Carrie Elizabeth Romney, the sister-in-law of former U.S. Sen. Mitt Romney, left a handwritten note before she fell from the roof of a multistory parking garage in October 2025, according to records and law enforcement summaries. The Los Angeles County medical examiner later ruled the death a suicide caused by blunt-force injuries.
The case drew national attention because of the family’s public profile and because investigators noted a written note was found in Romney’s vehicle. Authorities said surveillance video captured her on the garage roof in the minutes before the fall. The examination also documented the anti-anxiety medication alprazolam in toxicology findings. Officials said no foul play was suspected after a review of evidence, including the camera footage, witness statements and autopsy results. The determination closed the criminal portion of the inquiry while the coroner finalized the report and notified next of kin.
Romney, 64, was found near a parking structure by an apartment complex in the Santa Clarita area in October 2025. First responders were called shortly after the fall and pronounced her dead at the scene. Investigators said security video showed her pacing on the rooftop for an extended time, then sitting at the edge before the fall. A handwritten note was recovered from her car, which had been parked nearby. The note’s contents were not disclosed by authorities. The medical examiner listed the cause as blunt-force injuries consistent with a fall from height and the manner as suicide. The office said next-of-kin notifications were completed and that a full report would be maintained in county records.
Officials familiar with the findings said the note was tucked inside a copy of a religious text found on the front passenger seat. The toxicology screen detected alprazolam, a benzodiazepine commonly used to treat anxiety. Investigators said the level was documented in the lab report, though they did not link it to impairment at the time of death. Detectives examined the garage area for signs of a struggle and reported none. Authorities said they reviewed available surveillance from the building and nearby properties and took statements from people who arrived after the fall. No arrests were made. The exact wording of the note remains confidential under the privacy exemptions used by the county when sensitive family matters are involved.
Public records show Carrie Elizabeth Romney had married George Scott Romney, the older brother of Mitt Romney, several years earlier. Court filings in Los Angeles County described a divorce proceeding that was underway in 2025. People who knew the couple said they had been living separately. The death in Santa Clarita placed renewed attention on the parking structure where several previous medical calls have been logged in recent years, according to public safety summaries, though officials said those calls did not establish a pattern connected to this case. The area includes residential buildings, retail spaces and a structured garage typical of developments in the Santa Clarita Valley.
Because the manner of death was certified as suicide, there is no criminal defendant or expected prosecution. The coroner’s office said its procedures include documenting injuries, collecting toxicology samples and photographing the scene. After the autopsy was completed in late 2025, the case file was classified as closed with a suicide determination. Any civil or probate matters, including estate filings, would proceed separately in Los Angeles County courts. Officials said there were no plans for a public inquest or a separate hearing. If additional evidence were to surface, agencies could reopen parts of the file, but authorities said that is not anticipated based on current records.
Neighbors and people who frequent the complex described a quiet morning that turned solemn as emergency vehicles arrived. One resident said she saw police tape go up around the garage and watched investigators photograph the upper levels. Another person who lives nearby said the response lasted several hours as officials reviewed camera footage and spoke with building staff. A local shop worker said customers spoke in hushed tones as the news spread. Family representatives did not issue a public statement at the time. People who knew Romney from community events described her as warm and reserved.
As of late January 2026, the county lists the case as a completed coroner investigation with the manner of death certified. No additional briefings are scheduled. The next public milestone would likely be the release of any final, redacted documents that become part of routine records requests.
Author note: Last updated January 23, 2026.