Police are investigating after former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Jessica Aber, was found dead at her Virginia home on Saturday morning.
At 9:18 a.m on Saturday, police responded to reports of an unresponsive woman and found her deceased, according to a statement from Alexandria Police.
She was later identified as Aber, who was nominated to the U.S. Attorney role in 2021 by former president Joe Biden. Aber was 43 years old.
Aber resigned from the high-profile role, which she’d held since 2021, effective the day before President Donald Trump was sworn in in January.
“We are heartbroken beyond words to learn of the passing of our friend and former colleague, U.S. Attorney Jessica Aber,” said Erik Siebert, the current U.S. Attorney for Eastern District of Virginia. “She was unmatched as a leader, mentor, and prosecutor, and she is simply irreplaceable as a human being. We remain in awe of how much she accomplished in her all too brief time in this world. Her professionalism, grace, and legal acumen set the standard.
“Though we are devastated by this loss, each of us in the Eastern District of Virginia will look to her example and endeavor to live up to that standard. Jess was a proud Virginian from high school through college and throughout her career. She loved EDVA and EDVA loved her back. We remain committed to her life’s work, a commitment to seeking justice, as she would have wanted.”
The cause of Aber’s death is currently unknown. As a matter of protocol, Alexandria Police is investigating the circumstances of her death. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of Virginia will determine the cause and manner of her death, police announced.
“I’ve had the privilege of spending my career as a prosecutor in the Eastern District of Virginia working alongside talented, hard-working public servants who manage matters affecting citizens here and across the world,” said Aber in the January statement of her resignation.
“Concluding my service to the District as its U.S. Attorney has been an honor beyond measure… I am proud of the work we have done with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to enforce the law and build community trust.”
Aber received the Assistant Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Service from the Department of Justice in 2019.
