Echoes of Laughter and Mystery: The Haunting Last Voicemail of Logan Federico
In the shadowed corridors of grief, where memories clash with unanswered questions, Stephen Federico clings to the final echoes of his daughter’s voice. The 22-year-old Logan Federico, a vibrant aspiring teacher from Waxhaw, North Carolina, was brutally murdered on May 3, 2025, during a home invasion in Columbia, South Carolina. Now, her father reveals a chilling detail: he has replayed her last voicemail “over a hundred times.” In it, Logan’s laughter rings out, a joyful remnant of her spirit, but midway through, a sudden loud sound interrupts— a noise that investigators have yet to identify, adding layers of torment to an already devastating loss.
Logan’s life was one of promise and warmth. Standing at 5 feet 3 inches and weighing 115 pounds, she was described by her father as a “strong, fun, loving individual” who adored children and dreamed of shaping young minds as a teacher. An avid Taylor Swift fan, she had shared a concert experience with Stephen, cherishing those father-daughter bonds. On that fateful night, Logan had returned to a rental home near the University of South Carolina after a night out with friends. As she settled in, allegedly Alexander Devonte Dickey, a 30-year-old career criminal with 39 arrests and 25 felony convictions, broke in. Dickey, who had burglarized a neighboring home earlier, entered Logan’s room, dragged her from bed, forced her to her knees, and shot her execution-style in the chest with a stolen shotgun. Her body lay undiscovered for hours, during which Dickey used her stolen credit cards for a spending spree before his arrest.
The voicemail, left presumably shortly before the invasion, captures Logan’s lighthearted essence mid-laughter—a sound Stephen replays endlessly, seeking solace or clues. The abrupt loud sound, unexplained by authorities, haunts him, evoking speculation about whether it presaged the horror. Was it a door creaking, a distant noise from the intruder, or something innocuous? Investigators’ inability to pinpoint it underscores the raw edges of the case, where forensic details blur amid systemic failures. Stephen’s obsession with the recording mirrors his broader quest for answers, as he grapples with how a man like Dickey—free despite minimal prison time of just over 600 days in a decade—was roaming the streets.
Stephen’s anguish exploded publicly on September 29, 2025, during a U.S. House Judiciary Subcommittee hearing in Charlotte, North Carolina, focused on violent crime and repeat offenders. Flanked by a framed photo of Logan, he delivered a gut-wrenching testimony: “Think about your child coming home from a night out with friends, lying down, going to sleep, feeling somebody come into the room… and wake them. And drag her out of bed. Naked. Forced on her knees. With her hands over her head. Begging for her life. Begging for her hero. Her father. Me. That couldn’t be there.” His voice cracked as he slammed “soft-on-crime” policies, cashless bail, and lenient sentencing that enabled Dickey’s release. “Bang… dead… gone, why? Because Alexander Devonte Dickey, who was arrested 39 times, 25 felonies, was on the streets,” he thundered.
The hearing, attended by families like that of Iryna Zarutska—another victim of a repeat offender—highlighted national frustrations. A moment of fury arose when Rep. Deborah Ross mistakenly confused Logan’s photo with Zarutska’s, prompting Stephen to assert, “Logan Federico, not Iryna. You will not forget her.” He vowed, “You will be sick and tired of my face and my voice until this gets fixed,” declaring, “You pissed off the wrong daddy.” No Democratic outreach followed Logan’s murder, contrasting Republican support, fueling his accusations of political indifference.
Dickey’s record reveals a litany of failures: burglaries pleaded down due to missing fingerprints and poor record-keeping between 2013-2015, allowing him to be treated as a first-time offender in 2023 despite prior first-degree burglary charges warranting 15-year minimums. WIS-TV probes exposed these lapses, which Stephen blames for Logan’s death. Post-murder, Dickey continued crimes, including more break-ins and arson, before capture in Gaston. Held without bond at Lexington County Detention Center, he faces potential death penalty charges, with South Carolina AG Alan Wilson coordinating prosecution and urging capital punishment. Stephen pushes for federal handling to ensure severity, citing state shortcomings.
Inspired by North Carolina’s “Iryna’s Law,” which speeds appeals and broadens executions for heinous crimes, Stephen advocates “Logan’s Law”—a federal bill for detaining dangerous recidivists pre-trial. Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC) calls for impeaching Solicitor Byron Gipson over family communication gaps, though officials defend ongoing case-building. Backed by Rep. Russell Fry and others, Stephen’s crusade channels Logan’s fighter spirit: “She fought for the underdog… She cared about people.”
Public outrage swells on platforms like X, where videos of Stephen’s testimony go viral, users decrying “soft-on-crime” leniency and demanding reform. Posts echo his pain, with one stating, “You woke up a beast and pissed off the wrong daddy!” A DOJ report notes 68% of released prisoners rearrested within three years, amplifying calls for accountability. Stephen reflects on the voicemail’s laughter as Logan’s essence—”She was what this country needed”—contrasting the unidentified sound’s mystery, a symbol of unresolved justice.
As Dickey’s case advances, Stephen vows no rest: “I will fight until my last breath for my daughter.” The voicemail, replayed in solitude, bridges father and lost child, its laughter a beacon amid darkness, the loud sound a riddle urging systemic change. Logan’s legacy, through her father’s unyielding voice, demands a safer America, where bright futures aren’t stolen by preventable failures. Will lawmakers heed the echo before another family replays their final, fractured message?
