Charles Severance (serial killer)

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]

For the computer scientist, see Charles Severance.
Charles Severance
Born
Charles Stanard Severance

(1960-09-25) September 25, 1960
Fairfax County, Virginia, U.S.
Alma mater
Political partyIndependent
Criminal penaltyLife imprisonment
Details
Victims3
Span of crimes
2003–2014
CountryUnited 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]

Severance was ultimately arrested on March 13, 2014, following the release of a police sketch taken after the shooting of Lodato.[4] Prosecutors alleged he did so out of hatred for elites in the generally wealthy city of Alexandria.[5]

Political career

Prior 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.[6] 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.[7] 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.[6]

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.[7] 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."[8]

In all three of Severance's campaigns, he was defeated.

Electoral history
Alexandria mayoral special election, 1996
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
Virginia's 8th congressional district election, 1996
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
Alexandria mayoral election, 2000
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

References
  1. Zapotosky, Matt. "Public Safety Virginia serial killer Charles Severance sentenced to life in prison". The Washington Post. The Washington Post. Retrieved August 16, 2019.
  2. https://www.northernvirginiamag.com/culture/culture-features/2020/04/22/recently-released-the-parable-of-the-knocker-sheds-new-light-on-charles-severance/
  3. Megan Cloherty & Amanda Lacone. "Prosecutors cite Severance's writings to connect 3 murders". WTOP.com. WTOP. Retrieved August 16, 2019.
  4. 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.
  5. Zapotosky, Matt. "In case of alleged Alexandria serial killer, prosecutors must piece together a puzzle". The Washington Post. The Washington Post. Retrieved August 16, 2019.
  6. 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.
  7. "Former Mayor of Alexandria Recalls Interactions With Severance". NBC 4 Washington. 14 March 2014. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  8. "Alexandria". Washington Post. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.