Angela Chao, 50, sister of Elaine Chao and sister-in-law of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, was found dead shortly after midnight on Feb. 11 after being pulled out of a car that had gone into a pond on a private ranch in Johnson City, Texas, about 40 miles from Austin.
In a letter to the state’s attorney general, the sheriff said his office was “investigating this accident as a criminal matter until they have sufficient evidence to rule out criminal activity.”
"This incident was not a typical accident," the Blanco County Sheriff's Office wrote in a letter to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Thursday.
Blanco County officials told Paxton that reports, 911 logs, audio and video evidence as well as other material should not yet be released to media outlets.
“Releasing the reports, videos and other information prior to the completion of the investigation would interfere with the investigation and possible prosecution of this matter,” the sheriff’s office wrote.
Earlier statements from the sheriff’s office spoke of an unfortunate accident in which EMS had attempted emergency efforts to revive Chao, but were unsuccessful.
“Our preliminary investigation has determined this to be an unfortunate accident. The investigation is ongoing at this time.”
The ranch where Chao died is owned by a corporate entity connected to her husband, venture capitalist Jim Breyer, who has an office in Austin.