When Justice Fails: Untreated Mental Illness and Unresolved Trauma Turn into Lethal Outcomes
In the quiet hours of a May night in Columbia, South Carolina, 22-year-old Logan Federico was murdered in her sleep. The alleged killer, Alexander Devonte Dickey, had a staggering criminal history — 39 arrests and 25 felony charges — yet had spent less than two years in jail over the past decade.
After killing Logan, he reportedly used her stolen credit cards on a shopping spree, a grotesque epilogue to a life taken too soon.
Logan’s father, Stephen Federico, has since become a vocal advocate for justice reform. His emotional testimony before Congress highlighted the systemic failures that allowed Dickey to remain free despite his violent past. Federico is now pushing for a federal "Logan’s Law," which would mandate inter-county communication, hold prosecutors accountable for repeat offenders, and close loopholes that let dangerous individuals slip through the cracks.
But Logan Federico’s story is not an isolated tragedy.
In Kentucky, six-year-old Logan Tipton was brutally stabbed to death in 2015 by Ronald Exantus, a man who claimed he was reenacting surgery inspired by a street sign and the TV show "Grey’s Anatomy."
Exantus was found not guilty by reason of insanity and sentenced to 20 years. Yet, due to good behavior and education credits, he was released early in October 2025 — only to be rearrested days later for failing to register as a felon.
Logan’s mother, Heather Tipton, expressed horror at the system’s leniency, especially given Exantus’s threats to kill the entire family. “It just feels like a six-year-old’s life is worth more than ten years in prison,” she said.
And in South Dakota, a decades-old grudge led Carl Ericsson to murder retired teacher Norman Johnson. The motive? A high school locker room prank involving a jockstrap.
Ericsson, who pleaded guilty but mentally ill, was sentenced to life in prison. Johnson’s daughter, Beth Ribstein, struggled to comprehend how a moment of adolescent teasing could fester into fatal violence. “He was just jealous of Dad his whole life,” she said.
Conclusion: A System in Crisis
These three cases — Logan Federico, Logan Tipton, and Norman Johnson — reveal a justice system that too often prioritizes procedure over protection. Whether it’s the failure to track repeat offenders, the early release of violent criminals, or the inability to recognize long-term mental instability, the consequences are devastating and irreversible.
What unites these tragedies is not just the loss of innocent lives, but the haunting realization that they might have been prevented. Stephen Federico’s call for "Logan’s Law" is more than a plea for justice — it’s a demand for accountability.
Heather Tipton’s anguish over Exantus’s release underscores the need for victim-centered policies. And Carl Ericsson’s case reminds us that untreated mental illness and unresolved trauma can turn into lethal outcomes.
And the fact that law abiding citizen Ericsson got a life sentence, while Exantus, a well-known criminal, walked free after just ten years - contrast is deeply unsettling. It feels like the justice system is operating on a sliding scale of accountability, where outcomes hinge more on legal technicalities than on the gravity of the crime or the pain inflicted on families.
Carl Ericsson murdered a grown man over a decades-old grudge and was sentenced to life. Meanwhile, Ronald Exantus, who brutally killed a sleeping six-year-old child and terrorized an entire family, walked free after just ten years due to good behavior and education credits — even though he was found not guilty by reason of insanity.
The disparity is jarring. It sends a chilling message: that the system can be lenient with the most vulnerable victims, and that rehabilitation credits can outweigh the irreversible trauma caused. It’s not just inconsistent — it’s demoralizing.
Many of us are left wondering whether justice is truly blind or just blindfolded to the suffering of victims.
Justice should not be reactive — it must be proactive. It must protect the vulnerable, punish the dangerous, and prevent the repeat of such horrors. These families are not just grieving; they are fighting. And their fight deserves our attention, our empathy, and most importantly, our action.
In the quiet hours of a May night in Columbia, South Carolina, 22-year-old Logan Federico was murdered in her sleep. The alleged killer, Alexander Devonte Dickey, had a staggering criminal history — 39 arrests and 25 felony charges — yet had spent less than two years in jail over the past decade.
After killing Logan, he reportedly used her stolen credit cards on a shopping spree, a grotesque epilogue to a life taken too soon.
Logan’s father, Stephen Federico, has since become a vocal advocate for justice reform. His emotional testimony before Congress highlighted the systemic failures that allowed Dickey to remain free despite his violent past. Federico is now pushing for a federal "Logan’s Law," which would mandate inter-county communication, hold prosecutors accountable for repeat offenders, and close loopholes that let dangerous individuals slip through the cracks.
But Logan Federico’s story is not an isolated tragedy.
In Kentucky, six-year-old Logan Tipton was brutally stabbed to death in 2015 by Ronald Exantus, a man who claimed he was reenacting surgery inspired by a street sign and the TV show "Grey’s Anatomy."
Exantus was found not guilty by reason of insanity and sentenced to 20 years. Yet, due to good behavior and education credits, he was released early in October 2025 — only to be rearrested days later for failing to register as a felon.
Logan’s mother, Heather Tipton, expressed horror at the system’s leniency, especially given Exantus’s threats to kill the entire family. “It just feels like a six-year-old’s life is worth more than ten years in prison,” she said.
And in South Dakota, a decades-old grudge led Carl Ericsson to murder retired teacher Norman Johnson. The motive? A high school locker room prank involving a jockstrap.
Ericsson, who pleaded guilty but mentally ill, was sentenced to life in prison. Johnson’s daughter, Beth Ribstein, struggled to comprehend how a moment of adolescent teasing could fester into fatal violence. “He was just jealous of Dad his whole life,” she said.
Conclusion: A System in Crisis
These three cases — Logan Federico, Logan Tipton, and Norman Johnson — reveal a justice system that too often prioritizes procedure over protection. Whether it’s the failure to track repeat offenders, the early release of violent criminals, or the inability to recognize long-term mental instability, the consequences are devastating and irreversible.
What unites these tragedies is not just the loss of innocent lives, but the haunting realization that they might have been prevented. Stephen Federico’s call for "Logan’s Law" is more than a plea for justice — it’s a demand for accountability.
Heather Tipton’s anguish over Exantus’s release underscores the need for victim-centered policies. And Carl Ericsson’s case reminds us that untreated mental illness and unresolved trauma can turn into lethal outcomes.
And the fact that law abiding citizen Ericsson got a life sentence, while Exantus, a well-known criminal, walked free after just ten years - contrast is deeply unsettling. It feels like the justice system is operating on a sliding scale of accountability, where outcomes hinge more on legal technicalities than on the gravity of the crime or the pain inflicted on families.
Carl Ericsson murdered a grown man over a decades-old grudge and was sentenced to life. Meanwhile, Ronald Exantus, who brutally killed a sleeping six-year-old child and terrorized an entire family, walked free after just ten years due to good behavior and education credits — even though he was found not guilty by reason of insanity.
The disparity is jarring. It sends a chilling message: that the system can be lenient with the most vulnerable victims, and that rehabilitation credits can outweigh the irreversible trauma caused. It’s not just inconsistent — it’s demoralizing.
Many of us are left wondering whether justice is truly blind or just blindfolded to the suffering of victims.
Justice should not be reactive — it must be proactive. It must protect the vulnerable, punish the dangerous, and prevent the repeat of such horrors. These families are not just grieving; they are fighting. And their fight deserves our attention, our empathy, and most importantly, our action.