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Police: Former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax Killed Wife, Then Himself at Annandale Home

Police cite a contentious divorce as a likely trigger.

Overview

  • Fairfax County police said the 47-year-old shot Cerina Fairfax in the basement shortly after midnight Thursday, then died by suicide in an upstairs bedroom.
  • The couple’s two teenagers were inside the house, and their son called 911, with family and victim-services now caring for them.
  • Investigators said the same firearm appears to have been used in both deaths, and detectives are reviewing footage from cameras installed during the divorce.
  • Chief Kevin Davis said Fairfax had recently been served paperwork for an upcoming court hearing, with court records showing a judge ordered him to appear on April 21 in disputes over custody and assets.
  • Justin Fairfax, a Democrat who served from 2018 to 2022, had seen his career dim after 2019 sexual-assault allegations he denied, context many outlets highlighted in covering the case.