Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia was reportedly found dead in his room at a luxury resort in West Texas this morning. He was 79 years old.
Law enforcement officials report that Scalia appears to have died from natural causes.
Sources close to the situation say that Scalia was vacationing at the resort with a large group of friends.
When he did not appear at breakfast this morning, a hotel employee entered his room and found that he had passed away during the night.
The Supreme Court’s longest-serving justice, Scalia was appointed to his post by President Ronald Reagan in 1986.
He was the Court’s first Italian-American justice.
Texas Governor Ted Abbott issued the following statement about Scalia just moments ago:
“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.”
Texas senator and current presidential hopeful Ted Cruz issued a statement calling Scalia “one of the greatest Justices in history.”
Scalia is survived by his wife of 56 years and his nine children.
