Former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax shot and killed his wife Wednesday night in their Annandale, Virginia home before apparently turning the gun on himself, Fairfax County police said Thursday.
Background
Justin and Cerina Fairfax had been married and met at Duke University. The couple was in the early stages of divorce proceedings, with Cerina Fairfax filing for divorce last July. According to police, Justin Fairfax had recently been served paperwork related to the divorce. The pair were living together but separated, residing in separate bedrooms.
The incident occurred just after midnight Thursday. Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis said Justin Fairfax shot his wife several times in the basement of their home, then went upstairs to the primary bedroom where he killed himself.
Both of the Fairfaxs' children were home at the time of the shooting. Their teenage son called 911 just after midnight, reporting he thought his mother had been stabbed. When police arrived, they found bullet casings near Cerina Fairfax's body upstairs in the primary bedroom. Justin Fairfax was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The Investigation
Police said there was no prolonged confrontation before the shooting. 'I think it all kind of happened at once,' Chief Davis said during a briefing. 'There wasn't a pause … it all happened pretty spontaneously.' The department is treating this as an apparent murder-suicide.
In January, Justin Fairfax had called police alleging his wife assaulted him. However, investigators determined the assault never occurred after reviewing footage from cameras at the home that had been placed by Cerina Fairfax.
Chief Davis described the incident as 'traumatic' for the children, who lost both parents. Victims' services are working with the family.
Key Takeaways
- Justin Fairfax, former Virginia lieutenant governor from 2018 to 2022, allegedly shot and killed his wife Cerina Fairfax in their Annandale home
- The couple's teenage son called 911 just after midnight reporting his mother had been stabbed
- Police found bullet casings near Cerina Fairfax's body and Justin Fairfax upstairs with a self-inflicted gunshot wound
- The couple was in early divorce proceedings; Cerina filed for divorce last July
- Both children were home at the time of the incident and are teenagers
- In 2019, two women accused Justin Fairfax of sexual assault; he maintained both encounters were consensual
What's Next
Fairfax County police continue to investigate the incident. Victims' services are providing support to the children and other family members. No further details regarding the investigation have been released at this time.
The case represents a dramatic fall from grace for a family that held significant political standing in Virginia. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the apparent murder-suicide remains ongoing.