04/16/2026
Former Virginia Lt. Governor Justin Fairfax, 47, and his wife Dr. Cerina Fairfax are dead following a murder-suicide at their Annandale, Virginia home early Thursday morning.
According to Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis, Fairfax shot his wife multiple times in the basement of their home before taking his own life in the primary bedroom using the same firearm. The couple’s two teenage children were home at the time — their son made the 911 call just after midnight.
Police say the couple had been separated but living together amid ongoing divorce proceedings. Fairfax had recently been served court paperwork related to an upcoming divorce hearing, which investigators believe may have triggered the incident.
Fairfax served as Virginia’s Lt. Governor from 2018–2022 and was once considered a rising star in Democratic politics.
This is a developing story. 🖤