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Mitt Romney, the former presidential candidate and ex-senator from Utah, has expressed profound sorrow following the death of his sister-in-law, who was found deceased in a suburb of Los Angeles.
In a statement released to People magazine on Monday, Romney shared, “Our family is devastated by the loss of Carrie, whose presence brought warmth and affection into our lives. We kindly request privacy as we navigate this challenging time.”
64-year-old Carrie Elizabeth Romney was discovered on a street close to a shopping mall parking structure in Valencia, California, around 8:30 p.m. on Friday.
Authorities reported that her vehicle was located inside a parking garage near the city’s Hyatt Regency Hotel.
Los Angeles County Deputy Brenda Serna communicated via email that it remains “unknown at the moment” whether Carrie “jumped or fell” from the multi-story parking garage or a nearby structure.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed Carrie had died Friday, her cause of death is listed as “deferred,” indicating that further tests and investigation are pending. Her body was listed as “ready for release,” according to People.
However, authorities said foul play does not appear to be involved, NBC Los Angeles reported.
Carrie had been married to the ex-Utah senator’s older brother, George Romney, 81 — a well-known attorney and the father of former Republican National Committee chair Ronna McDaniel.
The former presidential nominee’s brother — who goes by Scott — had filed for divorce on June 10 after eight years of marriage, citing irreconcilable differences, according to the Daily Mail.
He also stated in the filing that most of their assets had been obtained separately before the marriage. He noted that Carrie was seeking spousal support, which he opposed, and requested that she go back to using her maiden name, Carrie Elizabeth Dimas, the outlet reported.
It’s unclear when the two met, but the couple tied the knot in November 2016.
However, they appeared to have kept their relationship private. From 2012 onward, the two quietly stepped away from public view — avoiding social media, interviews, and public appearances together, the Daily Mail reported.
The divorce would have brought an end to Scott Romney’s third marriage.
The 81-year-old currently works as an attorney at Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn in Michigan and serves on several boards, including Compuware Corporation.
Romney mounted a presidential campaign against former President Barack Obama in 2012, gaining significant national support before ultimately losing the race.
Scott Romney was the most publicly visible of his siblings throughout his brother’s 2012 campaign, according to the New York Times.
While in the Senate, Romney was the only Republican to vote to convict President Trump during his first impeachment trial in 2020.
The Former presidential nominee repeated his vote during Trump’s second impeachment trial the following year.
A longtime critic of Trump, Romney penned a scathing op-ed in 2019 pledging to challenge what he called the president’s “destructive statements” made with the backing of the White House.