Ranch owner: Justice Antonin Scalia was 'peaceful' before death

Luke Skywalker · Feb 15, 2016

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The body of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia was taken to a West Texas airport Sunday afternoon so he could be flown to Virginia. Police vehicles escorted the hearse that drove Scalia's body from the funeral home. (Feb. 15) AP

The "El Presidente" suite where Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia was found dead at Cibolo Creek Ranch the day following his passing at the West Texas Resort ranch that stretches over 30,000 acres, on Feb.14 , 2016, in Shafter, Texas. Justice Scalia was 79.(Photo: Matthew Busch, Getty Images)

PRESIDIO, Texas —*The day before he died, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia toured an exclusive West Texas ranch, had a jovial dinner and made his usual amicable conversation before excusing himself around 9 p.m.
A few hours later, he was dead, apparently of natural causes.
“He was very peaceful,” John Poindexter, owner of the Cibolo Creek Ranch resort, where Scalia had gathered for a weekend retreat, told NBC News. “He had obviously passed away with no difficulty at all in the middle of the night.”

John Poindexter, owner of Cibolo Creek Ranch, speaks the day following the death Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia at the West Texas resort ranch in Shafter, Texas, on Feb.14, 2016.*(Photo: Matthew Busch, Getty Images)

Scalia’s sudden passing, at age 79, stunned a nation and has sent political reverberations throughout the USA, as politicians and legal experts grapple with how to fill the influential seat.
USA TODAY
Battle joined: Who will get to name Scalia's replacement to Supreme Court?

Presidio County Judge Cinderella*Guevara initially indicated to*WFAA-TV in a Sunday interview*that the cause of death on Scalia's death certificate would read*myocardial infarction, or*heart attack, but she*later refuted that statement. In an interview with The Washington Post, Guevara said she had meant only that his heart had stopped.
“It wasn’t a heart attack,” Guevara told the Post. “He died of natural causes.”
Scalia’s remains were discreetly driven by van overnight to an El Paso funeral home with an escort from a procession of Texas Department of Public Safety Troopers and U.S. Marshals Service vehicles.*After arriving at 3:30 a.m. on Sunday, the Sunset Funeral Home embalmed Scalia’s remains, according to Chris Lujuan, a funeral home manager.*Embalming is required by Texas law before a body can be transported out of state.
Lujuan said Scalia’s body was taken from the funeral home to the airport Sunday afternoon.*The body, under escort from El Paso police officers and federal officers, arrived at Atlantic Aviation just before 5 p.m. local time. At about 6 p.m., a Sunset Funeral Home hearse with red, white and blue flags left the aviation area, as did the dozens of police vehicles that were stationed in the area.
In a statement, El Paso International Airport officials said: “U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia was transported out of El Paso on a private aircraft at approximately 6:00 p.m. today, February 14, 2016.”
Nathali Fragoso, Sunset's director, said there will not be an autopsy.
On Sunday, those involved with processing Scalia’s death remembered the shock of answering a routine call of a deceased person at the Cibolo Creek Ranch —*and finding a*Supreme Court justice.
Miguel Acuino, the priest of the Santa Teresa de Jesus Catholic Church here, was working at his church offices Saturday afternoon when he got a call to perform the last Catholic rites for someone at the ranch, about 30 miles up the road.
It wasn’t until he reached the property and saw the person that he realized it was Scalia.
“As a priest, that’s my duty,” Acuino said in his offices after Sunday Mass. “Wherever there’s a need, that’s where I go.”
Acuino wouldn’t reveal any details of the rites or whether Scalia was still alive when he administered them. He referred most questions to the Catholic Diocese of El Paso.

The entrance to the Cibolo Creek Ranch, the day after the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, on Feb. 14, 2016, in Shafter, Texas.*(Photo: Matthew Busch, Getty Images)

He said he performs the last rites regularly, but none had gathered the global attention as Saturday’s rites. During Sunday’s Mass, he asked parishioners to pray for Scalia. “It is right that we pray for anyone, especially if they’re Catholic,” he said.
Presidio County Justice of the Peace Juanita Bishop, whose precinct includes the ranch, remembers driving up Interstate 67 Saturday morning and noticing an unusually high number of private jets*at the ranch property. She figured celebrities or dignitaries were gathering at the ranch*for the long weekend.
USA TODAY
Cibolo Creek Ranch: Wildlife, movie sets, luxury

A few hours later, she got a request from the Presidio County Sheriff’s Office to perform an inquest on a deceased person at the ranch property. Since she was out of town, she deferred the case to County Judge Cinderela Guevara, who performed the inquest.
Usually, if the cause of death is unclear, Bishop will order an autopsy, she said.
“If it had been me, I would’ve done an autopsy,” Bishop said. “They said he was good one minute and the next minute he’s dead.” She added,*“It’s for our own good to know cause of death.”
USA TODAY
Statements from the Supreme Court on the death of Justice Scalia

Guevara pronounced Scalia dead over the phone at 1:52 p.m. Saturday. She said she spoke to Scalia’s physician and wanted to clarify details of his death before deciding whether to order an autopsy. Presidio County Sheriff Danny Dominguez and U.S. Marshals, who answered the first calls, assured her no foul play was involved, Guevara told WFAA.
The enormity of her otherwise routine task hit her later.
“After I did my job, yes, I kept playing it over and over in my mind and thought, ‘Oh, my God. History is being made in Presidio County,’” she told WFAA. “It’s something I’ll never forget.”
For the most part, residents of Presidio and other nearby towns seemed to be unfazed —*or largely unaware —*of the historic death that occurred in their area.
Residents in this city that overlooks Mexico just across the Rio Bravo are more focused on local politics, less with national political figures, Presidio County Constable Steve Coker said.
“You could ask 100 people here who Scalia is and not a lot of them will know,” he said.
Contributing:*Ramon Bracamontes, El Paso Times

SUPREME COURT JUSTICE ANTONIN SCALIA DIESTexas officials say Justice Antonin Scalia died of A heart attack | 00:39The official cause of death for Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia will be listed as a heart attack, Texas officials say.
Video provided by Newsy Newslook

SUPREME COURT JUSTICE ANTONIN SCALIA DIESWho could replace Scalia? Here are some possible appointments | 01:27In what's likely to be a political quagmire, President Obama looks to appoint another Supreme Court justice before leaving office. USA TODAY

SUPREME COURT JUSTICE ANTONIN SCALIA DIESPlay examined Supreme Court Justice Scalia | 01:56'The Originalist,' a play that premiered in March 2015 at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. examined one of the most conservative and polarizing justices on the Supreme Court - Antonin Scalia. AP

SUPREME COURT JUSTICE ANTONIN SCALIA DIESCartoons of Justice Scalia | 00:44See several editorial cartoons from the USA TODAY Network that featured Justice Antonin Scalia over the years. USA TODAY

SUPREME COURT JUSTICE ANTONIN SCALIA DIESJustice Antonin Scalia: In his own words | 01:37Antonin Scalia was known for his sharply written dissents and outspoken personalilty during his 30-year tenure on the U.S. Supreme Court. His positions made him both a champion of causes and a target for criticism. VPC

SUPREME COURT JUSTICE ANTONIN SCALIA DIESObama to nominate Scalia successor 'In due time' | 01:55President Obama gave a televised address regarding death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia Saturday, saying he will nominate a new justice 'in due time.' (Feb. 13) AP

SUPREME COURT JUSTICE ANTONIN SCALIA DIES5 things to know about Justice Antonin Scalia | 00:38The longest-serving justice on the U.S. Supreme Court, was found dead at a Texas ranch at the age of 79. Time

SUPREME COURT JUSTICE ANTONIN SCALIA DIESWhat to know about Justice Antonin Scalia | 00:38Associate Justice Antonin Scalia, the longest-serving justice on the U.S. Supreme Court, was found dead at a Texas ranch at the age of 79. VPC

SUPREME COURT JUSTICE ANTONIN SCALIA DIESGraham not ruling out filibuster on next justice | 00:39Following the news that Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia had died, Sen. Lindsey Graham told reporters that President Obama will have to find a consensus choice for a new justice, or 'the next president will pick' Scalia's replacement. (Feb. 13) AP

SUPREME COURT JUSTICE ANTONIN SCALIA DIESGOP candidates call for 'delay' on Scalia replacement | 01:58The death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia sent shockwaves through the political world as s Republican candidates face off in South Carolina on the debate stage. USA TODAY

SUPREME COURT JUSTICE ANTONIN SCALIA DIESSupreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia found dead | 00:33Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia has been found dead at age 79 from natural causes at the Cibolo Creek Ranch resort in West Texas. Wochit

SUPREME COURT JUSTICE ANTONIN SCALIA DIESJustice Scalia found dead at Texas ranch | 01:34Associate Justice Antonin Scalia, the outspoken leader of the Supreme Court's conservative bloc, was found dead at a Texas ranch Saturday morning.
Chief Justice John Roberts said in a statement Saturday afternoon, "I am saddened to report that our Wochit

SUPREME COURT JUSTICE ANTONIN SCALIA DIESJustice Antonin Scalia dead at 79 | 00:57Antonin Scalia, the influential conservative and most provocative member of the Supreme Court, has died. He was 79. (Feb. 13) AP

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Ranch owner: Justice Antonin Scalia was 'peaceful' before death

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