A composite of a suspect in Lodato’s murder. Via Alexandria police.

The recent murders of a regional transportation planning director and a music teacher in Northern Virginia, as well as a decade-old homicide, may be connected, Alexandria police announced today.

Alexandria Police Chief Earl Cook told reporters at a press conference this afternoon the markings on bullets used in the February murder of Ruthanne Lodato “have the same general rifling class and characteristics, and are similar in design” to ones used in the November slaying of Ron Kirby and the 2003 murder of Nancy Dunning. Cook said it’s possible the same gun was used in each of the three cases, all of which occurred in Alexandria and during the daytime.

“These cases will be investigated as a series of crimes,” Cook said, adding they “appear to be linked.” He, however, cautioned that it is not certain if the same gun was used or same person was involved.

Lodato, a 59-year-old music teacher, was killed after answering her door. Kirby, the transportation planning director for the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, was found shot to death in his Alexandria home. Dunning, a real estate agent married to former Sheriff Jim Dunning, was found in her Del Ray in 2003. Cook said all three likely “presented” themselves at the door.

Cook urged Alexandria residents to keep their doors and windows looked, and only open the door for known people.