GUILTY VA - Nancy Dunning, Ron Kirby, & Ruthanne Lodato, murdered, Alexandria, 2003-2014

[December]

Or could just be that 2003 wasn't the first time he tried to kill her.

Well, that is a good point. I hadn't thought about that.

 

[belimom]

Tomorrow marks the 10th Anniversary of Nancy's death. I think the killer is (or was) very close to her family. She was a very down-to-earth and straightforward person, unlike her husband who was more distant and aloof. That does not make him a murderer, but there are still many in town - including friends of ours - who think that he was involved somehow. We did not know him, only Nancy as our realtor, so I have no firsthand knowledge of his personality or behavior. Just what others have said.

I hope it solved, but it's been a long time. RIP, Nancy.

Alexandria police still trying to solve slaying of Nancy Dunning, sheriff’s wife


....A new lead detective took over the case about 10 months ago, and solving it is his primary responsibility. Developments in forensics have given the police new angles to approach the mystery, Cook said.....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local...cfa-11e3-be07-006c776266ed_story.html?hpid=z5

 

[belimom]

Regarding the threatening letter, I don't think that person is responsible for Nancy's death, which was quick and clean - one shot. No torture, and a clean hit. No forced entry in the middle of the day, well within view of other homes. If this persona had done it, I think there would've been more evidence left and some message left to let the Sheriff know that this was revenge, etc.

 

[radiator]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local...31164e-8f54-11e3-b46a-5a3d0d2130da_story.html

The man knocked on the door of a house in the 2400 block of Ridge Road Drive at about 11:30 and opened fire on a woman and her female caregiver.

One woman is in critical condition the other has non-life-threatening injuries. Looks like a quiet neighborhood from the photo.

 

[radiator]

A woman shot at a home in Alexandria Thursday afternoon has died, police say. A second woman has non-life threatening injuries.

Read more: http://www.wjla.com/articles/2014/0...vasion-in-alexandria-99963.html#ixzz2saI0h43T


Sad news. I'm very curious about this, surely it must be somebody she knew.

 

[radiator]

Alexandria Police Chief Earl Cook said they have not identified a motive in the shooting, and have no indication that the women knew the gunman.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local...31164e-8f54-11e3-b46a-5a3d0d2130da_story.html

The murdered woman has been identified as Ruthanne Lodato, a 59-year-old music teacher and mother of three. The caretaker took care of Ms. Lodato's elderly mother who was also in the home but was not injured (how awful for her! I almost hope she has Alzheimer's and was not aware of the shooting).

This article mentions that the murdered woman is the daughter of a prominent judge:

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Two-People-Shot-in-Alexandria-244001381.html

From the same article:

The shooting occurred in a low-crime neighborhood of Alexandria, though several months ago, 69-year-old Ronald Kirby was gunned down inside his home. No arrest has been made, and police have said there were no signs of forced entry.

 

[radiator]

As the search for a bearded and balding gunman who fatally shot a well-known Alexandria music teacher entered its second day, detectives began sorting through tips, delving into the teacher’s life and exploring whether there had been any problems in her quiet, affluent neighborhood — hoping for even the slightest clue as to who killed her.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local...370d26-9004-11e3-b46a-5a3d0d2130da_story.html

I hope the caregiver who was shot will be able to provide more detailed descriptions of the gunman than has been released in the media so far. Bearded, balding, grey-haired, and elderly are as much as has been released so far. IMO, not too helpful in enlisting the public's help in spotting this guy.

 

[radiator]

http://westendalexandria.patch.com/...ia-police-mayor-attempt-to-reassure-community

Suspect is still at large; officials address idea of "serial killer" with three unsolved murders in Alexandria.

Cook said that while they have not found any link to the shooting death of transportation planner Ronald Kirby last November, police will keep an open mind. Kirby, like Lodato, was shot in his home during the daytime.

http://alextimes.com/2014/02/officials-urges-caution-following-lodato-shooting/

The description of the man now includes a tan coat...still pretty vague.

 

[belimom]

Police look for gunman, clues in fatal shooting in Alexandria


Before there was the beloved music teacher, there was the well-known transportation planner. Before them, there was the sheriff’s wife.

Three fixtures in the Alexandria community, all as prominent as they were loved, all gunned down inside their homes for reasons that elude police.

More at http://www.washingtonpost.com/local...004-11e3-b46a-5a3d0d2130da_story.html?hpid=z2

Sketch of suspect:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/rf/im...s/Images/SC-Ridge Road Composite for web.jpeg

bbm

Nancy Dunning ("the sheriff's wife") was our realtor years ago. I'll be surprised, though, if this same person is responsible. Most people here think Nancy's case was an inside job somehow... Unless they can show some common thread/link between these people, I have a hard time believing they are related.

Here is Nancy's thread here on WS: VA VA - Nancy Dunning, sherriff's wife, murdered in her Alexandria home, 2003 - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community

 

[OkieGranny]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/crime/police-look-for-gunman-clues-in-fatal-shooting-in-alexandria/2014/02/07/da370d26-9004-11e3-b46a-5a3d0d2130da_story.html

They all occurred in broad daylight, at homes within two miles of one another. The killer or killers didn’t force their way in. The victims were all high-profile, even if just in the fabric of Alexandria.

Alexandria Police Chief Earl L. Cook said Friday that detectives were “looking at any similarities” between Lodato’s slaying and other unsolved cases, including the 2003 slaying of Nancy Dunning, the wife of the late sheriff James Dunning, and the November killing of Ronald Kirby, the director of transportation planning at the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. He said that no evidence linking Lodato’s case to other crimes has been found but that police would be “remiss” not to look further.

