Murder-Suicide Victims Identified As Fairfax Husband, Wife: Update

FAIRFAX, VA — Fairfax County Police released the names of the elderly man and woman who were found dead Tuesday night in their home in Fairfax, according to a blog post.

Police responded around 10:15 p.m. to a home in the 8900 block of Walker Street in the Fairfax area of the county after a friend reported finding a deceased elderly couple inside. Officers found Janos John Gertler, 86, and his 73-year-old wife Eva Anna Vas, suffering from apparent gunshot wounds, according to police. They were both declared dead on the scene.

Following a preliminary investigation, FCPD detectives believe that Gertler shot Vas before shooting shot himself. Police found several spent cartridge cases inside the home. The bodies were taken to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, who will conduct autopsies to confirm the cause and manner of death.

If you or someone you know is considering harming themselves, help is available. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can be reached by calling 988. Immediate help is also available in an emergency by dialing 911. Additional mental health and suicide prevention resources are available online.

Preliminarily, detectives believe this to be a murder-suicide involving an elderly couple. Additional updates will be posted to our blog, https://t.co/YUigMm3yDx when available. https://t.co/yFyswvnZhH
— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) March 1, 2023