The former US attorney for the eastern district of Virginia was found dead in Alexandria on Saturday, authorities said.
In a statement on social media, Alexandria police announced that at about 9.18am on Saturday, police responded to the 900 block of Beverley Drive following reports of an unresponsive woman. Upon arriving at the scene, authorities located a deceased woman who they later identified as 43-year-old Jessica Aber.
“In a matter of protocol, an investigation is under way surrounding the circumstances of her death. The office of the chief medical examiner of Virginia will determine the cause and manner of death,” police said, without providing additional details surrounding her death.
Aber began her career in 2009 at the US district court for the eastern district of Virginia where she prosecuted financial fraud, public corruption, violent crime and child exploitation cases. From 2015 to 2016, she served on an assignment as counsel to the assistant attorney general from the justice department’s criminal division. From 2016 until becoming US attorney, Aber served as the deputy chief of the criminal division for the US district court for the eastern district of Virginia, the US attorney’s office said.
Aber was nominated by Joe Biden on 10 August 2021 and was unanimously confirmed by the Senate. On 20 January – the day of Donald Trump’s inauguration – Aber announced her resignation after serving in her role for more than three years.
In a statement, Aber 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 US attorney has been an honor beyond measure. I am deeply grateful to Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine and to President Biden for the opportunity to lead this office, and to Attorney General Garland for his steadfast leadership. 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,” she added.
In response to reports of Aber’s death, Erik Sieber, the current US attorney of the eastern district of Virginia released a statement, saying: “We are heartbroken beyond words to learn of the passing of our friend and former colleague, US attorney Jessica Aber. 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.”
Echoing similar sentiments, attorney general Pam Bondi said: “The loss of Jessica Aber, former US attorney for the eastern district of Virginia, is deeply tragic. Our hearts and prayers go out to her family and friends during this profoundly difficult time.”
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