Detectives will check whether the suspect described in Lodato’s case matches suspects in others, and they will compare ballistics test results and other forensic evidence, said Crystal Nosal, a police spokeswoman.

 

[radiator]

I'm glad they released a sketch and hope it results in some quick results.He looks eerily like my high school boyfriend (how he looks now, not how he looked way back when!) but he lives in Hawaii so I think he's in the clear.

Having read her thread I tend to agree that this is probably unrelated to the Nancy Dunning case but I think there's some possibility it could be connected to Ronald Kirby's murder which happened more recently. The police, as far as MSM has reported, seem baffled by that case and the shooting occurred nearby and at around the same time of day (at some point between 11:15 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local...5f107a-4d58-11e3-ac54-aa84301ced81_story.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local...753286-668e-11e3-a0b9-249bbb34602c_story.html

 

[messina]

"Police were able to briefly interview the caretaker of Lodato's elderly mother who was also shot. Lodato's mother may be the only person who saw the shooter, police said.

"We have a victim who survived," Cook said. He emphasized that they needed to ensure Lodato's mother's health was stable before they could interview her again.

Police are looking at the possibility of a connection with the murder of the transportation official Ron Kirby. Kirby was also mysteriously shot and killed inside his home in November. He lived about a mile away from the Lodatos', police said.

"Certainly, people should be concerned, but I don't want to characterize this as a serial killer floating around the city," Mayor Bill Euille said."

SORRY MAYOR, BUT YOU SHOULD NOT DISCOUNT THE RELATION OF THESE TWO MURDERS.
WHY WOULD YOU DOWNPLAY THE POSSIBILITY OF THIS ?
LOOK FOR A SERIAL KILLER BEFORE IT HAPPENS AGAIN !!

http://www.wusa9.com/story/news/loc...unt-for-lodatos-killer-in-alexandria/5294589/

 

[belimom]

I just realized when I watched the news tonight and saw her picture that my son and I took a Music Together class from her when he was a toddler. Very nice lady... such a senseless crime.

I hope they are able to catch the perp and figure out if there is actually a common thread between these three murders. I knew two of those three folks (Nancy Dunning and Ruthanne Lodato). These were all community leaders - or at least well-known and active in the community. I think that's the common link? Just don't know what a motive would be.

ETA - That particular section of Alexandria (Del Ray, and also Old Town) are growing by leaps and bounds, with development happening that many are against. Plus it's possible that in some of the real estate deals/planning, toes were stepped on, money was made by some but not by others, etc. I don't know if that's it? Ruthanne Lodato was a music teacher - I don't see how she would be involved in that aspect of the community. Nancy Dunning, maybe (a realtor). Kirby, maybe (director of transportation and planning).

 

[radiator]

In Alexandria, police detectives spent Saturday following leads and sifting through more than 100 e-mails that had come in since they released the composite sketch of the suspect, said Crystal Nosal, a police spokeswoman.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local...78c556-90e2-11e3-b46a-5a3d0d2130da_story.html

I hope something pans out from these tips.

The anti-development angle is an interesting one, Belimom, but as you said it's hard to imagine how a music teacher would play into that. One of the previous articles mentioned that her father was a judge--it didn't say anything about what kind but perhaps he could have made some rulings that dealt with development. I'll poke around and see if I can find out more.

 

[belimom]

I hope something pans out from these tips.

The anti-development angle is an interesting one, Belimom, but as you said it's hard to imagine how a music teacher would play into that. One of the previous articles mentioned that her father was a judge--it didn't say anything about what kind but perhaps he could have made some rulings that dealt with development. I'll poke around and see if I can find out more.

Interesting - considering that Nancy Dunning's husband was sheriff at that time, meaning both Nancy and Ruthanne had ties to LE and/or the judicial system somehow.

 

[radiator]

False alarm but it sounds like people are on the lookout:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local...d3e4d8-91de-11e3-b227-12a45d109e03_story.html

And the FBI is now involved:

http://washington.cbslocal.com/2014...ion-into-music-teachers-murder-in-alexandria/

On Friday, Cook said there is no definite link between the murders, but noted that ballistic tests will be conducted to determine if the bullets used in Thursday’s shooting match any shells recovered from other crime scenes.

 

[belimom]

Not sure why this is being done nearly a week later...? I guess better late than never but what would be left, considering rain, etc?

Alexandria streets closed as police search for evidence in homicide

....Several streets around Ridge Road Drive will be closed or have restricted access starting at 8 a.m. Police said the roads will reopen no later than 4 p.m., possibly sooner.....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...lice-search-for-evidence-in-homicide/?hpid=z4

 

[radiator]

Not sure why this is being done nearly a week later...? I guess better late than never but what would be left, considering rain, etc?

I was thinking the same thing. Perhaps they're hoping to find the gun.

Speaking of the gun, I'm wondering how it could affect the prosecution of a case to reveal now whether or not the weapon used could be the same type as the one used in the Ronald Kirby's killing. LE refused to answer that question in a community meeting but I'm neither a lawyer nor have I watched a sufficient amount of "Law and Order" to understand what sort of problem it could create to reveal that to the public now.

 

[AlwaysShocked]

Comment: In looking at the sketch made of the perpetrator, I would not describe that to be an "elderly" person.

Anybody else have an opinion on this?

 

[radiator]

Comment: In looking at the sketch made of the perpetrator, I would not describe that to be an "elderly" person.

Anybody else have an opinion on this?

Definitely doesn't look "elderly" to me but I don't know how old the caregiver (who I assume is the source of the description) is and if she's 19 or 20 it's quite possibly somebody in his 50s is "elderly" to her. It's also possible that there was something in the way he moved or spoke (if he did speak) that gave the sense of "elderly."

I hope there is more news on this soon now that the weather is clearing up.