Justin Fairfax kills his wife and then himself, police say

Justin Fairfax Murder-Suicide: Former Virginia Lt. Governor Kills Wife Cerina Fairfax, Then Himself — Full Story (April 2026) Meta Description: Former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax shot and killed his wife, Dr. Cerina Fairfax, before taking his own life on April 16, 2026, in Annandale, VA. Here is everything we know.** What Happened? Justin Fairfax Murder-Suicide Explained In a shocking tragedy that stunned Virginia and the nation, former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, a rising star in the Democratic Party whose political career was derailed by sexual assault allegations, killed his estranged wife and then himself weeks before a judge's deadline to move out of their family home, according to police and court records. PBS Fairfax County police said that just after midnight, Fairfax shot his wife several times in the basement of their home and then went upstairs to the primary bedroom and shot and killed himself. Both their teenage children were home when the incident occurred. CBS News When and Where Did It Happen? The 47-year-old politician and his wife, 49-year-old dentist Cerina Fairfax, were found dead in their home in the Washington, D.C., suburb of Annandale in northern Virginia. Their teenage son called the police shortly after midnight to report the crime. Al Jazeera Fairfax, 47, and his wife, 49, were found dead inside their home in the 8100 block of Guinevere Drive after their teenage son called 911 shortly after midnight, according to police. WTOPTV What Did Police Say? Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis confirmed the deaths at a morning news conference on April 16, 2026. Davis described the shootings as apparently part of a "domestic dispute surrounding what seems to be a complicated or messy divorce." The couple were still living together but sleeping in separate bedrooms, he said. NBC News Davis said the violence unfolded quickly, with little or no gap between the shooting and the 911 call. "I think it all kind of happened at once. It all happened pretty spontaneously." Virginia Mercury Police recovered cartridge casings and a firearm at the house. Autopsy reports from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will confirm the cause and manner of death. WTOPTV Who Was Cerina Fairfax? "The murder of Dr. Cerina Fairfax in an apparent murder-suicide is a horrific tragedy. Dr. Fairfax was a devoted mother, beloved dentist in the Fairfax County community, and engaged supporter of her alma mater, Virginia Commonwealth University," Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger said. NBC News Attorney Amy Spain, who previously worked with Cerina to file her divorce paperwork, said Cerina Fairfax "leaves an immeasurable void in the lives of all who knew and loved her," calling it "an absolute tragedy that Cerina was taken from her children and family." CNN The Divorce: A Contentious and Complicated Case Fairfax County court records obtained by NBC News illustrate that Justin and Cerina Fairfax were in the middle of a contentious divorce. A judge awarded Cerina Fairfax custody of their children last month, according to the documents. The two were set to return to court Monday for a three-day trial concerning the splitting of assets, and he had been ordered to leave their home by April 30. NBC News In a March 30 order, the judge told Justin Fairfax to move out by the end of April, writing "it is clear tensions in the Fairfax home have been extremely high for an extended period of time." PBS A show cause order issued April 10 directed Justin Fairfax to appear in court on April 21. CNN Justin Fairfax's Mental Health and Alcohol Struggles Court documents revealed a deeply troubled picture of Fairfax's final years. A Virginia judge wrote in a legal order last month that Fairfax had repeated problems with alcohol use and had "cloistered himself" in his home since leaving state government in 2022. "Together, these facts paint a vivid picture of Father as a talented man who struggles with undefined emotional and psychological issues," Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge Timothy J. McEvoy wrote. CNN The judge said in court documents that Justin Fairfax's "mental and emotional health" suffered after two setbacks: his unsuccessful 2013 campaign for the Democratic nomination for attorney general and the 2019 sexual assault scandal. After both, he drank heavily and withdrew from his family, but while it took about a month to recover from the first setback, he never bounced back from the second. PBS The legal filings detail his daily alcohol use and characterize him as an emotionally withdrawn, "cloistered" man who made a "profound retreat from domestic life" that included negligence of family finances and household tasks. NBC News Who Was Justin Fairfax? Justin Fairfax, who was 47, was lieutenant governor from 2018 to 2022 under Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam. He had previously spoken out against the growing scourge of gun violence. NBC News Fairfax, once seen as an up-and-coming figure in the state's Democratic Party, faced allegations of sexual assault starting in 2019 while he was serving as lieutenant governor. Al Jazeera He ran for governor in 2021 but largely disappeared from politics after winning less than four percent of the vote. Al Jazeera Political Reactions Virginia's senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine said in a joint statement they were "keeping Cerina and Justin Fairfax's family — especially their two children — in our prayers as we all process this shocking and horrifying news." Al Jazeera Sen. Mark Warner called it "awful news," saying, "You never know what's going on in any family... This unexpected shock, and for an awful lot of us that worked with Justin, he was an enormous talent." CBS News House Speaker Don Scott called the killings "an unspeakable tragedy," adding, "Our hearts are with the family, especially the children and loved ones whose lives have been forever changed." Virginia Mercury The Children The couple's teenage children, a boy and a girl, were in the house when it happened. Police said neither were physically harmed. WTOPTV However, their son was the one who placed the 911 call — a deeply traumatic experience for any child. Domestic Violence Context One of Justin Fairfax's longtime friends told the Associated Press that he became increasingly despondent after his wife filed for divorce last year. PBS In January, Fairfax called police alleging his wife assaulted him, although police determined at the time that the assault never occurred, based on footage from cameras at the home that had been placed by Cerina Fairfax. CBS News Crisis Resources If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, domestic violence, or suicidal thoughts, help is available: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233 Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 This article will be updated as more information becomes available. Last updated: April 17, 2026.Sonnet 4.6