A former deputy governor of Virginia and his wife were found dead at their home on Thursday morning, in what authorities described as a murder-suicide.
Investigators say Justin Fairfax shot his wife multiple times before turning the gun on himself at their Annandale home. Both of the couple's teenage children were at home when the incident occurred.
Fairfax, the second black person elected to statewide office in Virginia, served as lieutenant governor from 2018 to 2022. His tenure was overshadowed by two allegations of sexual assault, accusations he denied.
County police chief Kevin Davis said the murder-suicide appeared to stem from marital problems, though the investigation remained ongoing.
This has been an ongoing domestic dispute surrounding what seems to be a complicated or messy divorce, Davis said during a briefing on Thursday morning.
Fairfax County authorities responded to an emergency call from the former deputy governor's son just after midnight local time (05:00 GMT), which indicated that their mother might have been stabbed.
Investigators found bullet casings near Cerina Fairfax's body and said there was no prolonged confrontation before the shooting. I think it all kind of happened at once, Davis noted. There wasn't a pause... it all happened pretty spontaneously.
Police indicated that the couple had been living together but were separated. This is certainly a fall from grace for a relatively high-profile family that seemingly had a lot of things going for them, Davis stated, lamenting the distressing impact this event has had on their children.
The tragedy has drawn expressions of shock and sympathy from political leaders. Former Governor Ralph Northam, under whom Fairfax served, said, Pam and I are devastated by this heartbreaking news. Fairfax had previously run for Virginia governor in 2021 but lost in the primary election.
The event has prompted discussions about the challenges of domestic issues and mental health, emphasizing the need for support for families in distress.
