On Thursday morning, Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis confirmed what many Virginians were still struggling to process: former Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, 47, had shot and killed his wife, Dr. Cerina Fairfax, before turning the gun on himself inside their Annandale home. As BET first reported, police say he was recently served court paperwork for an upcoming divorce hearing — something Davis said investigators are looking at as a possible trigger. To understand how it reached that point, you have to go back.

As BET.com previously reported, Fairfax had served as Virginia's 41st lieutenant governor from 2018 to 2022 and was widely regarded as one of the Democratic Party's most promising rising stars — the second African American elected statewide in Virginia's history, following former Gov. Douglas Wilder. Then 2019 happened.

Court documents from the couple's divorce proceedings painted a portrait of a marriage — and a man — in severe decline. Cerina had filed for divorce, and by the time of his death Justin had been ordered by a judge to vacate the family home by the end of April. The couple were separated but still living under the same roof.

In court testimony, Cerina said her husband drank daily and that his section of the house was littered with empty wine bottles and dirty laundry. Court records revealed that in 2022, Justin purchased a handgun using money that had been set aside for their children's horseback riding lessons.

Documents further noted that his "mental and emotional health" had suffered following two major setbacks: his failed 2013 bid for the Democratic attorney general nomination, and the 2019 sexual assault scandal that effectively ended his political career. The IRS had also filed a lien against the couple for more than $91,000 in unpaid taxes, which was resolved in 2021.

In January 2026, Justin called police alleging his wife had assaulted him. Cerina had installed security cameras throughout the home during the divorce proceedings, and police reviewed the footage. Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis said the cameras showed the alleged assault never occurred and no arrests were made.

Davis confirmed Thursday that Fairfax was served court paperwork regarding an upcoming divorce hearing in the days before the shooting and that investigators consider it a possible factor in what followed.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), text SAFE to 88788, or chat at thehotline.org. If you or someone you know is in crisis, contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988.