WASHINGTON — The same judge who presided over the trial of the Washington sniper will hear the case of a man accused of three Alexandria murders.
Virginia Chief Justice Cynthia Kinser appointed Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge Jane Marum Roush on Sept 18. Roush will hear the capital murder trial of Charles Severance. Back in 2003, Roush heard the trial of Lee Boyd Malvo, the younger of the pair of snipers that terrorized the metro area.
Alexandria judges recused themselves from Severance’s case because one of the shooting victims, Ruthanne Lodato, was the sister of a retired judge there, according to the Associated Press.
Severance is charged with Lodato’s murder plus the murders of Nancy Dunning and Ron Kirby.
After Lodato’s death in February, Severance became the main focus of a police investigation. Investigators developed a sketch based on the bearded man who knocked on Lodato’s door, spurring a manhunt in Alexandria.
Tips led investigators to Severance, who bore a striking resemblance to the sketch.
In March, officials said the bullets that killed Lodato were similar to those that that killed Kirby and Dunning.
Severance will next appear in court on Sept. 25.
Related:
- Severance arrives in Alexandria for booking (Sept. 15)
- Initial appearance for Severance on murder charges (Sept. 16)
- Alexandria murder victim Ruthanne Lodato honored by communuty (April 2014)
- Beltway Sniper artifacts: A look inside (Photos) October 2012
WTOP’s Megan Cloherty contributed to this report. Follow @WTOP on Twitter and WTOP on Facebook.
