Former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax fatally shot his wife Dr. Cerina Fairfax before killing himself inside their Annandale home early Thursday, in what police describe as a domestic-related murder-suicide amid an ongoing divorce dispute. Fairfax County police said officers responded shortly after midnight April 16 to the 8100 block of Guinevere Drive, where they found the bodies. Police Chief Kevin Davis confirmed Fairfax was the shooter and described the killing as “tragic in nature” for what had been a high-profile family. Davis said the murder occurred in a partially finished basement, where Fairfax shot his wife several times before running upstairs to the primary bedroom and killing himself with the same firearm. The couple’s two teenage children were inside the home at the time and unharmed, but Davis called the incident “extra tragic” because they witnessed the violence. The couple had been engaged in divorce proceedings, and Justin Fairfax was recently served court paperwork for an upcoming hearing. In January, Justin Fairfax called police to report that his wife had assaulted him, but Davis said multiple cameras installed inside the house by Mrs. Fairfax captured the encounter and showed the alleged assault did not occur. No arrests were made. Davis said victim services staff are working closely with surviving relatives to support the children. “Tragic for the children to lose both parents, extra tragic for them to actually be in the home when it occurred,” Davis said. Fairfax, once regarded as a rising political star in Virginia, served as lieutenant governor from 2018 to 2022. Anyone with information is asked to call Fairfax County Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS. This is a developing story.
Former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax kills wife, himself inside home
