Charles Severance to Face One Trial for Three Murder Charges: Report

Charles Severance, the Ashburn man in custody accused in three Alexandria murders, will stand trial for the alleged murders of Nancy Dunning, Ron Kirby and Ruthanne Lodato, NBC4 reports.

Judge Jane Roush on Monday denied a motion from Severance’s attorneys to try their client separately on the Dunning murder charge. Dunning was the wife of then-Sheriff James Dunning.

Nancy Dunning, 56, was found shot at her home Dec. 5, 2003 by her son, Chris, then 23 and her husband. They came to find her after she didn’t show up for a lunch date at Atlantis restaurant at Bradlee Shopping Center. Dunning was a popular real estate agent in Del Ray.

The shooting at the home was similar to those of Ruthanne Lodato and Ron Kirby, who were shot at their homes in Alexandria.

The attorneys for Severance had argued that the case went back too far and would be difficult to research.

But Alexandria Commonwealth’s Attorney Bryan Porter said the motives, ballistics and manner of the killings were too similar not to tie together in the murder trial, NBC4 reported.

Severance’s trial is scheduled for October in Fairfax.

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PHOTO: Charles Severance/pool photo