Mitt Romney expressed his grief following the death of his sister-in-law, Carrie Elizabeth Romney, who was discovered deceased in California just four months after his brother initiated divorce proceedings.
The 64-year-old woman was found dead on a street adjacent to a five-story parking garage in Valencia on Friday evening.
The former presidential candidate and Utah senator shared his family’s sorrow over the loss.
“Our family is heartbroken by the loss of Carrie, who brought warmth and love to all our lives. We ask for privacy during this difficult time,” Romney stated.
Documents reveal that Mitt Romney’s brother, George Scott Romney, separated from Carrie on May 25.
The 81-year-old lawyer and politician filed for divorce on June 10 after more than eight years of marriage.
The divorce filing came after the couple wed on November 26, 2016.
This was Scott Romney’s third marriage, and he had no children with Carrie.
Scott Romney is the father of former RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel from his first marriage.
The couple maintained a notably private relationship throughout their marriage.
They were never photographed together in public and neither maintained an active social media presence, multiple media outlets have highlighted.
Court documents indicate that Scott Romney cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for the divorce.
He stated in the filing that most of the couple’s assets had been acquired individually before their marriage.
Carrie Romney had requested spousal support in the proceedings, which Scott opposed.
She also sought to restore her maiden name, Carrie Elizabeth Dimas.
Emergency responders arrived at the scene near a shopping mall and local Hyatt Regency Hotel at approximately 8:30pm on Friday.
The Los Angeles County medical examiner’s office confirmed her body was found lying next to the parking garage.
Local homicide detectives have stated that foul play is not currently suspected in the case.
The investigation, however, remains ongoing as authorities work to determine the circumstances of her death.
LA County Sheriff’s spokesperson Lt. Daniel Vizcarra provided details about the uncertainty surrounding the case.
“We don’t know if it was suicide or accidental. There is not enough information to go by yet on what the coroner has given us so far,” he told the Daily Mail.
A passerby who called 911 led authorities to discover Romney’s body near a parking structure belonging to an apartment complex on the 24000 block of Town Center Drive in Santa Clarita.
Her vehicle was located on one of the floors of the parking structure.
Investigators are working to obtain video footage from the surrounding area, which is adjacent to a mall.
Police tape cordoned off much of the parking lot, with multiple police vehicles present at the scene.
“Foul play has not been ruled out, but as of right now, there is no evidence of it,” Vizcarra stated. The cause of death has been listed as deferred pending the results of toxicology tests, according to the Los Angeles County medical examiner.
Mitt Romney, who ran for president twice, comes from a large family with three older siblings, including Scott.
Together with his wife Ann, who has two older brothers, the couple share five sons.
Scott Romney played a visible role during his brother’s 2012 presidential campaign, The New York Times has described.
He told PBS about his involvement: “In 2006 he called me and said, ‘I’d like somebody with a little gray hair to help raise money, and I wonder if you’d be willing to help me.’ And he asked me to help with him on his campaign.”
“Since then, I’ve been doing everything I can to help his political career.”
Scott currently practices law at Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn in Michigan and holds positions on several boards, including Compuware Corporation.
The Romney family has long been known for their close-knit relationships and competitive nature, according to The Washington Post.
Mitt Romney’s political career spans decades, including his defeat to Barack Obama in the 2012 general election.
In 2008, he lost the Republican Primary before endorsing John McCain.
He notably became the only Republican to vote to convict Trump of impeachment on both occasions.
