Life in Prison: Charles Severance Formally Sentenced for Alexandria Murders

ALEXANDRIA, VA -- A judge has formally sentenced convicted serial killer Charles Severance to three life terms plus 48 years for the murders of three prominent Alexandrians, according to a report Thursday afternoon by The Washington Post.

Jurors recommended life in prison for Severance, an Ashburn native who lived for a time in Alexandria.

The Post reports that former Gov. Bob McDonnell, who went to high school with the Lodatos, was in attendance, as was Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring.

Severance, 55, was found guilty Nov. 2 of murdering three prominent Alexandria residents: Ruthanne Lodato, Ron Kirby and Nancy Dunning. “The reign of the Alexandria assassin is over,” Commonwealth’s Attorney Bryan Porter said.

At the hearing Thursday, Porter said Severance was driven by the same “anger and hatred and proclivity for violence” that fuels mass shootings, the Post reported.

Defense attorneys for Severance said their client was not evil, that his family tried to get him help for schizophrenia, but that he didn’t get the mental health care he needed.

Lodato was a mother, wife and music teacher killed after being shot on her doorstep Feb. 6, 2014; Kirby was a transportation planner, also shot and killed at his home, on Nov. 11, 2013. Dunning was a real estate agent, shot at her home on Dec. 5, 2003. All were well-liked and all were shot in the middle of the day at their homes.

Read more about Thursday’s sentencing in The Washington Post story here.

PHOTO: Charles Severance/pool photo