Inside the Fairfax family tragedy: Divorce, court battles and a murder-suicide that left two teens orphaned
The two teenage children of former Virginia Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax have been left without parents after their father shot and killed their mother and then himself. This tragic incident came after years of a troubled marriage and personal struggles, according to court documents reported by the New York Post.
The children at the center of the tragedy
Cameron who is 16 and his younger sister Carys who is 14 were described as bright and talented students. Court records say they are “hard-working” and “perform to high academic standards” at top private schools.
Both are also strong athletes. Cameron is the captain of his school basketball team, while Carys plays varsity lacrosse and is considered a standout player.
But behind their success, the documents show they were dealing with the stress of their parents’ difficult relationship and their father’s personal struggles.
Their mother, Cerina Fairfax who was 49 and was their main caregiver throughout their lives. Court documents describe her as their “port in the storm.” She handled most responsibilities at home as their marriage slowly broke down.
The records say the children had a very “tight bond” with her and depended on her “almost exclusively” for emotional support.
The court also noted that the children were “negatively impacted by their parents’ toxic living situation” and said they needed “stability, assurance, and parents who are holistically invested in their well-being” as they grew older.
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While his children were doing well, Justin Fairfax was struggling. He was once seen as a rising star in the Democratic Party and served as Virginia’s lieutenant governor from 2018 to 2022. But his career fell apart after two women accused him of sexual assault in 2019. After leaving office, he started his own law firm but it did not succeed, according to the New York Post.
Court documents say he struggled with alcoholism and “unaddressed emotional trauma.” Over time, his relationship with his children got worse. He had a distant bond with his son Cameron and his relationship with his daughter Carys became “very strained” after an argument in October 2025.
According to the documents cited by New York Post, he also used money meant for his children’s horseback-riding lessons to buy a gun for himself.
By the time his wife Cerina filed for divorce last July, Fairfax had more than $750,000 in debt, according to the New York Post. He also refused to pay $1,865 per month for household bills or help with his children’s school fees which cost $56,000 per year.
In March, a judge gave Cerina full custody of the children. Justin Fairfax could only meet them on Wednesdays and Saturdays and he had to take alcohol tests before and after each visit. Cerina was also asking the court to take action against him for not paying expenses and he was also ordered to move out of the family home by the end of April.
What happened on that night?
Shortly after midnight on April 16, the couple’s teenage son called 911. When police arrived at their home, they found Justin Fairfax and Cerina Fairfax dead. Police Chief Kevin Davis said Justin shot Cerina multiple times before going to another part of the house and shooting himself.
The incident happened very quickly. “There wasn’t a pause, there was never a moment where someone was holed up in a room,” Davis explained. “It all happened pretty spontaneously.”
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Why did he kill his wife?
Police believe the couple’s ongoing divorce may have played a role. Davis said Justin had recently received legal papers about his next court date.
“We know that recently Mr Fairfax was served some type of paperwork indicating when he was next scheduled to next appear in court for the ongoing divorce proceedings,” Davis said.
“That is something that we’re looking at as something that may have led to whatever happened last night that led to the murder of a mother and wife and a suicide,” he added.