Supreme Court Justice Scalia found dead at age 79

Justice Antonin Scalia was found dead of apparent natural causes Saturday at a resort in West Texas, federal officials said.

Scalia, 79, was a guest at the Cibolo Creek Ranch, a resort in the Big Bend region south of Marfa.

According to a report, Scalia arrived at the ranch on Friday and attended a private party with about 40 people. When he did not appear for breakfast, a person associated with the ranch went to his room and found a body.

U.S. District Judge Fred Biery said he was among those notified about Scalia’s death.

photo/ donkeyhotey

“I was told it was this morning,” Biery said of Scalia’s death. “It happened on a ranch out near Marfa. As far as the details, I think it’s pretty vague right now as to how,” he said. “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.”

Scalia was appointed in 1986 to the Supreme Court by President Ronald Reagan and is considered one of the most conservative of the justices.

“Justice Scalia was an American hero. We owe it to him, & the Nation, for the Senate to ensure that the next President names his replacement,” tweeted GOP presidential hopeful Ted Cruz.

Donald Trump commented as well, “The totally unexpected loss of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia is a massive setback for the Conservative movement and our COUNTRY!”

The critics are blowing up twitter as well: “No justice has ever twisted and turned more to justify his bias (almost always based on religious and political beliefs) than Scalia did.” – Cent Uygur @cenkuygur