Justin Fairfax, former Lieutenant Governor of the State of Virginia, and his wife, Cerina Fairfax, were found dead in what appears to be a murder-suicide case at their home in Annandale, Virginia, early Thursday morning, according to county police.
Read more Yes to the noes
Fairfax, 47, shot and killed his wife inside their Virginia home and then took his own life, Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis reported.
Authorities believe the shooting stemmed from an ongoing domestic dispute related to “what appears to be a complicated or contentious divorce,” Davis said. The two children were at the home, and one of them called 911 shortly after midnight. Police responded to the residence and found the bodies.
According to Davis, Fairfax shot his wife several times in the basement and then ran upstairs to a bedroom, where he shot himself and took his own life.
Read more Oracle expands its alliance with Amazon and accumulates a 20% stock rebound in four days
Davis stated in comments to the AP agency that his officers responded to the home in January after Justin Fairfax alleged that his wife had assaulted him. “There are several cameras installed inside the house. Apparently, Mrs. Fairfax installed a large number of cameras inside the home at some point during this divorce process. We reviewed those cameras and confirmed that the alleged assault never took place. Therefore, no arrest was made.”
Fairfax, a Democrat, served as lieutenant governor under Virginia Governor Ralph Northam from 2018 to 2022. He was accused of sexual assault by two women in 2019, which led to calls for his resignation, but Fairfax denied the allegations. He later ran unsuccessfully for governor, losing in the primaries to former Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe in 2021.
“Pam and I are devastated by this heartbreaking news. I had the privilege of knowing the Fairfaxes while our families served together,” Northam said in a statement.
Breaking news. More details to follow.