Promising, Young Former U.S. Attorney Found Dead In Her Home
We have some incredibly unfortunate news to report out of the Virginia legal community, where a former federal prosecutor recently passed away.
According to news reports, Jessica Aber, 43, a graduate of William & Mary Law School, who had previously served as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, was found dead this weekend at her home in Alexandria, Virginia. CBS News has additional details on her passing:
Her cause of death will be determined by the Virginia medical examiner’s office. A friend of the family told CBS News Aber’s death is “believed to be the result of a longstanding medical issue.”
Police said in a statement that “as a matter of protocol, an investigation is underway surrounding the circumstances of her death.”
She was nominated to her former role by President Joe Biden, and led the department for three years, where she worked on several notable cases during her tenure. She stepped down when President Donald Trump took office for his second term.
Aber’s successor, Erik Siebert, shared the following statement: “We are heartbroken beyond words to learn of the passing of our friend and former colleague, U.S. 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.”
Attorney General Pam Bondi also issued a statement on the death, saying, “The loss of Jessica Aber, former U.S. 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.”
We here at Above the Law would like to extend our condolences to Jessica Aber’s family, friends, and colleagues during this incredibly difficult time.
Former federal prosecutor found dead in Virginia home [CBS News]
Staci Zaretsky is a senior editor at Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Bluesky, X/Twitter, and Threads, or connect with her on LinkedIn.
