Police are investigating the death of former U.S. Attorney Jessica Aber, who was found dead inside her Virginia home on Saturday morning. Aber was at the helm of high-profile investigations into intelligence leaks, allegations of war crimes against Russian-linked individuals and people suspected of providing sensitive U.S. technology to Moscow before she stepped down at the start of the year.
At 9:18 a.m., officers in Alexandria, Virginia, responded to a call about an unresponsive woman and arrived to find her deceased. The woman was later identified as 43-year-old Jessica Aber, who served as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia until her resignation in January.
Aber, who was nominated to the role by President Joe Biden and was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate, had resigned just the day before Donald Trump took office. The cause of her death has not yet been determined, and the Alexandria police are looking into the circumstances. The Virginia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will conduct an official investigation to confirm the cause of death.
“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 the 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.”
Siebert continued, “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.”
In a statement following her resignation, Aber had said, “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. 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 was honored with the Assistant Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Service from the Department of Justice in 2019.
