US attorney who resigned on first day of Trump’s second term found dead, cause yet unknown
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
A United States Attorney who refused to work under Donald Trump and resigned the day he returned to office as President was found dead at the weekend at her home in Alexandria, Virginia.
Jessica Aber, 43, stepped down on January 20 after being appointed to one of the most high-profile federal prosecutorial posts in the country by former President Joe Biden.
She assumed the role as the top prosecutor for the Eastern District of Virginia in 2021.
Alexandria police confirmed that officers responded to a call early on Saturday morning but are withholding further information pending notification of Aber’s family. No cause of death has yet been released, per MailOnline.
Aber, a longtime federal prosecutor, rose through the ranks of the Justice Department, eventually becoming one of the few women ever to lead the prestigious Eastern District of Virginia, known widely in legal circles as EDVA.
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.
It is a nerve center of legal activity involving terrorism, espionage, public corruption, and corporate crime.
As US Attorney, Aber led a team of roughly 300 lawyers and staff, prosecuting some of America’s most sensitive and consequential cases.
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 U.S. 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.’
Her former colleagues are also grappling with the enormity of the loss.
‘Jess was brilliant, but far more important was her sense for justice, her humanity, and her ability to change the world in a positive way even during her brief time with us,’ said US District Judge M. Hannah Lauck, for whom Aber once clerked.
‘My clerk family has lost its rock, and I have lost a friend. She was a gold soul and I am proud to have known her.’
‘She was unmatched as a leader, mentor, and prosecutor,’ said Erik S. Siebert, her interim successor.
‘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. She loved EDVA and EDVA loved her back.’
Raj Parekh, who preceded Aber as acting US attorney and later served as her top deputy, described her as a woman devoted to public service.
He recalled how, even during the chaotic early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, Aber volunteered to drive from Richmond to Alexandria weekly to help with short staffing.
‘Jess’s life and legacy will forever be etched in the hearts of those who had the special privilege of working with her,’ Parekh said.
Aber was known for her warmth, her humility, and even her culinary talents – she once won an award at the Virginia State Fair for her chocolate chip cookies.
‘Her bright smile, infectious laugh, and relentless humility and grace will never be forgotten,’ said Joshua Stueve, a former Justice Department spokesman who worked closely with Aber for a decade.
‘I remember her warmth, her compassion, her humor, and the unfailing kindness she showed to everyone around her.’
Before rising to the top job in the district, Aber had already carved out a distinguished career in federal law enforcement.
One of her proudest prosecutorial achievements
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 U.S. 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.
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