CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – Former Virginia Lt. Governor Justin Fairfax shot and killed his wife Cerina Fairfax in their Annandale home early Thursday and then shot and killed himself, according to Fairfax County Police.

Chief Kevin Davis said police responded to a 911 call shortly after midnight from the couple’s teenage son.

When officers arrived, the couple was found dead in different parts of the house from gunshot wounds, Davis said during a Thursday morning briefing, and investigators were able to determine a murder-suicide had occurred.

“We’re shocked,” he said.

Both of the couple’s teenage children were in the house at the time, but were not injured.

Fairfax served as Virginia’s lieutenant governor from 2018-2022, working under former Gov. Ralph Northam, becoming just the second African American elected to statewide office in Virginia.

He faced a wave of calls for his resignation following a pair of unsubstantiated accusations of sexual assault.

Davis said the couple had been going through divorce proceedings, and police had responded to the home once back in January for a report of a domestic incident.

“The only thing I’m going to surmise, before I get myself in trouble with detectives, is that we know that recently Mr. Fairfax was served some type of paperwork indicating when he was scheduled to next appear in court for the ongoing divorce proceedings,” Davis said.  “That is something we’re looking at as something that may have led to whatever happened last night that led to the murder of a mother and a wife and a suicide.”

Davis said the couple lived together in separate parts of the home and Justin Fairfax, 47, called them to report he had been assaulted.

Cerina Fairfax, at some point, had cameras installed in the home, and investigators were able to determine that assault never happened.

He said the priority now is the crime scene investigation, and seeing to the well-being as best they can of the two children.

Current Lt. Gov. Ghazala Hashim released a statement Thursday reacting to the news.

“Virginia woke up this morning to the devastating news regarding Cerina Fairfax and former Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax,” Hashmi’s statement said. “My thoughts are with their children, loved ones, and numerous friends. Along with so many in the Commonwealth, I am filled with sorrow; I await further insights from our law enforcement officials.”