Justin Fairfax, 47, shot his wife Cerina multiple times in their Annandale home before fatally shooting himself early Thursday. Their teenage children were present.
8:42 AM
Former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax shot and killed his wife, Cerina Fairfax, and then fatally shot himself in their home in Annandale, Virginia, just after midnight Thursday, authorities said.
Fairfax County police said the 47-year-old shot his wife multiple times in the basement of their residence before going upstairs to the primary bedroom, where he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The couple's two teenage children were home at the time of the incident.
The couple's son called 911 shortly after midnight, initially reporting that he believed his mother had been stabbed. When police arrived, they found bullet casings near Cerina Fairfax's body in the basement. Officers later discovered Justin Fairfax upstairs with a gunshot wound to the head.
Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis said the same gun was used in both shootings. Davis stated there was no prolonged confrontation before the shooting occurred. "I think it all kind of happened at once," Davis said. "There wasn't a pause … it all happened pretty spontaneous."
The couple had been separated but living together in the home, according to documents obtained by authorities. Police said the two were involved in an ongoing domestic dispute related to what Chief Davis described as "a complicated or messy divorce." Justin Fairfax had recently been served court paperwork regarding an upcoming divorce hearing, Davis said.
Cerina Fairfax had installed security cameras throughout the home during the divorce proceedings, according to police. Fairfax County authorities first became aware of the cameras in January when they were used to discredit Justin Fairfax's claims that Cerina had assaulted him. The same cameras were later used to corroborate details of Thursday's shooting, Chief Davis told reporters.
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