Former US Attorney Jessica Aber, 43, Found Dead in Virginia Home

Yahoo

23-03-2025

Former U.S. Attorney Jessica Aber has been found dead in her Virginia home at the age of 43.
According to NBC News, Alexandria, Virginia, police found Aber deceased after receiving a call about an "unresponsive woman" around 9:18 a.m. on March 22, 2025.
The cause of death for Aber has not been released.
'As a matter of protocol, an investigation is underway surrounding the circumstances of her death,' police said, according to NBC, which noted that the cause and manner of death will be determined by the medical examiner, and it's not yet clear whether the death was suspicious.
Aber's death was also confirmed by U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert, who said in a 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."
He added: "Jess was a proud Virginian from high school through college and throughout her career. She loved EDVA and EDVA loved her back. We remain committed to her life's work, a commitment to seeking justice, as she would have wanted.'
According to Newsweek, before stepping down after the inauguration, Aber led "high-profile investigations into intelligence leaks, allegations of war crimes against Russian-linked individuals, and people suspected of providing sensitive U.S. technology to Moscow."
For example, one DOJ news release lists her as being involved in the prosecution of a "dual U.S.-Russian citizen" who pleaded guilty "to conspiracy to violate the Export Control Reform Act by exporting firearm parts, components, and ammunition to Russia without the required authorization."
She was also involved in the case of former CIA analyst Asif Rahman, 34, of Vienna, who pled guilty "to retaining and transmitting Top Secret National Defense Information, which was publicly posted on a social media platform in October 2024," according to DOJ.
She was active on X through January, when she stepped down.
"Serving as U.S. Attorney has been an honor. EDVA is full of dedicated, extraordinary public servants. Thanks to everyone who kept up with EDVA's fantastic work on X during my tenure," she wrote on X on Jan. 17.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice news release on her appointment, Aber served as the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia (EDVA).
As U.S. Attorney, Aber supervised "the prosecution of all federal crimes and the litigation of all civil matters in which the United States has an interest. She leads a staff of approximately 300 prosecutors, civil litigators, and support personnel across four Divisions located in Alexandria, Richmond, Norfolk, and Newport News. The district serves over six million residents," the release said.
"U.S. Attorney Aber was nominated by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. on August 10, 2021 and unanimously confirmed by the Senate on October 5, 2021 for the position of United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. President Biden signed Ms. Aber's commission on October 7, 2021," it notes.
"Ms. Aber began her service to EDVA in 2009 as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, taking on a variety of financial fraud, public corruption, violent crime, and child exploitation cases. From 2015 to 2016, she served on a detail assignment as counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice. Since 2016, Ms. Aber has served as the Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division for EDVA," the release continues.
"Ms. Aber received the Assistant Attorney General's Award for Exceptional Service from the Department of Justice in 2019."
The release says that before joining DOJ, Aber "was an associate at McGuireWoods LLP from 2007 to 2008. She served as a law clerk for then-Magistrate Judge M. Hannah Lauck on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia from 2006 to 2007. Ms. Aber received her J.D. from William & Mary Law School in 2006 and her B.A., magna cum laude, from the University of Richmond in 2003."