Former lieutenant governor of Virginia kills wife and himself, police say

US officials believe the shooting related to the Democratic politician’s ongoing divorce with Cerina Fairfax, a dentist.Virginia’s former lieutenant governor, Justin Fairfax, has shot and killed his wife before taking his own life in an apparent murder-suicide, according to authorities in the United States.The 47-year-old politician and his wife, 49-year-old dentist Cerina Fairfax, were found dead in their home in the Washington, DC, suburb of Annandale in northern Virginia. Their teenage son called the police shortly after midnight to report the crime.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Gunman, one victim dead in shooting at Old Dominion University in USlist 2 of 3Michigan synagogue and Virginia university shootings: What we knowlist 3 of 3Eric Swalwell exits California governor race after sex assault allegationsend of listFairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis said on Thursday that the incident appears to have been related to the couple’s ongoing divorce.“It’s very sad for this community,” Davis said. “A lot of people who know the Fairfax family. Everybody’s shocked. We’re shocked.”The Associated Press reported that Cerina and Justin Fairfax had separated in 2024 and filed for divorce last year, citing a court filing. Police indicated on Thursday that they were still living in the same home with their two children, both of whom were at home at the time of the shootings.Fairfax was “recently served some paperwork associated with an upcoming court proceeding”, Davis explained. “That apparently led to this incident.”He added that Fairfax’s wife had installed cameras in the home and that the former lieutenant governor had called the police in January, stating that his wife had assaulted him.Footage from the cameras disproved that claim, according to Davis.Fairfax, once seen as an up-and-coming figure in the state’s Democratic Party, faced allegations of sexual assault, starting in 2019 while he was serving as lieutenant governor.