Charles Stanard Severance (born September 25, 1960) is a convicted American serial killer whose crimes took place in Alexandria, Virginia, between 2003 and 2014. He was convicted by a Virginia court in 2016 of three shooting deaths and sentenced to life in prison plus an additional 48 years.[1][2]
Charles Severance | |
|---|---|
| Born | Charles Stanard Severance September 25, 1960 Fairfax County, Virginia, U.S. |
| Alma mater | |
| Political party | Independent |
| Conviction(s) | Capital murder (2 counts) First degree murder Malicious wounding Use of a firearm in the commission of a felony (4 counts) Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon (2 counts) |
| Criminal penalty | Life imprisonment without parole |
| Details | |
| Victims | 3 |
Span of crimes | 2003–2014 |
| Country | United States |
| State(s) | Virginia |
Date apprehended | March 13, 2014 |
He was tried for the killings of three individuals: Ruthanne Lodato in 2014, Ronald Kirby in 2013, and Nancy Dunning in 2003. The case received considerable attention in the city because Severance (as convicted) attacked in broad daylight by knocking on victim's doors and killing those who answered with a .22 caliber firearm, with investigators eventually finding writings from Severance titled "Knock. Talk. Enter. Kill. Exit. Murder."[3][4]
Severance was ultimately arrested on March 13, 2014, following the release of a police sketch taken after the shooting of Lodato.[5] Prosecutors alleged he did so out of hatred for elites in the generally wealthy city of Alexandria.[6]
Political career
editPrior to the killings, Severance ran for Mayor of Alexandria in a 1996 special election and 2000 as well as for Congress for the 8th district in 1996. On the campaign trail, Severance displayed unusual and erratic behavior.[7] Severance appeared at campaign events dressed entirely in black with a cloak and sunglasses and during Severance's campaigns for Mayor, the city manager and police chief assigned an undercover officer to follow Democratic candidate and eventual mayor Kerry Donley.[8] On several occasions during his campaigns, Severance became violent. In one instance during a forum in 1996, Severance picked up an American flag and pointed the spiked finial at Representative Jim Moran before running out of the building. At another forum in 2000, Severance punched one of the organizers.[7]
The focus of Severance's campaigns were juvenile mental health and psychotropic drug prescriptions. During his runs for mayor, Severance responded to nearly every question by transitioning to talk about these topics.[8] In a statement in 2000, Severance said that "A plague of child and adolescent psychiatry" threatened to overwhelm Alexandria. He went on to say "Terrorism, child exploitation and adolescent abuse by child and adolescent psychiatrists who peddle dope for profit under the guise of academia and clinical practice must be eradicated."[9]
In all three of Severance's campaigns, he was defeated.
Electoral history
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Kerry Donley (inc.) | 5,030 | 88.18 | |
| Independent | Charles Severance | 490 | 8.59 | |
| Write-ins | 184 | 3.23 | ||
| Total votes | 5,704 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Jim Moran (inc.) | 152,334 | 66.40 | |
| Republican | John Otey | 64,562 | 28.14 | |
| Reform | R. Ward Edmonds | 6,243 | 2.72 | |
| Independent | Sarina Grosswald | 5,239 | 2.28 | |
| Independent | Charles Severance | 740 | 0.32 | |
| Write-ins | 303 | 0.13 | ||
| Total votes | 229,421 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Kerry Donley (inc.) | 16,939 | 60.62 | |
| Independent | Robert R. Peavey | 6,223 | 36.74 | |
| Independent | Charles Severance | 379 | 2.24 | |
| Write-ins | 68 | 0.40 | ||
| Total votes | 16,939 | 100.00 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Zapotosky, Matt. "Public Safety Virginia serial killer Charles Severance sentenced to life in prison". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 16, 2019.
- ^ "Recently released 'The Parable of the Knocker' sheds new light on Charles Severance". 22 April 2020.
- ^ Megan Cloherty & Amanda Lacone (8 October 2015). "Prosecutors cite Severance's writings to connect 3 murders". WTOP.com. WTOP. Retrieved August 16, 2019.
- ^ "Commonwealth v. Severance". cite.case.law. Retrieved 2022-02-24.
- ^ Joe Kemp. "Serial killer? Alexandria cops link killing of Virginia music teacher to two other murders". NY Daily News. The Daily News. Retrieved August 16, 2019.
- ^ Zapotosky, Matt. "In case of alleged Alexandria serial killer, prosecutors must piece together a puzzle". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 16, 2019.
- ^ a b Lee Pope, Michael (22 April 2020). "Recently released 'The Parable of the Knocker' sheds new light on Charles Severance". Northern Virginia Magazine. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
- ^ a b "Former Mayor of Alexandria Recalls Interactions With Severance". NBC 4 Washington. 14 March 2014. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
- ^ "Alexandria". Washington Post. Retrieved 5 December 2020.