Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis told reporters police were previously called to the home in January when Justin falsely accused his wife of assaulting him
Credit: Julia Rendleman for The Washington Post via Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- Former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax and his wife, Cerina, were in a “messy divorce” before the politician apparently shot and killed his wife and then himself, the local police chief told reporters on Thursday, April 16
- “I know that they were separated and living together,” Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis said. “I know that there are divorce proceedings that are underway and court appearances that are scheduled and pending in the very near future”
- In January, Justin alleged his wife had assaulted him, but police dismissed the claims after checking security cameras set up by Cerina
Former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax and his wife, Cerina, were in the early stages of a “messy divorce” before the politician shot and killed his wife and then himself, the local police chief claimed on Thursday, April 16.
“This has been an ongoing domestic dispute surrounding what seems to be a complicated or messy divorce,” Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis told reporters outside the family’s home in Annandale, Va. “At some point in time, they lived together while they were separated, in separate bedrooms.”
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“I know he was served some paperwork recently. Apparently, the paperwork indicated when he was next to appear in court,” Davis continued. “That may have been a spark and detectives will figure that out that that led to this tragedy here.”
The estranged couple’s teenage children, a boy and a girl, were inside the home at the time of the shootings, according to the police chief. Their son called 911 just after midnight on Thursday morning.
“We’ll do everything we can for them,” Davis added of the kids.
He also said the only time police had previously been called to the home was in January, when Justin alleged his wife had assaulted him. Davis said that Cerina “at some point during these divorce proceedings set up a lot of cameras inside the home,” which apparently disproved his allegation.
Davis said he believed the cameras were still on during the shootings.
“I know that they were separated and living together, I know that there are divorce proceedings that are underway and court appearances that are scheduled and pending in the very near future,” Davis added.
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Justin was lieutenant governor from 2018 to 2022 and considered a “rising star” in the Virginia Democratic Party, as Davis himself noted on Thursday. In 2019, he faced multiple sexual assault allegations from the early 2000s, but denied all wrongdoing and stayed in office.
He ran for governor in 2022, placing fourth in the Democratic primary. Cerina worked as a dentist, Davis said.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
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