Cameron and Carys Fairfax: Rising Basketball and Lacrosse Stars After Tragic Loss of Parents

Cameron and Carys Fairfax, the teenage children of former Virginia Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax, were described in court documents as hard-working students who perform to high academic standards at top private schools and gifted athletes who excel in their respective sports.

Cameron, 16, is the captain of Gonzaga College High School’s basketball team, while Carys, 14, is a standout athlete who plays varsity lacrosse at St. Paul VI High School.

The siblings had a particularly tight bond with their mother, Cerina Fairfax, who was their primary caregiver throughout their lives and described in court records as their “port in the storm” as their parents’ marriage deteriorated.

Despite their academic and athletic achievements, court documents indicate the teens were negatively impacted by their parents’ toxic living situation and their father’s personal struggles, requiring stability and holistic investment in their well-being as they grew older.

Justin Fairfax, 47, served as Virginia’s lieutenant governor from 2018 to 2022 before his political career and personal life unraveled following multiple accusations of sexual assault, which contributed to a headlong descent into crisis that culminated in a murder-suicide at the family’s Annandale home.

Cerina Fairfax, 49, had been married to Justin Fairfax since 2004 and was the children’s main source of emotional support, with whom they shared a close and dependent relationship.

The tragic incident left Cameron and Carys orphaned after their father shot and killed their mother before turning the gun on himself, an act that inflicted particular trauma on Cameron, who discovered his mother’s body.