Former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax fatally shot his estranged wife, Cerina Fairfax, before taking his own life in a murder-suicide at their Annandale home early Thursday. Their two teenage children were present during the incident and called 911 shortly after midnight. Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis confirmed the deaths were the result of a 'complicated or messy divorce,' with court proceedings pending. The couple had been separated but continued living together in the same home.
Fairfax, a Democrat who served as lieutenant governor from 2018 to 2022, faced sexual assault allegations during his tenure, which he denied. He ran for governor in 2021 but finished fourth in the Democratic primary. Police had previously responded to a domestic dispute at the home in January after Fairfax alleged his wife assaulted him, though no charges were filed after camera footage disproved the claim.
Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) expressed condolences for the Fairfax children, while March for Our Lives highlighted the disproportionate impact of gun violence on Black women. The investigation remains ongoing.