A former deputy governor of Virginia and his wife were found dead at their home on Thursday morning, in what authorities described as a murder-suicide.

Investigators say Justin Fairfax shot his wife multiple times before turning the gun on himself at their Annandale home. Both of the couple’s teenage children were at home when the incident occurred.

Fairfax, the second black person elected to statewide office in Virginia, served as lieutenant governor from 2018 to 2022. His tenure was overshadowed by two allegations of sexual assault, accusations he denied.

County police chief Kevin Davis said the murder-suicide appeared to stem from marital problems, though the investigation remained ongoing.

“This has been an ongoing domestic dispute surrounding what seems to be a complicated or messy divorce,” Davis said during a briefing on Thursday morning.

Fairfax County authorities responded to an emergency call from the former deputy governor’s son just after midnight local time (05:00 GMT), and the caller said he thought his mother had been stabbed.

Investigators found bullet casings near Cerina Fairfax’s body and said there was no prolonged confrontation before the shooting.

“I think it all kind of happened at once,” Davis said. “There wasn’t a pause… it all happened pretty spontaneously.”

Police said the couple had been living together but were separated.

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“This is certainly a fall from grace for a relatively high-profile family that seemingly had a lot of things going for them,” Davis said.

“Tragic for the children to lose both parents. Extra tragic for them to actually be in the home when it occurred.”

Political leaders have expressed shock at the deaths and sympathy for the family.

“Pam and I are devastated by this heartbreaking news,” former Governor Ralph Northam, under whom Fairfax served, said in a statement on Thursday morning.

“I had the privilege of getting to know the Fairfaxes while our families served together.”

Fairfax ran for Virginia governor in 2021, but lost in the primary election.