The Hill News

Ashley Turton, a former top aide to Rep. Rosa De Lauro (D-Conn.), was found dead early Monday morning on Capitol Hill in her burned car.

Turton's employer, Progress Energy Inc., confirmed reports that she was the woman found by the D.C. Fire Department in the pre-dawn hours on Monday morning.

{mosads}In a statement, Progress Energy CEO Bill Johnson called Turton a "valued employee" and a "dear friend to many of us."

"Tthis news is very hard to take. I know we all will keep her husband, children and parents in our thoughts and prayers, he said. "Today is an eventful day for us as employees of Progress Energy. Ashley’s tragic death reminds us all to keep perspective in all things."

Ashley Turton was married to Dan Turton, the White House's liaison to the House of Representatives.

D.C. Fire Department spokesman Peter Peringer said in a pre-recorded phone message at 11:15 a.m. Monday that a woman was found dead! on the scene of the fire, which occurred at 800 A St., SE.

"Units arrived on the scene within minutes" just before 5 a.m. after neighbors reported the house's garage was on fire, Peringer said. But Turton's body was found inside the burned vehicle and she was pronounced dead on the scene.

"Unfortunately, the victim succumbed to injury and was deceased," he said.

The Metropolitan Police Major Crash Unit and D.C. Fire EMS fire investigators are continuing to investigate circumstances of the incident, which Peringer said appeared to be a crash.