Fairfax Kills Wife in Murder-Suicide Amid Divorce

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  • April 16, 2026 at 10:45 AM ET
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Key Takeaways

Former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax killed his wife Cerina before fatally shooting himself at their Annandale home early Thursday, police say. The murder-suicide occurred amid ongoing divorce proceedings.

  • Former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax kills wife in apparent murder-suicide
  • Couple's teenage children called 911 after the incident
  • Police found bullet casings near Cerina Fairfax's body and discovered Justin upstairs with a self-inflicted gunshot wound
  • The couple was separated but living together, with divorce proceedings underway

Former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax and his wife, Cerina, were killed in an apparent murder-suicide at their Annandale home early Thursday morning. According to Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis, Fairfax shot his wife multiple times before turning the gun on himself with the same firearm.

The couple's two teenage children were present during the incident and called 911 shortly after midnight, reporting that they believed their mother had been stabbed. Upon arrival, police found bullet casings near Cerina Fairfax's body and later discovered Justin Fairfax upstairs with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The murder-suicide occurred amid an ongoing domestic dispute and complicated divorce proceedings. Davis stated that the couple was living together but separated, residing in separate bedrooms. Cerina Fairfax had filed for divorce last July, and Justin Fairfax had recently been served paperwork related to upcoming court proceedings.

In January, Justin Fairfax called police alleging his wife assaulted him, but officers determined no incident occurred after reviewing footage from multiple cameras set up inside the home by Cerina. Davis emphasized that this was the only time police had responded to their residence before Thursday's tragic event.

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