Photo Credit:Fairfax Campaign/File Photo
Justin Fairfax, a Democrat who was Virginia's lieutenant governor from 2018 to 2022, died in an apparent murder-suicide, shooting and killing his wife Dr. Cerina Fairfax before killing himself at their Annandale home, according to local authorities.
"I know he was served some paperwork," Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis stated during a press conference on April 16.
"Apparently, the documentation specified when he was next scheduled to appear in court. "That could have been the spark."
However, authorities are still investigating a motive, with Davis stating, "Detectives will figure out what led to this tragedy here." Fairfax, 47, and Cerina, 49, got married in 2006 after meeting while attending Duke University. They have two teenage children, a son and a daughter. whom were home at the time of the shootings. Police said their son is who placed the initial 911 call. Davis pointed out, "A mother is shot and killed, taken from her children, and then he takes his own life."
However, as officials continue to investigate, they do have some working assumptions, with Davis telling NBC News in a statement that Fairfax's
actions looked to be motivated by a "domestic dispute surrounding what seems to be a complicated or messy divorce." The police chief also stated that the couple was still living at their Annandale home together, albeit in separate bedrooms.
Fairfax was accused of sexual assault by two women while serving as lieutenant governor in 2019. One woman said he raped her in 2000 while they were both students at Duke University, while another claimed he forced her to perform oral sex on him during the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston.
Fairfax firmly disputed the charges, claiming that both incidents were consensual, and continued in office until 2022, despite being pressured to leave by colleagues.
"I have nothing to hide," Fairfax, who eventually ran unsuccessfully for governor, said in a statement at the time, according to NBC News. "Any review of the circumstances would support my account, because it is the truth."
"I know he was served some paperwork," Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis stated during a press conference on April 16.
"Apparently, the documentation specified when he was next scheduled to appear in court. "That could have been the spark."
However, authorities are still investigating a motive, with Davis stating, "Detectives will figure out what led to this tragedy here." Fairfax, 47, and Cerina, 49, got married in 2006 after meeting while attending Duke University. They have two teenage children, a son and a daughter. whom were home at the time of the shootings. Police said their son is who placed the initial 911 call. Davis pointed out, "A mother is shot and killed, taken from her children, and then he takes his own life."
However, as officials continue to investigate, they do have some working assumptions, with Davis telling NBC News in a statement that Fairfax's
actions looked to be motivated by a "domestic dispute surrounding what seems to be a complicated or messy divorce." The police chief also stated that the couple was still living at their Annandale home together, albeit in separate bedrooms.
Fairfax was accused of sexual assault by two women while serving as lieutenant governor in 2019. One woman said he raped her in 2000 while they were both students at Duke University, while another claimed he forced her to perform oral sex on him during the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston.
Fairfax firmly disputed the charges, claiming that both incidents were consensual, and continued in office until 2022, despite being pressured to leave by colleagues.
"I have nothing to hide," Fairfax, who eventually ran unsuccessfully for governor, said in a statement at the time, according to NBC News. "Any review of the circumstances would support my account, because it is the truth."
