Virginia’s former lieutenant governor shot and killed his wife before turning the gun on himself inside their home overnight, according to Fairfax County Police on Thursday.
47-year old ex-Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax and his 49-year-old wife, Cerina, who were going through a divorce, were found dead inside their northern Virginia home.
The couple’s teenage son called 911 shortly after midnight. Both of their teenage children were in the house when it happened.
An initial investigation has determined that Fairfax killed his wife in the basement before going upstairs to the primary bedroom to kill himself.
The police chief also revealed that Fairfax was served recently with paperwork telling him when next to appear in court. The couple had been married since 2006.
In January, officers were called to their home after the former lieutenant governor accused his wife of assaulting him.
“Apparently, Mrs. Fairfax, at some point during these divorce proceedings, set up a lot of cameras inside the home. We reviewed those cameras, and we corroborated that the alleged assault never occurred,” Davis said.
Fairfax served as lieutenant governor for one term from 2018 to 2022. He was once considered a rising star in the Democratic Party and poised to become the state’s second black governor after Gov. Ralph Northam faced pressure to resign over a photo in a medical school yearbook that many critics believed was racist.
However, Fairfax’s political career was derailed after two women accused him of sexual assault. He denied the claims.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
