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

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

### Electoral history

Alexandria mayoral special election, 1996 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Kerry Donley (inc.) | 5,030 | 88.18 |
| | Independent | Charles Severance | 490 | 8.59 |
| | Write-ins | | 184 | 3.23 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 5,704 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |
Virginia's 8th congressional district election, 1996 :
| Party | 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 | Total votes | Total votes | 229,421 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |
Alexandria mayoral election, 2000 :
| Party | 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 | Total votes | Total votes | 16,939 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |