What was meant to be a joyful weekend of celebration among friends ended in unimaginable tragedy when 22-year-old Logan Federico, a bright and ambitious young woman with dreams of becoming a teacher, was gunned down outside an off-campus fraternity house near the University of South Carolina.
Logan, who had traveled from her hometown of Waxhaw, North Carolina, to Columbia to visit friends for one final gathering before they graduated and went their separate ways, never made it back home. Her father, Stephen Federico, shared his heartbreak with the Daily Mail:
“She never came home.”
On the night of May 2, Logan had been enjoying a night of festivities in Columbia’s Old Shandon neighborhood, celebrating the close of a chapter with the people who had shaped her college years. The mood was jubilant—filled with music, laughter, and hope for the future.
But in the early hours of May 3, around 3:00 a.m., the celebration took a dark turn. Logan had just returned to Cypress Street, where she was staying with friends, when shots rang out. Chaos erupted. Logan was struck, fatally wounded, and despite emergency efforts, she died on the scene.
Authorities later arrested a suspect whose name shocked few in law enforcement circles: a career criminal with a decades-long criminal record. The man accused of taking Logan’s life was no stranger to the justice system. His rap sheet stretched back years and included multiple violent offenses, drug charges, and weapons violations—raising serious questions about why he was free at all.
As more details emerged, anger and frustration mounted among Logan’s loved ones and community members. Many pointed to repeated failures in the justice system that allowed a known repeat offender to walk the streets, ultimately ending the life of an innocent woman with her whole future ahead of her.
Logan Federico was more than just a victim. She was a daughter, a sister, a friend, and an aspiring educator. Her family described her as compassionate, intelligent, and deeply committed to helping others. She had plans to teach in underserved communities, to give back, to make a difference.
Her senseless death has reignited calls for stricter enforcement of laws surrounding repeat offenders, particularly in cases involving weapons. For the Federico family, no change in policy will bring their daughter back—but they hope that sharing her story might prevent another family from enduring the same heartbreak.
“She had a passion for teaching,” her father said. “She wanted to shape young minds and make the world a better place. That chance was stolen from her—by someone who should have never been out there in the first place.”
The investigation is ongoing, and prosecutors say they plan to pursue the maximum charges. But for those who knew and loved Logan Federico, justice will never truly be served.