Via WV Regional Jail & Correctional Facility Authority.

Charles Severance, convicted of three Northern Virginia murders that occurred over the course of a decade, has been formally sentenced to life in prison.

This follows the recommendation from the jury back in November, which handed down three life sentences, one for each convicted murder. The two capital murder charges automatically come with a sentence of life without parole, and the jury decided on a life sentence for the third murder charge. He was also handed down an additional 48 years in prison and $400,000 in fines for seven other charges.

The charges are related to the murders of Nancy Dunning, wife of former Sheriff James Dunning, in 2003; transportation planner Ron Kirby in 2013; and music teacher Ruthanne Lodato in 2014. All three were shot in their homes with no sign of forced entry.

Severance, 55, is a former Alexandria resident who the prosecution painted as embittered with the so-called “elites” of the town after losing a custody battle.

While the case had little forensic evidence, prosecutors relied heavily on Severance’s writing and other circumstantial evidence. In one poem, “The Parable of the Knocker,” Severance wrote, “Knock and the door will open. Knock. Talk. Enter. Kill. Exit. Murder. Wisdom.”

Severance fought with Fairfax County Circuit Court judge Randy I. Bellows at today’s hearing, according to the Post.

Leaning forward into the microphone, [Severance] said “sadism, sadism,” then tried to have his attorneys removed. Asked for a statement before the sentence was imposed, Severance rambled: “According to the Book of Common Prayer, the Church of England, 16th century, during the reign of The Tudors, Henry VIII, Elizabeth, the 37th article, religion, it is lawful to wear weapons.” He went silent.

Earlier, Severance told the judge his attorneys had made “statements against my interests” and asked him to postpone the hearing because he was not informed of the weather-driven decision to move the proceedings from Friday to Thursday.

According to the Post, observers at the hearing included victims’ families, former Virginia governor (and convicted felon) Bob McDonnell, and Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring.