March 23 (UPI) -- Jessica Aber, the former U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia, was found dead Saturday morning at her home in Alexandria.
Alexandria Police said in a statement that officers responded to a report of an unresponsive woman at 9:18 a.m. Saturday and found the woman dead at the home, identifying her as Aber.
"As a matter of protocol, an investigation is underway surrounding the circumstances of her death," police said. "The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of Virginia will determine the cause and manner of death."
The former federal prosecutor, more so than federal prosecutors in many other jurisdictions across the country, had an outsized role in the U.S. Justice Department because of the importance of Virginia's eastern district.
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The Eastern District of Virginia encompasses key national security and intelligence hubs just outside Washington, D.C., including the Pentagon and CIA headquarters in Langley. It is known as the "Rocket Docket," a moniker celebrating its reputation for moving cases swiftly and efficiently through the court system.
As a result, the district has become a strategic venue for when the government needs to fast-track cases involving national security or classified information, particularly regarding matters of espionage or terrorism.
Aber, 43, was nominated to the role by President Joe Biden on Aug. 10, 2021, and was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate on Oct. 5, 2021. She served in the position until her resignation on Jan. 20 upon the second inauguration of President Donald Trump.
Among the many court wins during her tenure, Aber's team scored a victory when Asif Rahman, a 34-year-old former CIA analyst, pleaded guilty to leaking top secret documents detailing Israel's plans for a strike on Iran last year.
"I've had the privilege of spending my career as a prosecutor in the Eastern District of Virginia working alongside talented, hard-working public servants who manage matters affecting citizens here and across the world," Aber said in her statement announcing her resignation.
"Concluding my service to the District as its U.S. Attorney has been an honor beyond measure."
Her death was mourned by her successor, Erik S. Siebert, who called her "unmatched" as a leader and prosecutor, praising Aber for her "professionalism, grace, and legal acumen."
"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," he said.
"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. Jess was a proud Virginian from high school through college and throughout her career."
Though Aber served the Justice Department under former Attorney General Merrick Garland, his replacement, Pam Bondi, also mourned her loss.
"The loss of Jessica Aber, former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, is deeply tragic," Bondi said in a statement. "Our hearts and prayers go out to her family and friends during this profoundly difficult time."
