A former federal prosecutor was discovered deceased on Saturday morning at a residence in Alexandria, Virginia, according to law enforcement officials.
Officers from the Alexandria Police Department were dispatched to the location at 9:18 a.m. Eastern Time following reports of an unresponsive female.
Upon arrival, they found 43-year-old Jessica Aber, who previously served as the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, deceased at the location, as reported by the police. It remains unclear whether the residence belonged to Aber or who had reached out to law enforcement.
The Virginia medical examiner’s office will determine her cause of death. No further information has been disclosed.
In a statement, police indicated that “an investigation is currently in progress concerning the circumstances surrounding her death as a matter of protocol.”
Jessica Aber was nominated to her role by then-President Joe Biden in August 2021 and received unanimous Senate confirmation.
She led the office for approximately three years, stepping down in January when President Trump began his second term.
“We are heartbroken beyond measure to hear of the passing of our friend and former colleague, U.S. Attorney Jessica Aber,” stated her successor, Erik Siebert, the current U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “She was unparalleled as a leader, mentor, and prosecutor, and her absence as a person is truly irreplaceable. We continue to be in awe of her impressive accomplishments in this world, albeit too brief.”
In a social media post, Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares commended Aber for her contributions to Ceasefire Virginia, a statewide initiative launched in 2022 aimed at reducing violent crime.
“I am deeply saddened to learn of Jessica Aber’s passing, whose public service career included her role as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and whose efforts with Ceasefire Virginia saved more lives than we can ever fully appreciate,” Miyares expressed.
Prior to her tenure with the Eastern District of Virginia in 2009, Aber practiced law in the private sector, where she held various positions, including assistant U.S. attorney and deputy chief of the criminal division, as detailed on her Justice Department biography.
During her time as U.S. attorney, she supervised about 300 staff members within a district that serves an estimated six million residents.
A native of Virginia, Aber earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Richmond and obtained her law degree from William & Mary Law School in 2006.
