Mitt Romney, the former presidential candidate and ex-senator of Utah, expressed his family’s “heartbreak” following the tragic incident involving his sister-in-law, who died after apparently falling or jumping from a height in a suburban area of Los Angeles. This occurred only months after she separated from Romney’s brother.
In a statement shared with People, Romney said, “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.”
Carrie Elizabeth Romney was found deceased on a street adjacent to a shopping mall’s parking garage in Valencia, California, around 8:30 p.m. on Friday. She was 64 years old.
<pAuthorities noted that Carrie's vehicle was located in a parking garage close to the Hyatt Regency Hotel in the city.
As of now, it remains “unknown” whether Carrie “jumped or fell” from the multi-level parking structure or a nearby facility, according to Los Angeles County Deputy Brenda Serna.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office has confirmed that Carrie passed away on Friday, with the cause of her death still pending further investigations, indicated by the classification of “deferred.” Her remains have been marked as “ready for release,” as reported by People.
Nonetheless, investigators have suggested that foul play is unlikely, as NBC Los Angeles noted.
Carrie was previously married to George Romney, 81, Mitt’s elder brother, who is a prominent attorney and father to Ronna McDaniel, the former chair of the Republican National Committee.
George, often referred to as Scott, had initiated divorce proceedings on June 10, citing irreconcilable differences after eight years of marriage, as reported by the Daily Mail.
In his filing, Scott mentioned that most of their financial assets were acquired independently before their marriage, additionally opposing Carrie’s request for spousal support and asking that she revert to her maiden name, Carrie Elizabeth Dimas.
While details of their relationship remain scarce, the couple married in November 2016.
They seemed to maintain a low profile, retreating from public interactions since 2012, including minimizing their social media presence and joint appearances, according to the Daily Mail.
The divorce would mark the end of Scott Romney’s third marriage.
Currently, at 81 years old, Scott practices law with Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn in Michigan and serves on numerous boards, including that of Compuware Corporation.
Mitt Romney’s prior presidential campaign against Barack Obama in 2012 garnered considerable national backing, despite ultimately resulting in his defeat.
During his brother’s 2012 campaign, Scott was notably visible, as chronicled by the New York Times.
As a senator, Romney notably became the sole Republican to vote for the impeachment of President Trump during the first trial in 2020.
The former nominee repeated that stance in Trump’s second impeachment trial the next year.
A consistent critic of Trump, Romney wrote a pointed op-ed in 2019 committing to confront what he described as the president’s “destructive rhetoric” supported by the White House.
