Dr. Michael Strayer, a former U.S. Department of Energy executive who was indicted last month on 13 federal charges, died earlier this week in Loudoun County, Va., reports the News Sentinel.
Strayer, who was involved in operations at Oak Ridge National Laboratories at the time of the alleged crimes, lived with his wife lived in a Virginia home that authorities allege was purchased with government funds diverted to their personal use.
A spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Maryland, where Strayer was charged with conspiring to defraud the government of more than $1.2 million, confirmed Strayer’s death and said the charges against him would be dismissed after the court received the defendant’s death certificate.
However, Marcia Murphy said Strayer’s death would not affect the charges against his widow, Karen Earle, a co-defendant in the case and alleged recipient of federal funds for bogus services.
Murphy said she had no information on the cause or circumstances of Strayer’s death.
“I know he passed away. I don’t know how,” she said. “We can’t be the ones confirming that.”
Murphy said there was an investigation under way in Loudoun County, which is in Northern Virginia outside Washington, D.C.