Former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, 47, fatally shot his estranged wife, Dr. Cerina Fairfax, 49, before taking his own life in their Annandale, Virginia, home early Thursday. Police confirmed the incident as a murder-suicide, with both bodies found in separate rooms. The couple's two teenage children, Cameron, 16, and Carys, 14, were home at the time.
The shooting occurred just weeks before a court-ordered deadline for Fairfax to vacate the marital home by April 30. The couple had been separated for two years but continued living together. A judge had previously expressed concerns about Fairfax's mental state, describing his behavior as displaying 'a sense of fatalism and hopelessness' in a March 30 court order.
Fairfax had been struggling with 'undefined emotional and psychological issues,' according to court documents. His friend, Sophia Nelson, described him as deeply depressed in the wake of sexual assault allegations that derailed his political career in 2019. Fairfax denied the allegations, which dated back to his time at Duke University.
The divorce proceedings were reportedly 'messy,' with tensions escalating in recent months. Cerina Fairfax had testified that her husband drank daily and had purchased a handgun in 2022 using funds intended for their children's horseback riding lessons. Police were called to the home in January after Fairfax alleged that Cerina assaulted him.
Dr. Cerina Fairfax was a respected dentist who ran a family dentistry practice in Fairfax, Virginia. She was remembered by patients and colleagues as a devoted mother and caring professional.