Former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax’s Children Were Home During Fatal Shooting, Teen Son Called 911

The news of former Virginia Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax and his wife, Cerina Fairfax’s, death has shocked the nation. The couple was found dead at their home in Annandale in the wee hours of April 16, in an alleged murder-suicide case.

According to the Fairfax County Police Department, Justin shot his wife dead before killing himself.

Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis said the couple’s two children, both teenagers, were present at home when the tragedy occurred. It was their son, Cameron, who called 911 and reported that Justin Fairfax had shot and killed Cerina.

Davis said that the wellbeing of Cameron and his sister, Carys Fairfax, is the police department’s priority. “Our main concern is for their well-being right now. They are interacting with us, and certainly, the son was the one who called 911 during a very chaotic situation. I can only imagine,” Davis said.

It is not yet clear whether Fairfax had already died when Cameron called emergency services. However, Davis said the murder and suicide happened spontaneously. “There wasn't a pause; there was never a moment where someone was holed up in a room. It all happened pretty spontaneously,” he said during a press conference.

While the motive behind the crime remains unclear, it is known that Justin Fairfax and wife Cerina were going through a messy divorce after 19 years of marriage. Though they were estranged, they continued to live in the same house during the divorce proceedings.

According to court documents, Fairfax had been ordered to vacate the family home and had lost custody of his children in the weeks leading up to the incident. The court had set April 30 as the deadline for him to move out of the house.

Davis acknowledged that the situation may have contributed to the stress. “I do know that the family was going through, seemingly, a very tough time with the separation, with the divorce, etc. I can only imagine the stress that the parents felt, the kids felt, and the other family members as well,” he said.

In January 2026, Fairfax called law enforcement to his home, alleging that his wife had assaulted him. However, police reviewed footage from home surveillance cameras and determined that the claims were untrue.

Apart from being a politician, Fairfax was a lawyer who served as Virginia's 41st lieutenant governor from 2018 to 2022. Following his exit from office, he returned to his legal career.

Some reports suggest that Fairfax faced personal problems after leaving office. He allegedly struggled with alcoholism and began drifting away from his family. As for his wife, Cerina was a dentist who owned a dental practice in Fairfax. The investigation into the couple’s death is ongoing, and more details are expected to come out later.