Northern Virginia is reeling from the murder of a beloved music teacher, Ruthanne Lodato, 59, in her Alexandria home. I have a connection to the victim. We lived in Alexandria before moving to McLean and Ruthanne led the music class for three of my four children. It was a wonderful music class called Music Together Alexandria at the Del Ray United Methodist Church for toddlers. While I only knew her through the class years when my children were toddlers, Ruthanne was a wonderfully warm and giving person. We are all devastated by the news and the community has rallied around the effort to find the man shown in police sketches.
Ruthanne was shot to death when she answered a knock at the door of home — a crime that bore disturbing similarities to the November 2013 killing of Ronald Kirby, the director of transportation planning at the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, and the 2003 shooting of a sheriff’s wife, Nancy Dunning. In this case, however, we have an eyewitness who saw the killer. Another woman, the caregiver for her mother, was wounded in the home but gave a description to the police.
The suspect is described as an older white male, balding with gray hair and a full beard. He was wearing a tan jacket at the time of the shooting.
The loss of Ruthanne is being mourned throughout the city and the statements of children about her work is the greatest testament that anyone could hope for in this life. My memories of Ruthanne is our sitting around in a circle at the Church as she captivated them with different forms of instruments — encouraging them to make music in anyway that they wanted with different objects. The parents played as part of the class and Ruthanne made sure that even the most uptight of us would join the circle. It was truly Music Together and Ruthanne insured that everyone felt welcomed in her circle. What a wonderful person and what a senseless attack.
Anyone with information about the case is urged to call detectives at 703-746-6864.
Is anything known about motive?
The guy wears a beard and Music is forbidden in Islam and punishable by death and it is each Muslim’s duty to enforce the shariah… Just a thought.
Attn: JT
Look, stop all the outside noise & listen. Just be still & listen to you thoughts.
Pay attention to what’s is going on everywhere, others are.
I don’t know anything about this case, but I’m watching another large list that is worried about the charges they may face & the body trail they seem to be leaving.
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-02-07/4th-financial-services-executive-found-dead-self-inflicted-nail-gun-wounds?page=15
I’m not ready to ship this below yet but here it is. I’m not sure what planet others are living, but it’s as clear as day to me much of what’s happening.
Breaking: Bloomberg Caught In Secret Plan To Take Guns.
When this scoundrel is apprehended J.T., I think it would be worth digging up the history about who were all the people in the “BUTTERFINGERS COURTHOUSE GANG” that failed this wonderful lady by getting/letting him be recycled into society instead of justly paying with incarceration, for the pocket change they all got out of it.
“It is forbidden to kill therefore all murderers are punished unless they kill in large numbers and to the sound of trumpets.” -Voltaire
Terrible. Hopfully whover did this will be arrested soon.
She has such a sweet face. I hope they catch this man. I’m sorry for the loss of your friend, and the community. Shameless.
What one needs to be careful of is usually eye witness descriptions are most inherently unreliable….. I know of one case in particular where the prosecutor was told by the state police that with the time lines that the defendant on trial most likely did not do it…. The prosecutors response to the detective was when I want your opinions I will ask for it…. At trial, the defense was given an edited version without the officers conclusions…. It was not until the officer went up the chain of command and to the attorney general was the man released 2.5 years later…. Even though they had another confession to the same crime…. The man sat in prison…. Based upon eye witness description….
Ditto what raff said….
I am sorry for your loss and for the pain that is felt throughout your family and community.
Let’s hope for a speedy capture of the murderer so he won’t have an opportunity to devastate another family.
Being a good and caring father, I know it is much more painful for you to see your kids have to deal w/ this violent loss of an admired teacher. While I hope for justice, I pray for your kids, and all the kids suffering this senseless loss.
Such a sad story. I mentioned her shooting in my weekend contribution, but did not mention her by name. I hope the description allows the police to find this murderer.
My heartfelt condolences to you, professor, and everyone else in the Alexandria community that has been touched by this senseless tragedy. May her memory always be a blessing to you all.