A former top federal prosecutor has been found dead at 43, prompting an active investigation. Authorities released a statement confirming her identity and outlining the next steps.
Jessica Aber, former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, died at 43. According to the Alexandria Police Department, officers responded to the 900 block of Beverley Drive at approximately 9:18 a.m. on March 22, 2025, after receiving a report of an unresponsive woman.
Wearing purple for #PurpleThursday from the Richmond USAO. DV victims have EDVA’s support. Help is available: 1-800-799-SAFE.
Together we can break the cycle.#DomesticViolenceAwarenessMonth pic.twitter.com/kV09JfDc8W— U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber (@USAttyAber) October 19, 2023
Police confirmed that Aber was found deceased at the scene. Her identity was released following notification of her family. An investigation is currently underway to determine the circumstances of her death.
APD Statement regarding Beverley Drive Death Investigation pic.twitter.com/86iNsUzQyO
— Alexandria Police (@AlexandriaVAPD) March 22, 2025
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of Virginia will determine the official cause and manner of death as part of standard procedure.
Aber served as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia (EDVA), overseeing all federal criminal prosecutions and civil litigation on behalf of the United States in a district that serves more than six million residents.She led a team of roughly 300 attorneys and staff across four divisions located in Alexandria, Richmond, Norfolk, and Newport News.
Nominated by President Joe Biden on August 10, 2021, and unanimously confirmed by the Senate on October 5, Aber officially assumed office two days later.
Her federal service began in 2009 as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, where she handled cases involving public corruption, violent crime, financial fraud, and child exploitation.
She also served on detail as counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, and later became Deputy Chief of EDVA’s Criminal Division.
The news of Aber’s death has added to a somber period of deaths in Virginia. Earlier in the year, two Virginia Beach police officers were fatally shot during a late-night traffic stop.