them fail her again or any other innocent people,’ he told Daily Mail.
He added that he has a message for Trump: Logan’s case is a perfect example of why the death penalty should be on the table when murder is involved.
Dickey is being held at the Lexington County Detention Center without bail and is awaiting trial, a spokesperson for the Columbia Police Department told the Daily Mail.
The Columbia Police Department PIO told Daily Mail, Dickey is ‘awaiting trial.’
It is unclear why Dickey was not in custody for previous offenses.
