NEED TO KNOW
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The official cause of death has been revealed for former federal prosecutor Jessica Aber, who resigned on the same day that President Donald Trump began his second term in January
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43-year-old Aber was found dead in her home in Alexandria, Va., on March 22, just two months after her resignation
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Following her death, police said they believed Aber, who suffered from epilepsy, had died from natural causes, while her family released a statement saying that she had died in her sleep
An official cause of death has been released for Jessica Aber, the former federal prosecutor who resigned on the day that President Donald Trump was sworn in for a second term in January.
The State Medical Examiner’s Office has concluded that Aber suffered “sudden unexpected death in epilepsy,” per The Virginian-Pilot.
Jennifer Starkey, the medicolegal administrator for the State Medical Examiner’s northern district office in Manassas, confirmed to the local outlet in an email on Aug. 20 that the manner of death was “natural” but declined to provide the full autopsy report, citing an exemption for health records under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act.
Aber was found dead at a home in Alexandria, Va., on Saturday, March 22. She was 43.
Kevin Dietsch/Getty
U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland delivers remarks during a meeting with U.S. attorneys at the Justice Department on June 14, 2023 in Washington, DC. alongside Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, Assistant Attorney General Kenneth Polite of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Jessica Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia
Following the news of her death, her family shared a statement with multiple outlets, saying, “It is with tremendous sorrow that we acknowledge the sudden passing of our beloved Jessica (Jess) Aber, who died in her sleep on Saturday, March 22.”
“Jess suffered from epilepsy and epileptic seizures for many years, and on Tuesday, March 25, Alexandria (Virginia) Police said in a statement that they believe her death was the result of natural causes,” the statement continued. “We expect more information from the medical examiner in the coming weeks. Our family is in shock and grieving deeply, and we respectfully request privacy as we attempt to navigate through our unspeakable loss.”
According to the Cleveland Clinic, Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that can trigger unexpected seizures, caused by temporary abnormal electrical conditions in the brain.
The Alexandria Police Department said in a March 22 statement that officers found Aber at a home in the 900 block of Beverly Drive after responding to a report of an unresponsive woman. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
In a March 25 update, the APD also said that detectives had found “no evidence suggesting that her death was caused by anything other than natural causes.”
After receiving her law degree from William & Mary Law School in 2006, Aber began her career at the Department of Justice in 2009 as an assistant U.S. attorney. She worked on cases involving financial fraud, public corruption, violent crime and child exploitation, and later served as the deputy chief of the criminal division for the Eastern District of Virginia (EDVA), per her DOJ bio.
Aber was nominated by President Joe Biden as the U.S. attorney for the EDVA in August 2021 and was unanimously confirmed by the Senate.
Billy Schuerman/The Virginian-Pilot/Tribune News Service via Getty
Jessica Aber speaks during a press conference in Norfolk, Virginia, Aug 2023
She resigned from her position on Jan. 20, 2025, the same day Donald Trump took office for his second presidential term,
In her final post on X, Aber shared the announcement of her resignation, adding, “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.”
In a statement on X, Erik Siebert, the current U.S. attorney for the EDVA, said the office was “heartbroken beyond words,” following her death.
“She was unmatched as a leader, mentor, and prosecutor, and she is simply irreplaceable as a human being,” he said of Aber.
“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,” added Siebert. “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.”
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U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi also expressed her condolences in a statement posted on the DOJ website.
“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,” she wrote.
PEOPLE has reached out to the Virginia State Medical Examiner’s Office, but did not immediately hear back.
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