Police said Justin Fairfax’s teenage son called 911 shortly after midnight to report the murder-suicide.
FAIRFAX, Va. (CN) – Fairfax County police confirmed that former Virginia Governor Justin Fairfax shot and killed his wife, Cerina, before killing himself early Thursday morning.
Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis said at a news conference that the pair were in an ongoing family dispute over a messy divorce.
“Former Lt. Gov. Fairfax was recently served with some documents related to an upcoming lawsuit that apparently led to this incident last night,” Davis said. “Both of their children, teenagers, the boy older than the girl, were at home when it happened, so this is terrible news for the family.”
Davis said Fairfax shot Cerina several times in their unfinished basement before running into the master bedroom of his Annandale, Virginia home and killing himself with the same firearm. Davis noted that the teenage boy was the one who called the police just after midnight.
“I think it’s fair to say that Justin Fairfax, before he was lieutenant governor, while he served as lieutenant governor, and even after, was a rising star politically, not just in Northern Virginia, but in Virginia,” Davis said. “So it’s high-profile in nature. It’s tragic in nature, certainly a fall from grace for a relatively high-profile family that apparently had a lot going for them.”
Fairfax had called the police in January, accusing Cerina of assaulting her at their home. Police found the claim unfounded after reviewing surveillance footage from cameras Cerina installed in the home during the divorce proceedings. Davis said the pair remained in the same house during the divorce proceedings while sleeping in separate bedrooms.
“Virginia woke up this morning to the devastating news regarding Cerina Fairfax and former Lt. Governor Justin Fairfax,” current Lt. Gov. Ghazala Hashmi said in a statement. “My thoughts are with their children, loved ones and many friends. Along with so many across the Commonwealth, I am filled with grief; I await further information from our law enforcement officials.”
Fairfax, a 47-year-old Democrat, served under Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam between 2018 and 2022.
“Pam and I are devastated by this shocking news,” Northam said in a statement. “I had the privilege of getting to know Fairfax while our families served together. We are praying for Cameron, Carys and the entire Fairfax family during this incredibly difficult time.”
Fairfax began his political career as an outreach coordinator for former Second Lady Tipper Gore in Al Gore’s Nashville, Tennessee office during the 2000 presidential campaign. He also served as a law clerk to U.S. Federal Judge Gerald Bruce Lee before working as a federal prosecutor with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Fairfax narrowly lost the Democratic nomination for attorney general to Mark Herring in 2013. He worked for the firms WilmerHale, Veneable LLP and Morrison & Foerster. Fairfax resigned from Morrison Foerster in 2019 after two women accused him of sexual assault. One woman accused Fairfax of raping her while they were undergraduates at Duke University, while another accused Fairfax of sexually assaulting her in a hotel room during the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston. Fairfax came in fourth in the 2021 Democratic primary.
“I am heartbroken by the deeply disturbing reports that surfaced this morning. This is an unspeakable tragedy — and our hearts go out to the family, especially the children and loved ones, whose lives have been forever changed by this devastating loss,” House Speaker Don Scott said in a statement. “There are moments when words fail – and this is one of them. All we can do is pray, hold our loved ones closer and grieve alongside those who are hurting today.”
Fairfax returned to work as a lawyer after his stint at the helm of the state Senate. Cerina worked as a dentist.
Davis said the department’s victim services division is doing everything it can for the surviving high school-aged children.
“Their welfare is the primary concern,” Davis said. “Everybody’s shocked. We’re shocked.”
If you are having suicidal thoughts, call or text 988 or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 (TALK). Visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for a list of sources.
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