Severance Moved to Alexandria Jail to Face Murder Charges

Severance faces up to life in prison; Virginia will not seek death penalty

The Loudoun County man facing charges in the murders of three prominent Alexandria community members was moved to a dention center in the city Monday.

Charles Severance was charged last week in the murders of Ruthanne Lodato, Ronald Kirby and Nancy Dunning -- killings that spanned a decade and made Alexandria residents afraid to open their own doors.

Severance entered the William G. Truesdale Adult Detention Center in Alexandria Monday afternoon.

Since his March arrest on an unrelated weapons charge, being a felon in possession of a firearm, Severance had been held in jail in Loudoun County. That charge was ruled nolle prosequi, meaning it can be brought back at a later date.

Families of those allegedly killed by Charles Severance react to the murder charges filed against him.

A court hearing is scheduled for Tuesday morning. Severance is expected to appear via closed-circuit TV.

He is facing a total of 10 charges relating to the three Alexandria murders:

"It's with some pleasure we have ability to say we have this particular killer arrested," said Alexandria Police Chief Earl Cook last week, shortly after Severance was charged in the killings.

Northern Virginia Bureau Chief Julie Carey reports on the indictment of Charles Severance for three murders in Alexandria over the past decade.

Cook said he is confident that Severance is the suspect they've been looking for since the murder of Nancy Dunning in her home almost 11 years ago.

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