{"id":733103,"date":"2026-04-16T22:51:02","date_gmt":"2026-04-16T22:51:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/733103\/"},"modified":"2026-04-16T22:51:02","modified_gmt":"2026-04-16T22:51:02","slug":"former-virginia-lt-gov-justin-fairfax-killed-his-wife-and-himself-police-say","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/733103\/","title":{"rendered":"Former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax killed his wife and himself, police say"},"content":{"rendered":"

ANNANDALE, Va. (AP) \u2014 Former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, a rising star in the Democratic Party<\/a> until sexual assault allegations ruined his political fortunes, killed his estranged wife and then himself weeks before a judge\u2019s deadline to move out of their family home, according to police and court records.<\/p>\n

Officers called to the home in the Washington, D.C., suburb of Annandale early Thursday found the bodies of Fairfax, 47, and his wife, Dr. Cerina Fairfax, 49, Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis said.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Fairfax<\/p>\n

Fairfax County coroners remove a body from the home of former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, in Annandale, Va., Thursday, April 16, 2026. (AP Photo\/Cliff Owen)<\/p>\n

Fairfax County coroners remove a body from the home of former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, in Annandale, Va., Thursday, April 16, 2026. (AP Photo\/Cliff Owen)<\/p>\n

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Justin Fairfax fatally shot his wife, a successful dentist, in the basement before going to an upstairs bedroom and killing himself, Davis said. Their son called 911.<\/p>\n

One of Justin Fairfax\u2019s longtime friends told The Associated Press that he became increasingly despondent after his wife filed for divorce last year. The judge overseeing the divorce recently wrote that his \u201cisolation, drinking, and a lack of participation in family life are manifestations of what seems to be a sense of fatalism and hopelessness.\u201d<\/p>\n

___<\/p>\n

EDITOR\u2019S NOTE \u2014 This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at 988lifeline.org<\/a><\/p>\n

___<\/p>\n

A turn in fortunes<\/p>\n

Less than a decade ago, Justin Fairfax\u2019s political career was taking off. He won the race for lieutenant governor in 2017 and seemed poised to become Virginia\u2019s second Black governor two years later when Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam faced widespread calls to resign over a racist photo<\/a> in his medical school yearbook. Fairfax would have become governor if Northam had stepped down.<\/p>\n

But two women<\/a> came forward accusing Fairfax of sexually assaulting them<\/a> years earlier.<\/p>\n

Fairfax said the encounters, which occurred before he was married, were consensual and refused calls to resign<\/a>. He tried to run for governor in 2021, but was largely shunned by Virginia Democrats<\/a> and defeated in the Democratic primary.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Democratic<\/p>\n

Democratic candidate for Governor of Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax answers a question during a debate held in Bristol, Va., on Thursday, May 6, 2021. (David Crigger\/Bristol Herald Courier via AP, File)<\/p>\n

Democratic candidate for Governor of Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax answers a question during a debate held in Bristol, Va., on Thursday, May 6, 2021. (David Crigger\/Bristol Herald Courier via AP, File)<\/p>\n

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A career and marriage fall apart<\/p>\n

Cerina Fairfax said in court filings that she and her husband separated nearly two years ago. But they were still living in the same house with their two teenage children, who were both home when the deaths occurred, Davis said.<\/p>\n

In a March 30 order, the judge told Justin Fairfax to move out by the end of April, writing \u201cit is clear tensions in the Fairfax home have been extremely high for an extended period of time.\u201d<\/p>\n

The judge said in court documents that Justin Fairfax\u2019s \u201cmental and emotional health\u201d suffered after two setbacks: his unsuccessful 2013 campaign for the Democratic nomination for attorney general and the 2019 sexual assault scandal. After both, he drank heavily and withdrew from his family, but while it took about a month to recover from the first setback, he never bounced back from the second.<\/p>\n

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Cerina Fairfax testified during the divorce proceedings that her husband drank daily, and that his living space was littered with empty wine bottles and piles of dirty laundry. He bought a handgun in 2022 with money intended for horseback riding lessons for their children, court records showed.<\/p>\n

Sophia A. Nelson, a Virginia author and journalist who described Justin Fairfax as a close friend, said Thursday that he never moved past the 2019 scandal.<\/p>\n

She told the AP that during a group text with her and another friend Tuesday night, he expressed how the recent sexual assault allegations against Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell<\/a> of California had brought back for him what he continued to insist was an unfair rush to judgment.<\/p>\n

