Arrest possibly connected to Alexandria serial killings
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There are a few elements that affect local cyclists. First is the suspicion that a serial killer is on the loose in Del Ray, Alexandria. The three shootings occurred during the day at residences in and around Del Ray. That’s more than enough to make me nervous about riding around Del Ray.
Second, the man arrested in West Virginia is reported to live in a townhouse in Ashburn, VA. Neighbors describe Charles Severance as odd and eccentric. He would build bonfires on the patio below his deck and rearrange the rocks in his front yard. The article has an odd statement that he reportedly never goes anywhere, while adding that he rides his bike around his neighborhood. (Maybe they meant that he never went on vacation.) No word on whether he used to ride on the W&OD, but it’s certainly possible.
On Sunday, he strapped his bicycle to his car and drove away, ending up in West Virginia where he was arrested yesterday afternoon. The FBI and police raided his home on Wednesday, following a tip.
One of the victims was Ronald Kirby, director of transportation planning at the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.
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Why does he seem to be a suspect in the Alexandria shootings? He has a strong resemblance to the police sketch, based on the report of a survivor of the most recent shooting. He ran for mayor of Alexandria a couple times, in 1996 and 2000, losing to Kerry Donley. Severance would wear all black clothing to campaign events. Donley says that Severance would only talk about mental health services for juveniles and prescription of psychotropic drugs and nothing else, no matter the question or topic of discussion. The police were so concerned about Severance that Donley was assigned an undercover officer for protection during the campaign.Current Mayor Euille confirms that Severance would rant about legalizing prescription drugs and nothing else.
Severance has a bizarre website about mental health treatment. He is banned from having contact with his son, according to the website. (The link is in the NBC article.)
He is a convicted felon, on a gun charge in VA, so he is not allowed to possess guns now. He was charged in other incidents in Allegany Co. MD and Panama City FL (assault, sex offense, indecent exposure, disorderly conduct).
Last Friday, March 7, on the day after the Alexandria police chief held a press conference where the chief said that the three killings might be the work of a serial killer (a “series” of shootings), Severance tried to request asylum at the Russian Embassy in DC. The Russians turned him away and DC police sent him on his way. Then on Sunday he left his Ashburn home.
Alexandria police are not calling him a suspect in the shootings, but clearly, the police and the FBI believe he might be involved. Unspecified problems with the mental health system, rage about being banned from contacting his son, close ties to Alexandria, gun-related conviction, close resemblance to the police sketch and an asylum request at the Russian Embassy on the day after the Alexandria police press conference. They haven’t proved anything conclusively, but all that sure seems to point to him as the killer. I hope it’s the right guy and that he will no longer be a threat to anyone in Alexandria or anywhere else.
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