Former Va. Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax fatally shot wife, then himself inside Virginia home, police say

ANNANDALE, Va. - Authorities say former Virginia lieutenant governor Justin Fairfax shot and killed his wife before taking his own life inside their Annandale home early Thursday.

What we know:

Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis said officers were called just after midnight to the 8100 block of Guinevere Drive, where they found both adults dead inside the residence.

Davis said the shootings stemmed from a domestic dispute tied to the couple’s ongoing divorce. According to the Associated Press, a court filing said the couple separated in 2024 and filed for divorce last year.

The couple’s two children were inside the home at the time but were not physically harmed. Davis said the teenage son called 911 shortly after the gunfire.

READ MORE: Local leaders react after death of former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax and his wife

According to Davis, Fairfax, 47, shot his wife, Dr. Cerina Fairfax, 49, several times in the basement before going upstairs to the primary bedroom and killing himself with the same weapon.

Davis said the couple had continued living together while separated, and Cerina had installed several cameras inside the home. In January 2026, Fairfax called police and alleged his wife assaulted him, but Davis said officers reviewed the home’s cameras and determined the assault did not occur. A report was filed, but no arrests were made.

Davis said Fairfax had recently been served paperwork related to upcoming court appearances in the divorce case. "That may have been a spark, detectives will figure that out, that led to this tragedy," he said.

He described Fairfax as once a "rising star politically" and called the incident a tragic "fall from grace." Davis said the department’s main concern now is the well‑being of the children.

The couple, who met as undergraduates at Duke University, had been married since 2006. Cerina ran a family dentistry practice. After graduating from Duke, she attended the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry, which named her its most outstanding alumna of the past decade in 2015. A profile on her practice’s website described her as an avid reader who enjoyed traveling, yoga, trail running with her Vizsla dogs and spending time with her family. Davis said Justin Fairfax had returned to practicing law after serving as lieutenant governor.

In 2019, two women publicly accused Fairfax of sexual assault, allegations he denied. Meredith Watson, who attended Duke University with Fairfax, said he raped her in 2000. Vanessa Tyson, a California professor, said Fairfax forced her to perform oral sex during the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston. 

According to the AP, court filings show Fairfax faced financial strain after the sexual assault allegations, which led to his resignation as a partner at a prestigious law firm. The IRS later filed a lien against the couple for more than $91,000 in unpaid taxes, a debt that was resolved in 2021.

The deaths stunned political leaders throughout the state. "We are keeping Cerina and Justin Fairfax’s family — especially their two children — in our prayers as we all process this shocking and horrifying news," Virginia's Democratic U.S. senators, Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, said in a joint statement.

Ghazala Hashmi, Virginia’s current lieutenant governor, called the deaths devastating. "My thoughts are with their children, loved ones, and numerous friends," Hashmi said in a statement. "Along with so many in the Commonwealth, I am filled with sorrow; I await further insights from our law enforcement officials."

This is a developing story. Stay with FOX 5 for updates.

This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).