Jessica Aber, who served as the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia during most of the Biden administration, is found dead in her home in Alexandria, Virginia, on March 22, 2025. She was 43 years old. Authorities respond to a welfare check Saturday morning and discover her unresponsive at the scene. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is conducting an investigation into the cause of death, though early reports suggest it may be related to an undisclosed longstanding medical condition.
Aber was appointed by President Joe Biden and confirmed by the Senate in October 2021. She officially began her tenure shortly thereafter, becoming one of the most prominent federal prosecutors in the country. Known for her firm stance on violent crime, public corruption, and cybercrime, Aber oversaw numerous high-profile cases, including prosecutions involving MS-13 gang leaders, Russian cybercriminals, and a former CIA analyst charged with leaking classified materials. Her office also led war crimes indictments against Russian soldiers tied to the Ukraine conflict.
Her legal career began after graduating from William & Mary Law School in 2006. She clerked for Magistrate Judge M. Hannah Lauck before joining McGuireWoods as an associate. In 2009, she became an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia and steadily rose through the ranks, serving as Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division before her eventual nomination as U.S. Attorney.
Aber submitted her resignation on January 20, 2025—the same day President Donald Trump was sworn in for a second term. In her letter, she expressed gratitude to her colleagues and emphasized the importance of public trust in the justice system. Her resignation was seen as part of the broader transition from the Biden-era leadership within the Department of Justice to Trump’s incoming appointees.
Tributes are pouring in from the legal and political community. Attorney General Pamela Bondi, who assumed the role under President Trump, issued a statement calling Aber’s death “deeply tragic,” and praised her record of service and dedication to justice. Erik Siebert, the current U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, described her as “an unmatched leader, a brilliant legal mind, and an irreplaceable human being.”
The news of her sudden death has sent shockwaves through the legal profession and sparked an outpouring of grief and remembrance for a woman widely regarded as a rising star and a trailblazer in federal law enforcement.
Sources:
- https://abcnews.go.com/US/former-us-attorney-jessica-aber-found-dead-virginia/story?id=120064277
- https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/statement-attorney-general-pamela-bondi-death-former-us-attorney-jessica-aber
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jessica_Aber
- https://www.foxnews.com/us/former-us-attorney-jessica-aber-had-medical-issue-prior-unexpected-death-source
- https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jessica-aber-former-federal-prosecutor-found-dead-virginia-home
- https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/former-us-attorney-jessica-aber-death-b2720493.html
- https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/23/virginia-us-attorney-jessica-aber-death
- https://people.com/former-federal-prosecutor-who-resigned-on-day-trump-took-office-dead-at-43-11701837
- https://nypost.com/2025/03/22/us-news/former-us-attorney-for-eastern-district-of-virginia-found-dead-at-43-report
- https://youtu.be/zuZGC8b7MAQ
