INSIDE EDITION reports on multiple murders that have some residents of a Washington D.C. suburb asking if a serial killer is on the loose.
Is a vicious serial killer stalking a suburb of the nation's capital? That's the chilling question after three murders in the tight-knit community.
All three victims were shot after answering their front doors. All were prominent citizens. All the slayings took place in broad daylight.
The fear that there's a serial killer on the loose has many in an affluent suburb of Washington D.C. on edge. In fact some residents are afraid to even answer a knock on their front door.
The latest victim was a beloved music teacher, 59-year-old Ruthanne Lodato. She was shot dead in the doorway of her home in Alexandria, Virginia. Cops have issued a sketch of a suspect.
Three months before Lodato was gunned down, 69-year-old Ron Kirby, a high-ranking official in a Washington D.C. transportation agency, was shot dead in his home about a mile away.
His heartbroken widow, Anne Haynes, told Boyd her husband most likely answered the door without hesitation because he was expecting the plumber.
"Nothing was stolen?" asked Boyd.
"No. His wallet was upstairs on the desk with money in it. Our computer was there. They didn't take anything. I think they just turned around and left," replied Haynes.
The third victim was 56-year-old realtor Nancy Dunning, the wife of the Alexandria, Virginia, sheriff. She was shot in her home 10 years ago. Could there be a link?
Boyd asked Haynes, "The circumstances surrounding these murders are eerily similar, aren't they"
Haynes replied, "There's no fingerprints. There's no evidence. There doesn't seem to be a motivation. Those are the things that they have in common."
Criminal profiler Pat Brown thinks the killer may be someone with a grudge against leading citizens. She says it's not uncommon for serial killers to cease their murder spree and then reappear years later.
"Possibly, he was incarcerated or he was in a mental institution during these down times," said Brown.
Meanwhile, the fear in Alexandria is palpable. Local locksmith Mark Baldino told Paul Boyd he's been swamped with calls from worried families who want to upgrade security.
He showed Boyd a new hi-tech way to find out who's on the other side of that front door. It's a digital door viewer. When someone arrives at your front door, they ring the doorbell and it instantly takes their picture. You can easily see who is standing on the other side of the door, even at night. It has infrared technology. A small device that could bring some peace of mind to a community living in fear.
There's now a $20,000 reward being offered in the Ron Kirby case. If you have any information please contact Alexandria police.
