Former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax Shot and Kill*d His Wife and Then Himself, Police Say

Their son called 911 shortly after midnight on April 16

Authorities in Virginia are investigating a fatal incident involving former lieutenant governor Justin Fairfax at a private residence. Officials confirmed that two people were found deceased at the scene.

Justin and his estranged wife, Cerina Fairfax, were both pronounced dead at the scene. Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis shared the details of the crime in a televised press conference on Thursday, April 16, telling reporters that the former lieutenant governor shot and killed his wife before turning the gun on himself.

The estranged couple’s two teenage children, a boy and a girl, were both home at the time of the incident. Their son called 911.

“Everybody’s shocked, we’re shocked,” Davis told reporters, sharing that the couple was in the middle of divorce proceedings.

“We know that recently Mr. Fairfax was served some type of paperwork indicating when he was next scheduled to next appear in court for the ongoing divorce proceedings,” Davis shared. “That is something that we’re looking at as something that may have led to whatever happened last night that led to the murder of a mother and wife and a suicide.”

Davis shared that Justin shot Cerina “several times” before moving to a different part of the home to shoot himself. Shortly after midnight on April 16, the couple’s son called police.

“Our main concern is for their well being right now,” Davis said of the Fairfax children. “They are interacting with us and certainly the son was the one who called 911 during a very chaotic situation. I can only imagine.”

Though Davis could not comment on the exact timeline of events, he did say that the situation unfolded quickly.

“There wasn’t a pause, there was never a moment where someone was holed up in a room,” he explained. “It all happened pretty spontaneously.”

Davis also cited a Jan. 2026 incident in which police were called to the Fairfax home, saying that the situation was resolved without any formal charges.

“No files or charges, but a police report was written,” Davis said of the Jan. incident.

Justin served as lieutenant governor of Virginia from 2018 to 2022. He went on to continue his role as an attorney after his term. His wife was a dentist, according to Chief Davis.

“I do know that the family was going through, seemingly, a very tough time with the separation, with the divorce, etc.,” Davis shared. “I can only imagine the stress that the parents felt, the kids felt and the other family members as well.”