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| Police look for gunman, clues in fatal shooting in Alexandria | Police look for gunman, clues in fatal shooting in Alexandria |
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| 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. | 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. |
| Police on Friday said they had yet to make an arrest in the slaying of 59-year-old Ruthanne Lodato, who was gunned down Thursday in an unusual, late-morning attack at her home on Ridge Road Drive. Police have said a bearded, balding older man knocked on Lodato’s door at about 11:30 a.m., and when she and another woman answered, he began shooting. | Police on Friday said they had yet to make an arrest in the slaying of 59-year-old Ruthanne Lodato, who was gunned down Thursday in an unusual, late-morning attack at her home on Ridge Road Drive. Police have said a bearded, balding older man knocked on Lodato’s door at about 11:30 a.m., and when she and another woman answered, he began shooting. |
| Lodato, a well-known music teacher with deep roots in Alexandria, was fatally wounded, and the other woman, a caregiver who worked in the home, was shot and injured. An Alexandria police spokeswoman said Friday that the caregiver had been hospitalized after Thursday night’s shooting, though she was unsure if she had since been discharged. The shooter got away. | Lodato, a well-known music teacher with deep roots in Alexandria, was fatally wounded, and the other woman, a caregiver who worked in the home, was shot and injured. An Alexandria police spokeswoman said Friday that the caregiver had been hospitalized after Thursday night’s shooting, though she was unsure if she had since been discharged. The shooter got away. |
| Alexandria police spokeswoman Crystal Nosal said police on Friday would continue combing through the victims’ lives and any problems in the neighborhood that might offer hints as to who perpetrated the attack. She said they would try to interview the caregiver again if the woman was healthy enough to talk. | Alexandria police spokeswoman Crystal Nosal said police on Friday would continue combing through the victims’ lives and any problems in the neighborhood that might offer hints as to who perpetrated the attack. She said they would try to interview the caregiver again if the woman was healthy enough to talk. |
| “Detectives are going to be examining every aspect of the case,” Nosal said. | “Detectives are going to be examining every aspect of the case,” Nosal said. |
| The house of the popular music teacher remained cordoned off by yellow police tape on Friday morning. Someone had set flowers and two piano instruction manuals outside. One was printed with “Jack” in a child’s handwriting. | |
| Louis De Merode, who lives across the street, fondly recalled annual holiday gatherings at the Lodatos’ house, where she would lead neighbors in Christmas carols from her piano. | |
| He said for Lodato made reindeer cookies for the last party that were so perfect “no one dared eat them.” | He said for Lodato made reindeer cookies for the last party that were so perfect “no one dared eat them.” |
| “There was a buzz around the house,” De Merode said. “People were coming and going. It was lively.” | “There was a buzz around the house,” De Merode said. “People were coming and going. It was lively.” |
| De Merode said Lodato had built an addition on the home, so her elderly mother could live with her. | |
| Doug Smith, lay leader of Del Ray United Methodist Church, described Lodato as a gifted musician and passionate teacher whose death leaves a “hole” in the community. Music Together Alexandria, the program Lodato taught with, rented a classroom at the church and she also had been a substitute organist at the church, playing weddings, funerals and other services — “whenever she was needed,” Smith said. | |
| Every time he passed Lodato’s classroom, Smith recalled seeing a “very lively” scene: Two- and 3-year-old children “jumping up and down,” happily banging on tambourines and dancing with their parents. He admitted it was a tough task — getting restless toddlers to stop fiddling with the carpet or staring out the window and genuinely connect with the music — but she handled it well. | |
| “She’s probably influenced thousands of kids over the past two years with her love of music,” Smith told reporters outside the church, where Lodato was scheduled Friday morning to teach. “She loved bringing music to the children.” | |
| John Kelly, another neighbor, said Lodato had given music lessons to his two children. | John Kelly, another neighbor, said Lodato had given music lessons to his two children. |
