Former Virginia Lt. Gov. Who Killed Wife, Himself Had PA Tie

PENNSYLVANIA — The former Virginia lieutenant governor who police said shot and killed his wife and then himself had a strong Pennsylvania tie.

Justin Fairfax, 47, who died in the apparent murder-suicide early Thursday, was born in Pittsburgh,USA Today reported.

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Fairfax police responded to the 8100 block of Guinevere Drive shortly after midnight on April 16, according to police Capt. Chris Cosgriff, where they found a man and woman dead in the home.

Their identities were confirmed this morning by Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis, who said the couple's two teenage children were home at the time of the shooting. He said the couple's son had been the one to call 911.

According to Davis, Fairfax had recently been served papers for an upcoming court proceeding. That is what police say likely triggered the attack, in which Fairfax shot his wife "several times" in the basement of their home. He then went upstairs to the primary bedroom of the home and shot himself.

Police say the couple were separated and in the midst of "messy" divorce proceedings but were still sharing the home. The Fairfaxes had been married since 2006.

Davis said in January 2026, Fairfax called police and alleged that his wife had assaulted him. Police reviewed camera footage from inside the home and concluded that no assault had taken place. No arrests were made, and according to police, that is the only time they visited the Fairfax home.

According to police, it was Cerina Fairfax who had the cameras installed in the house sometime before the January incident.

Fairfax, a Democrat, served as Virginia's lieutenant governor from 2018 to 2022. He was only the second African American elected to statewide office in Virginia.

Fairfax was accused of sexual assault by two women in 2019, NBC News reports. One woman claimed he raped her in 2000 while they were students at Duke University; another accused Fairfax of assaulting her in 2004 in his hotel room as he attended the Democratic National Convention in Boston.

Fairfax denied the assault allegations and claimed both encounters were consensual. He called for an investigation into the allegations, CNN reported at the time.

Cerina Fairfax was a dentist with an office in Fairfax. She won Virginia Commonwealth University's Outstanding Graduate of the Last Decade award in 2015.

VA Political Leaders React

Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger issued a statement saying she was "deeply saddened" by the event. "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. My prayers are with the Wanzer and Fairfax families as they mourn their own loss, endeavor to make sense of this tragedy, and comfort the Fairfax children." She also urged Virginia families to take advantage of the state's resources for those experiencing domestic violence or mental health crises.

Former Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, with whom Fairfax was elected, said "Pam and I are devastated by this heartbreaking news. I had the privilege of getting to know the Fairfaxes while our families served together," in a statement reported by The Washington Post.

Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chair Jeff McKay issued a statement expressing "heartfelt condolences."

U.S. Senators for Virginia Mark Warner and Tim Kaine issued a joint statement, saying "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. We urge any Virginians impacted by domestic violence to call the police or the National Domestic Violence Hotline for support."

Former Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares posted a statement to X. "My heart goes out to the Fairfax family today, particularly the children," he wrote. 'For anyone struggling with this kind of darkness, the most courageous thing you can do is ask for help. "

Neighbors react

WTOP interviewed one of the Fairfaxes' neighbors, Peter Demeo, who said he saw the couple often and they were smiling, friendly people. Neighbors "were somewhat aware that they were having a marital issue of some sort," but nothing indicated such an incident was on its way.

He said neighbors were alerted to possible marital problems about three or four years ago, when it was rumored Justin Fairfax was having an affair. He expressed sympathy for the couple's children, saying "kids are always the victims in these situations."

Editor's Note: If you or somebody you know needs mental health support, call the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or visit 988lifeline.org. Domestic dispute help is available by contacting the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or visiting thehotline.org.