State House candidate Derek Jerome is dead

Derek Jerome, a Republican activist who leaped into a campaign this year against incumbent state Rep. Frank Nicastro, is dead.
I don't know more than that yet.
Police and GOP officials who know him are at his house, apparently.
He is married and has two young children.

Update:
Jerome, 38, was born in Weymouth, Massachusetts but lived in the Mum City most of his life.
He ran unsuccessfully for the same state House seat in 2000 and 2002, when former state Rep. Kosta Diamantis, a Democrat, easily won both contests.
He was a justice of the peace.
Jerome attended Bristol Central High School but did not graduate, he said, because of health problems. He later earned his GED.
He took some insurance industry courses and sold insurance. The Jerome Agency does real estate title searching.
Jerome Enterprises, Inc., Jerome's other company, is primarily involved in real estate investing. Jerome has been actively involved with a local landlords’ group, the Greater Bristol Property Owners Association.
Jerome was married to the former Teri Bellino. They have two sons, Derek, Jr, who is six, and Brandon, who is about six months old.
Personally, I've known Derek for many years and am stunned that he's gone. I feel so bad for his family.

Update 2: I'm not sure what it means for the campaign, to answer a reader's question. I don't know if the Republicans can pick a new candidate or if they'd want to do so.
*******
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com