Former Biden-era prosecutor Jessica Aber died of natural causes, an initial investigation has concluded.
Aber, 43, was found dead in her home in Alexandria, Virginia on March 22, by police who received a report of an unresponsive woman.
In a statement released Tuesday, the Alexandria Police Department said they have ruled out foul play in Aber’s passing but have not yet established her exact cause of death.
‘At this time, detectives have found no evidence suggesting that her death was caused by anything other than natural causes,’ the statement read.
‘The investigation is ongoing, and the case will remain open until the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) returns a final ruling on the cause and manner of death.’
Aber had been in one of the most high-profile federal prosecutorial positions in the country under Joe Biden as she served as US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia from 2021.
The district is no ordinary post as it encompasses Northern Virginia, the Pentagon, Langley, the Port of Norfolk, and the corridors of federal power in Richmond, and is known as a hub for legal activity involving terrorism, espionage, public corruption, and corporate crime.
She resigned less than two months ago after Donald Trump re-took the White House.
Former Biden-era US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Jessica Aber died of natural causes, an initial investigation has concluded
Aber, 43, had been in one of the most high-profile federal prosecutorial positions in the country under Joe Biden as she served as US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia from 2021, before her resignation less than two months ago
Tributes have poured in for Aber and she was remembered as one of the few women ever to lead the prestigious Eastern District of Virginia, known widely in legal circles as EDVA.
Jason Miyares, the Attorney General of Virginia, said he was ‘saddened’ to hear of her passing, saying her ‘work with Ceasefire Virginia saved more lives than we may ever realize.’
Aber’s successor as US Attorney for EDVA, Erik S Siebert, described the 43-year-old as being ‘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,’ he said.
‘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.’
Aber, a longtime federal prosecutor, rose through the ranks of the Justice Department. As US Attorney she led a team of roughly 300 lawyers and staff, prosecuting some of the nation’s most sensitive and consequential cases.
US Attorney General Merrick Garland is flanked by former Assistant Attorney General Kenneth Polite and former US Attorney Jessica D Aber of the Eastern District of Virginia in a photo from June 2023
During her tenure she made a point of highlighting transparency, fairness, and rebuilding trust in law enforcement during a time of national reckoning over police violence and institutional accountability.
In one of her final interviews before stepping down, Aber told The Washington Post that she logged over 50,000 miles on her Hyundai car, traveling the length of Virginia to meet with students, communities, and local leaders.
‘We follow the facts and the law, trying to do it in an entirely apolitical way,’ she said.
In her resignation letter, Aber said working as a US attorney was ‘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,’ Aber said in January.
‘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, 43, was found dead at her home in Alexandria, Virginia on March 22
Aber is seen alongside attorney Chris Kavanaugh from April last year
Before rising to the top job in the district, Aber had already carved out a distinguished career in federal law enforcement.
After earning her undergraduate degree from the University of Richmond in 2003 and her law degree from the William & Mary School of Law in 2006, she clerked for then-Magistrate Judge Lauck in Richmond before joining the US Attorney’s Office.
Earlier this year she said one of her proudest achievements was the 2023 criminal conviction of Siemens Energy Inc, the US subsidiary of the German conglomerate, for corporate espionage.
The company pleaded guilty to stealing trade secrets from competitors General Electric and Mitsubishi.
Beyond the $104 million penalty, Aber emphasized that the criminal conviction sent a louder message in an age where deferred-prosecution deals had become the norm.