An official cause of death has been released for Jessica Aber, the former U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia who resigned earlier this year.
Aber was found unresponsive at a residence in Alexandria, Virginia, on March 22.
Police said she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Days later, the Alexandria Police Department reported that detectives found no evidence of foul play and believed her death was the result of natural causes.
The Virginia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined that Aber, 43, died from “sudden unexpected death in epilepsy” (SUDEP), according to The Virginian-Pilot. Jennifer Starkey, the medicolegal administrator for the office’s northern district, confirmed in an email on Aug. 20 that the manner of death was ruled “natural.”
However, officials declined to release the full autopsy report, citing medical privacy protections under Virginia’s Freedom of Information Act.
Family statement and public tributesIn a statement following her passing, Aber’s family described the shock of losing her so suddenly.
“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,” the family wrote, via PEOPLE.
They added that she had lived with epilepsy and seizures for many years, and requested privacy while mourning their “unspeakable loss.”
According to the Cleveland Clinic, epilepsy is a neurological disorder that disrupts normal brain activity and can cause seizures.
SUDEP, while rare, occurs when people with epilepsy die unexpectedly without a clear structural or toxicological cause.
Tributes poured in from colleagues across the Department of Justice. Erik Siebert, who succeeded Aber as U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, called the office “heartbroken beyond words.”
He praised her as “unmatched as a leader, mentor, and prosecutor,” adding that her professionalism and legal skill “set the standard” for those who worked with her.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi also issued a statement, describing Aber’s death as “deeply tragic” and extending condolences to her family and friends.
A graduate of William & Mary Law School, Aber joined the Justice Department in 2009 as an assistant U.S. attorney.
Over the years, she prosecuted cases involving financial fraud, public corruption, violent crime, and child exploitation, eventually serving as deputy chief of the criminal division in the Eastern District of Virginia.
In 2021, President Joe Biden nominated her to lead the office, and she was unanimously confirmed by the Senate.
She formally resigned on Jan. 20, 2025, the day President Donald Trump was sworn in for his second term.
In her final post on X, Aber reflected on her time in office. “Serving as U.S. Attorney has been an honor,” she wrote, praising her colleagues as “dedicated, extraordinary public servants.”
Her sudden passing leaves a lasting void in the legal community, but those who knew her say her example of leadership and service will continue to guide the work of prosecutors in Virginia and beyond.