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Former Virginia Lt. Governor Justin Fairfax dead in murder-suicide

Authorities confirm the ex-official shot his wife before taking his own life in their Annandale home.

PoliticsPublished April 16, 2026 at 3:41 PMProcessed April 17, 2026 at 6:28 AM
Justin Fairfax speaks at a gathering in 2020

A horrific tragedy unfolded in Annandale, Virginia, where former Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax took the life of his wife, Cerina, before turning the gun on himself. Police arrived at the residence shortly after midnight following an emergency call from the couple's son.

Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis confirmed that the incident was a murder-suicide stemming from an ongoing domestic dispute and a contentious divorce. Investigators found that the shooting occurred spontaneously, with no prolonged confrontation. The couple’s teenage children were inside the home at the time of the violence.

Fairfax, who served as lieutenant governor from 2018 to 2022, was a high-profile figure in Virginia politics whose career was previously marred by serious sexual assault allegations, which he denied. Following his departure from office, he unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination for governor in 2021.

While political figures have expressed shock at the news, the facts remain clear: a domestic dispute escalated into a brutal act of violence that has left two children without parents.

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