American politician kills his wife and then himself, first details

Officers called to the house on the outskirts of Annandal in Washington found Fairfax, 47, and his wife, Dr. Cerina Fairfax, 49, has announced the district police chief Fairfax, Kevin Davis.

Justin Fairfax shot his wife, a successful dentist, in the basement before going to a bedroom upstairs and killing himself, according to Davis.

Their son called the police, writes AP.

One of Fairfax's friends said he became increasingly depressed after his wife filed for divorce last year.

The judge overseeing the divorce recently wrote that “ozolation, alcohol drinking, and lack of participation in family life are manifestations of what appears to be a sense of loss of hope”.

Otherwise, less than a decade ago, Justin Fairfax's political career was gaining momentum. He won the competition for deputy governor in 2017 and seemed ready to become Virginia's second colored governor two years later when Democrat Governor Ralph Northam faced numerous calls to resign.

Fairfax would have become governor if Northam had resigned.

Two women, however, openly accused him of sexually assaulting them years earlier.

He tried to run for governor in 2021, but he avoided mainly Virginia's Democrats and was defeated in preliminary democratic elections.

Cerina Fairfax said in court files that she and her husband separated nearly two years ago. But they still lived in the same house as their two teenage children, who were both at home when the deaths occurred.

The files show Justin Fairfax had financial challenges following charges of sexual assault that led to his resignation as a partner in a prestigious legal firm. /Periscope