Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia was found dead at the age of 79 at the Cibolo Creek Ranch near Marfa, Texas, on Saturday, February 13.
According to the San Antonio Express News, Scalia arrived at the ranch on Friday, where he attended a private party with approximately 40 people. When he didn’t appear for breakfast the next morning, a worker at the ranch went to his room and found him dead.
An El Paso source close to the justice told ABC-7 that Scalia died in his sleep after a day of quail hunting.
“I was told it was this morning,” U.S. District Judge Samuel Frederick Biery, Jr. said in a statement. “It happened on a ranch out near Marfa. As far as the details, I think it’s pretty vague right now as to how. My reaction is it’s very unfortunate. It’s unfortunate with any death, and politically in the presidential cycle we’re in, my educated guess is nothing will happen before the next president is elected.”
Texas Governor Greg Abbott said in a news release to the Associated Press, “Justice Antonin Scalia was a man of God, a patriot and an unwavering defender of the written Constitution and the Rule of Law. He was the solid rock who turned away so many attempts to depart from and distort the Constitution. His fierce loyalty to the Constitution set an unmatched example, not just for judges and lawyers, but for all Americans. We mourn his passing, and we pray that his successor on the Supreme Court will take his place as a champion for the written Constitution and the Rule of Law. Cecilia and I extend our deepest condolences to his family, and we will keep them in our thoughts and prayers.”
Officials said that there was no evidence of foul play and that it appeared that Scalia died of natural causes.
Scalia was nominated to the United States Supreme Court in 1986 by then-President Ronald Reagan.
Chief Justice John Roberts released a statement on behalf of the Supreme Court, saying Scalia “was an extraordinary individual and jurist, admired and treasured by his colleagues. His passing is a great loss to the Court and the country he so loyally served.”
Former President George W. Bush said in a statement, “He brought intellect, good judgment, and wit to the bench, and he will be missed by his colleagues and our country.”
