In the quiet city of Alexandria, Virginia, a story of profound loss and a decade-long quest for justice began to unfold on December 5, 2003. Nancy Dunning, a 56-year-old Caucasian woman and a prominent real estate agent, was found deceased in her home. Her son, Chris Dunning, made the harrowing discovery after she failed to arrive for a scheduled lunch with him and her husband, then-Alexandria Sheriff Jim Dunning.
She was found at the bottom of a staircase in the front foyer of their home on West Mount Ida Avenue, having sustained multiple gunshot wounds. The initial investigation into her death left detectives with few leads, and for years, the case remained a painful, unsolved mystery for her family and the tight-knit community where she was known as the 'Queen of Del Ray.'
For nearly a decade, the investigation into Nancy Dunning's murder languished, becoming a cold case that haunted the Alexandria Police Department. The community held onto hope for a resolution, maintaining a significant reward for any information that could lead to the killer. The case took a dramatic turn with two subsequent homicides in Alexandria that bore striking resemblances to Dunning's death. In November 2013, transportation planner Ron Kirby was shot and killed in his home. Just a few months later, in February 2014, music teacher Ruthanne Lodato was also fatally shot at her residence. All three victims were respected members of the community, killed in their homes during the day by an intruder who knocked on their front door. The bullets used in all three slayings were of the same distinct caliber, leading investigators to believe the murders were the work of a single individual.
The break in the long-stalled investigation came after the murder of Ruthanne Lodato. A caregiver in the home at the time of the shooting survived the attack and was able to provide a description of the gunman, which led to a police sketch. This crucial piece of evidence pointed investigators toward Charles Severance, a former Alexandria resident with a history of erratic behavior. Severance was arrested in March 2014 in West Virginia on an unrelated firearms charge. In September of that year, he was indicted for the murders of Nancy Dunning, Ron Kirby, and Ruthanne Lodato.
Prosecutors built a compelling case against Charles Severance, arguing that his motive was a deep-seated hatred for the city of Alexandria's 'elite' after losing a child custody case years earlier. His writings, which were presented at trial, included a chilling passage that seemed to describe his method: 'Knock and the door will open. Knock. Talk. Enter. Kill. Exit. Murder.' In November 2015, a jury found Charles Severance guilty on all ten counts against him, including capital murder charges for the deaths of Kirby and Lodato, and a first-degree murder charge for the death of Nancy Dunning. He was subsequently sentenced to three consecutive life sentences plus 48 years in prison, ensuring he would never again be a free man. The conviction brought a long-awaited sense of closure to the families of the victims and the Alexandria community, finally delivering justice for the senseless acts of violence that had instilled fear for over a decade.