| “Ruthanne was woven into the fabric of this community. She was our friend, neighbor and most of all she was the center of a big, beautiful family,” Kelly said. “Between her work, the neighborhood, schools and church, you’d have to walk pretty far to find someone that doesn’t know her.” | “Ruthanne was woven into the fabric of this community. She was our friend, neighbor and most of all she was the center of a big, beautiful family,” Kelly said. “Between her work, the neighborhood, schools and church, you’d have to walk pretty far to find someone that doesn’t know her.” |
| Kelly said Lodato was a classically trained pianist and attended nearby Blessed Sacrament church. She has three daughters, two adult and one that attends Virginia Tech. | Kelly said Lodato was a classically trained pianist and attended nearby Blessed Sacrament church. She has three daughters, two adult and one that attends Virginia Tech. |
| Lodato had had grown up on the block, just across the street from the home where she was killed, one of five brothers and sisters. | Lodato had had grown up on the block, just across the street from the home where she was killed, one of five brothers and sisters. |
| David Mudd, who said he had been a neighbor of Lodato’s for his entire life, said her death had chilled the community. | David Mudd, who said he had been a neighbor of Lodato’s for his entire life, said her death had chilled the community. |
| “There is a level of fear in this community that we didn’t have before,” Mudd said. “The seemingly random nature of this adds an extra level of fear.” | “There is a level of fear in this community that we didn’t have before,” Mudd said. “The seemingly random nature of this adds an extra level of fear.” |
| Mudd said he felt a twinge of anxiety when someone knocked on his door earlier on Friday. “The truth is, who wouldn’t open their door for an elderly man with gray hair and a beard?” Mudd asked, referring to the description of the man who shot Lodato. | |
| The shooting sparked fear and bewilderment throughout Alexandria, in no small part because police said they were probing whether it might be connected to the equally mysterious and high-profile slaying of prominent regional transportation planner Ronald Kirby. Authorities have said there were no signs of forced entry at Kirby’s house, and his wife has said nothing was stolen. Police have not made an arrest. | The shooting sparked fear and bewilderment throughout Alexandria, in no small part because police said they were probing whether it might be connected to the equally mysterious and high-profile slaying of prominent regional transportation planner Ronald Kirby. Authorities have said there were no signs of forced entry at Kirby’s house, and his wife has said nothing was stolen. Police have not made an arrest. |
| Kirby, 69, lived a little more than a mile from Ridge Road Drive and was killed sometime between 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. on Nov. 11. Police said they had no specific evidence linking Lodato’s slaying to any other crime. | Kirby, 69, lived a little more than a mile from Ridge Road Drive and was killed sometime between 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. on Nov. 11. Police said they had no specific evidence linking Lodato’s slaying to any other crime. |
| One man, who asked that his name not be used to protect his privacy, reached out to police on Twitter after spotting someone roughly matching the suspect’s description in Lodato’s slaying on Washington Street near the Lyceum museum about 9:30 p.m. | One man, who asked that his name not be used to protect his privacy, reached out to police on Twitter after spotting someone roughly matching the suspect’s description in Lodato’s slaying on Washington Street near the Lyceum museum about 9:30 p.m. |
| The man said in a text message conversation that the man — who was balding, with gray hair and a full, bushy beard — was “speaking to himself loudly” and that after walking south rapidly, he turned suddenly north. The tipster said he typically “would have thought nothing of it,” but in light of the day’s events, he told two people he was talking with that they should leave and later contacted police. | The man said in a text message conversation that the man — who was balding, with gray hair and a full, bushy beard — was “speaking to himself loudly” and that after walking south rapidly, he turned suddenly north. The tipster said he typically “would have thought nothing of it,” but in light of the day’s events, he told two people he was talking with that they should leave and later contacted police. |
| Nosal said she had forwarded the man’s information to detectives, who would follow up on his and other tips. She said it was too early to say if the man spotted was in any way connected to the shooting. | Nosal said she had forwarded the man’s information to detectives, who would follow up on his and other tips. She said it was too early to say if the man spotted was in any way connected to the shooting. |
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