Virginia politician allegedly kills wife and himself while teens were home
Justin Fairfax fatally shot his wife before turning the gun on himself at their residence in Annandale
A former Virginia lieutenant governor and his wife were found dead at their home on Thursday morning in what authorities have described as a murder-suicide, according to police.
Investigators noted that Justin Fairfax fatally shot his wife, Cerina Fairfax, multiple times before turning the gun on himself at their residence in Annandale. The couple’s two teenage children were reportedly at home during the incident.
Fairfax served as Virginia’s lieutenant governor from 2018 to 2022, becoming the second Black individual elected to statewide office in the state.
His political career was later overshadowed by allegations of sexual assault, which he denied.
Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis said preliminary findings suggest the deaths stemmed from ongoing domestic issues.
“This has been an ongoing domestic dispute surrounding what seems to be a complicated or messy divorce,” Davis said during a Thursday briefing, adding that the investigation remains active.
Authorities responded to an emergency call from the couple’s son shortly after midnight.
The caller initially believed his mother had been stabbed. However, investigators later found evidence of a shooting, including bullet casings near Cerina Fairfax’s body.
Police indicated there was no prolonged struggle prior to the shooting, suggesting the violence unfolded rapidly.
The couple had reportedly been living together despite being separated.
Former Virginia Governor Ralph Northam expressed shock, saying he and his wife were “devastated by this heartbreaking news.”
Officials described the incident as especially tragic given the presence of the couple’s children in the home at the time.