The death of Angela Chao, the sister-in-law of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, is under criminal investigation, authorities announced Thursday.
Chao was found dead on February 11 in a submerged car in a pond on a private ranch in Johnson City, Texas. CNBC report. The CEO of Foremost Group was rescued from the submerged vehicle just after midnight, the paper said.
JUST IN: Police in Texas are investigating the death of Sen. Mitch McConnell's sister-in-law as a “criminal” investigation and say her death was not a “typical accident.”
The Blanco County Sheriff's Office sent a letter to Ken Paxton in Texas after Angela Chao was found dead. pic.twitter.com/xU06UfxnZm
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) March 1, 2024
“This incident was not a typical accident,” the Blanco County Sheriff's Office said in a letter to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Thursday, according to the newspaper.
“Although preliminary investigation indicates this was an unfortunate accident, the Sheriff's Office continues to investigate this incident as a criminal matter until sufficient evidence is obtained to rule out criminal activity,” the sheriff said. the office writes.
According to the report, a spokesperson for the Blanco County Sheriff's Office told the attorney general that materials, including reports, 911 logs, audio and video evidence, should not be released to the media because there is an active investigation. He clearly stated that he did not. The letter states that once the investigation is complete, the materials will be “released to all requestors”, the outlet said.
McConnell, who announced on Wednesday that he would step down as Senate Republican leader in November, reacted to his sister-in-law's death on the Senate floor, according to CNBC. (Related: Here's who is likely to replace McConnell as Senate Republican leader)
“This is a particularly difficult time for my family,” McConnell said. “We tragically lost Elaine's sister Angela just a few weeks ago.”
“There's a certain kind of introspection that comes with the grieving process, especially if you lose a loved one at a young age,” McConnell says.