Nelson said she and other friends repeatedly asked Fairfax to seek help. She urged him to move out but believes he wasn\u2019t able to do so financially.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was concerned, as were other close friends, fraternity brothers, family members,\u201d Nelson said. \u201cThere were talks of suicidal thoughts.\u201d<\/p>\n

Filings show that Justin Fairfax had financial challenges following the sexual assault allegations, which prompted his resignation as a partner at a prestigious law firm. The IRS filed a lien against the couple for more than $91,000 in unpaid taxes that was resolved in 2021.<\/p>\n

Nelson said Fairfax was \u201cunemployable\u201d after the scandal and tried to rebuild his legal career, but with a few successes.<\/p>\n

Davis, the police chief, said Justin Fairfax was recently served with paperwork telling him when next to appear in court. He said officers went to the family\u2019s home in January after Justin Fairfax alleged that his wife had assaulted him — but cameras she had set up around the home showed \u201cthe alleged assault never occurred.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cerina Fairfax had a thriving dental practice<\/p>\n

The couple met as undergraduates at Duke University and married in 2006. Cerina Fairfax also attended the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry, which honored her in 2015 as an outstanding alumna.<\/p>\n

A profile page on the website of her family dentistry practice described her as an avid reader who liked to travel, practice yoga, go on trail runs with her Vizsla-breed dogs, and \u201cspend time with her wonderful family.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s very sad for this community,\u201d Davis said. \u201cA lot of people who know the Fairfax family, everybody\u2019s shocked. We\u2019re shocked.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Fairfax<\/p>\n

Fairfax County coroners remove a body from the home of former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, in Annandale, Va., Thursday, April 16, 2026. (AP Photo\/Cliff Owen)<\/p>\n

Fairfax County coroners remove a body from the home of former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, in Annandale, Va., Thursday, April 16, 2026. (AP Photo\/Cliff Owen)<\/p>\n

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<\/p>\n

\n AP AUDIO: Justin Fairfax, who nearly became Virginia governor, killed his wife and himself, police say\n <\/p>\n

AP\u2019s Ed Donahue reports on a murder-suicide involving a former Virginia Lt. Governor.<\/p>\n

An outpouring of grief<\/p>\n

The deaths stunned political leaders throughout the state.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are keeping Cerina and Justin Fairfax\u2019s family \u2014 especially their two children \u2014 in our prayers as we all process this shocking and horrifying news,\u201d Virginia\u2019s Democratic U.S. senators, Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, said in a joint statement. <\/p>\n

Fairfax had served as co-chair for Warner\u2019s 2014 reelection campaign.<\/p>\n

Virginia\u2019s Democratic governor, Abigail Spanberger, posted on X that she was deeply saddened and praying for the families.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis tragedy reminds us that domestic violence can occur in any family and in any place,\u201d she wrote. <\/p>\n

Nelson said that as much as she and Justin Fairfax\u2019s other friends wanted to believe he would never abuse women, killing his wife would be his epitaph and undercut the good and honorable things he had done in public life.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou now fit what many, many men have done in domestic violence incidences like this,\u201d Nelson said while fighting back tears. \u201cAnd that\u2019s how you\u2019re remembered.\u201d<\/p>\n

___<\/p>\n

Biesecker reported from Fairfax County, Virginia. Associated Press reporters Sarah Brumfield in Cockeysville, Maryland, Jonathan Mattise in Nashville, Tennessee, John Raby in Charleston, West Virginia, Alanna Durkin Richer in Washington, Allen G. Breed in Wake Forest, North Carolina, and John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio, contributed to this report.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"ANNANDALE, Va. (AP) \u2014 Former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, a rising star in the Democratic Party until…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":733104,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[4,3],"tags":[128152,3881,356,23424,90,181264,57,302865,303105,2936,128421,50,80,303106,10409,303107,8131,89,61,67,132,68,906],"class_list":["post-733103","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-united-states","category-us","tag-abigail-spanberger","tag-ap-top-news","tag-courts","tag-divorce","tag-elections","tag-eric-swalwell","tag-general-news","tag-justin-fairfax","tag-kevin-davis","tag-law-enforcement","tag-mark-warner","tag-news","tag-politics","tag-ralph-northam","tag-sexual-assault","tag-sophia-a-nelson","tag-tim-kaine","tag-u-s-democratic-party","tag-u-s-news","tag-united-states","tag-unitedstates","tag-us","tag-virginia"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/733103","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=733103"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/733103\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/733104"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=733103"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=733103"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=733103"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}