What We Know About Virginia Murder-Suicide

Police say they know the grisly particulars of a stunning murder-suicide in Virginia—former Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax fatally shot his wife, Cerina, in the basement of their Annandale home, then turned the gun on himself in a different part of the residence, according to authorities in Fairfax County. And they also have a sense of the motive: "This has been an ongoing domestic dispute surrounding what seems to be a complicated or messy divorce," said Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis, reports the Washington Post. More:

• Son's discovery: The couple had two teenage children, a son and a daughter, and it was the son who called 911 shortly after midnight. "So, tragic for the children to lose both parents, extra tragic for them to actually be in the home when it occurred," said Davis, per the New York Post. "So yeah, there's a lot going on."
• The divorce: The couple was estranged but still living under the same roof, and Justin Fairfax had recently been served paperwork related to the divorce, which "apparently led to this incident," said the police chief. The couple married in 2006 but separated about two years ago.

• A friend: Political commentator Sophia A. Nelson described Justin Fairfax as a "close friend" in a post on X and said he had been "deeply depressed." But, she added, "we never saw this coming. Ever. We are all devastated."
• His career: Justin Fairfax, 47, had once been a rising star in Virginia politics and served as lieutenant governor from 2018 to 2022. The Democrat served with Gov. Ralph Northam. However, his political career was all but derailed in 2019 when two women accused him of sexual assault years prior. Fairfax was never charged, and he always insisted the charges were false and part of a political smear campaign. He ran for governor in 2021 but lost in the primary. The former federal prosecutor also resigned as a partner from a prestigious law firm after the allegations surfaced. The Richmond Times-Dispatch has a profile.
• Her career: Cerina Fairfax ran a family dentistry practice. The Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry honored her as an outstanding alumna in 2015. The couple first met as students at Duke.
• Troubles: Justin Fairfax accused Cerina of domestic assault in January, but police reviewed surveillance video from cameras she had installed and concluded the alleged assault never took place, said Davis. The AP also reports that the IRS filed a lien against the couple for about $90,000 over unpaid taxes, which was resolved in 2021.