Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia has died at age 79

Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia has died at age 79.

The office of Texas Governor Greg Abbott released a statement on the passing of Justice Scalia.

"Justice Antonin Scalia was a man of God, a patriot, and an unwavering defender of the written Constitution and the Rule of Law. 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. Cecilia and I extend our deepest condolences to his family, and we will keep them in our thoughts and prayers."

According to the San Antonio News-Express, Scalia was found dead of apparent natural causes in his room at a West Texas resort.

Scalia was the longest-serving justice on the court, appointed by President Reagan in 1986.

His replacement to the court would be President Obama's third nomination. He previously nominated Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan.