Mitt Romney's sister-in-law died by suicide, medical examiners have confirmed, several weeks after she fell to her death from a parking structure in California. Carrie Romney died from "blunt traumatic injuries" after the fall, officials with the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office said Tuesday. Her death has been officially ruled a suicide.
Romney, 64, was found on Oct. 10 at the base of a parking garage in Valencia after she reportedly plunged to her death from the five-story structure. She had been married to George Scott Romney, 81 — Mitt Romney's older brother and a prominent attorney — but the two were locked in a bitter months-long divorce at the time.
No Foul Play
Mitt's older brother, George Scott Romney, and Carrie separated on May 25. Scott, as he's commonly known, filed for divorce just a couple of weeks later, on June 10, ending a marriage that lasted a little over eight years, according to records obtained by the Daily Mail.
The 84-year-old attorney and politician had been married three times before. He's also the father of former RNC chair Ronna McDaniel from his first marriage.
Scott and Carrie married on November 26, 2016, but never had children together. They kept their relationship extremely private — they were never seen together in public photos, rarely used social media, and Scott hasn't given a major media interview since Mitt's 2012 presidential run.
When asked for comment, a spokesperson for Romney pointed back to the statement he released when Carrie passed away: "Our family is heartbroken by the loss of Carrie, who brought warmth and love to all our lives."
In his divorce paperwork, Scott cited irreconcilable differences and noted that most of their assets were acquired separately before they married. Carrie, meanwhile, had requested spousal support — which Scott opposed — and asked to have her maiden name, Carrie Elizabeth Dimas, restored.
Tragic Death Amid Divorce Battle
Carrie was found on the ground next to a parking garage in Valencia, a suburb of Los Angeles, according to the county medical examiner. Police responded to the area around 8:30 p.m. on a Friday near the town's shopping mall and the nearby Hyatt Regency hotel.
Detectives have said there's no indication of foul play.
LA County Sheriff's spokesperson Lt. Daniel Vizcarra told the Daily Mail that a passerby called 911 after spotting Carrie's body near a parking structure connected to an apartment complex in Santa Clarita.
Her car was later located inside the garage on one of the upper levels. Vizcarra said investigators were reviewing potential surveillance footage from the area, which sits right next to a shopping mall.
The Los Angeles County medical examiner initially listed her cause of death as "deferred" while awaiting toxicology results.
Mitt Romney — who ran for president twice — comes from a large family that includes three older siblings, among them Scott. His wife, Ann, also grew up with two older brothers, and together the couple has five sons.
