Jessica Aber, the former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia who was found dead in her Alexandria home in March, died from a sudden epileptic seizure, officials confirmed.
The 43-year-old prosecutor, appointed under President Joe Biden, had resigned her post earlier this year when President Donald Trump returned to office.
Medical Examiner’s Finding
The Alexandria Medical Examiner’s Office ruled Aber’s death was caused by “sudden unexpected death in epilepsy” while she was asleep.
Her family confirmed she had long struggled with epilepsy and epileptic seizures.
Police had previously stated that investigators found no signs of foul play and suspected natural causes.
Career Highlights
Aber led one of the nation’s most prominent federal prosecutor’s offices for three years, overseeing high-profile national security, fraud, and war crimes cases.
Among her most notable prosecutions was the case against ex-CIA analyst Asif Rahman, who pleaded guilty to leaking top-secret intelligence about Israel’s planned strike on Iran. The leak, posted on Telegram, forced Israel to delay a retaliatory attack.
She also pursued charges against Eleview International Inc., a Virginia company accused of illegally transshipping sensitive U.S. technology to Russia, and played a role in the unprecedented DOJ indictment of four Russian soldiers for alleged war crimes against an American citizen in Ukraine.
What is Epileptic Seizure?
Epileptic seizures are bursts of uncontrolled electrical activity in the brain that can cause sudden changes in behavior, movement, sensations, or awareness.
They range from brief staring spells to severe convulsions and, in rare cases, can lead to sudden death during or after an episode, even in patients with long-managed epilepsy.
