FAIRFAX, Va. (AP) — The survivor of a shooting that authorities have linked to the slayings of three Alexandria residents wept uncontrollably as she described the attack in court.
The woman testified Thursday during a pretrial hearing to determine whether she can reliably identify her attacker.
Charles Severance is charged in the deaths of Nancy Dunning, wife of then-Sheriff James Dunning, in 2003; transportation planner Ron Kirby in 2013 and teacher Ruthanne Lodato in 2014.
The woman who survived the shooting cried as she described hearing gunshots, seeing Lodato shot, and being shot herself.
Defense lawyers questioned the validity of a photo lineup she was shown, but a judge ruled the lineup is admissible.
Prosecutors say Severance was angry about losing a child-custody case in Alexandria and sought revenge against the city’s ruling class.