RICHMOND, Va.— The Virginia Supreme Court has upheld a Fairfax County death row inmate’s convictions and sentence.

The justices on Thursday unanimously rejected several claims raised by Mark E. Lawlor. He was sentenced to death for the 2008 sexual assault and murder of a woman in the apartment complex where he worked as a leasing agent.

Lawlor used a key to enter 29-year-old Genevieve Orange’s apartment. An autopsy showed he beat her with a hammer and then sexually assaulted her. DNA evidence at the scene implicated Lawlor.

On appeal, Lawlor raised constitutional challenges as well as issues related to jury selection, jury instructions, denial of defense motions and the exclusion of certain evidence.

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