Ex-Idaho lawmaker facing sex-abuse inquiry kills himself

BOISE, Idaho — A former Republican state lawmaker from Idaho who was facing a sexual abuse investigation has shot and killed himself, authorities said Tuesday.

Brandon Hixon was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head in his home early Tuesday, Canyon County Coroner Vicki DeGeus-Morris said. A family member discovered his body.

Officials have released no details about the criminal investigation into Hixon, 36, except that it was related to possible sexual abuse. Records obtained by the Associated Press show that he was previously the focus of a separate police investigation in 2014 after being accused of inappropriate touching.

At the time, Hixon denied the accusations and told police he was worried they would harm his political career. It's unknown if the new investigation, ongoing since Oct. 5, was connected to the earlier case.

The attorney general's office was overseeing the investigation but declined to comment Tuesday.

Hixon's death comes after Kentucky lawmaker Dan Johnson shot and killed himself last year after a report was published detailing allegations that he sexually assaulted a 17-year-old girl in his basement in 2013. He had denied the accusations.

After stepping down, Hixon was arrested twice for drunken driving and was charged with misdemeanor resisting arrest last month.

Idaho House Speaker Scott Bedke announced Hixon's suicide to lawmakers during Tuesday's floor session. The House chaplain led a prayer.