Geary remembered as tenacious prosecutor, competitor

Prominent attorney Matthew P. Geary, whose candidacy for Henrico County's chief prosecutor rattled the establishment but ended in defeat two months ago, was found dead Sunday of what police said was a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Geary, 42, was found by family members, who notified police about 1 p.m. Sunday. Henrico authorities said Geary had moved into a home in the 2200 block of Lauderdale Drive in western Henrico on Saturday with the help of his parents and siblings.

Former political adversaries and longtime associates praised Geary on Sunday as a fiercely competitive challenger who confronted authority, refused to back off his longtime hope of becoming the county's chief prosecutor despite personal attacks against him, and had appeared to be re-establishing a law practice after the political defeat.

"I want to offer my heartfelt sympathy to Matt's wife, Tabitha, and his children and family. I've known Matt since our days in law school, and he was a colleague and a friend whom I held in both high personal and professional regard," said Shannon Taylor, who won a three-way race for the Henrico commonwealth's attorney job in November.

"Matt was an effective prosecutor who served the public with commitment and dedication. The respect in which he was held by law enforcement is something that any prosecutor would wish to achieve. He will be missed.

"My thoughts and prayers are with Matt's family, and I pray they find comfort in his memory."

Geary, who had been chief deputy in the Richmond Commonwealth's Attorney's Office, won the endorsement for prosecutor nearly two years ago from the Henrico Fraternal Order of Police.

The endorsement sent shockwaves through the Henrico Republican political establishment, which had counted on then-incumbent Wade A. Kizer running for re-election.

Geary's campaign ran into trouble after a highly orchestrated attack on his character by Republican leaders, including U.S. Rep. Eric Cantor, R-7th. The leaders revealed that Geary had engaged in an affair with a married woman in recent years.

Geary fully admitted to the affair but said it had ended, yet political opponents used the relationship to question Geary's judgment and responsibility, supporting instead longtime Henrico Del. Bill Janis, who abandoned years of work in the General Assembly and the party label to take on Geary. Geary, the official Republican candidate, refused to abandon his campaign, despite a public request that he do so by the Henrico County Republican Committee.

The political battle reached a peak weeks before the election when Geary called Republican leader and county Sheriff Mike Wade a liar at a Republican breakfast in front of Cantor and other Republican leaders. The epithet stemmed from Geary's belief that Wade threatened him in saying that Geary's candidacy would fail.

Wade declined to comment Sunday, except to say he was saddened.

Janis said: "This is very tragic for his family, and I pray to our loving God to protect and keep them and grant them peace and consolation."

The Janis-Geary battle split the Republican ticket, although Janis was obligated to run as an independent. The split helped usher in Taylor as the first woman in county history to win the commonwealth's attorney's post and the first Democrat to win it in some 20 years.

Janis, who lost the race and his House of Delegates seat, was appointed by Gov. Bob McDonnell to a position with the state Department of Veterans Services.

Geary seemed to slough off the political loss, saying he intended to resume his law practice and was determined to work toward a reconciliation with his wife, with whom he had five children. He was a familiar figure in the Henrico courthouse in recent weeks, chatting and joking affably with other lawyers.

Friends said Sunday that Geary had moved to the Lauderdale Drive address in part to be closer to his children and to his estranged wife.

Geary had said he was working as counsel to some area businesses, including a firm operated by his former campaign consultant Gordon Miller. Miller posted a comment about Geary on Facebook describing Geary as "the best friend a guy could ever have. He would go out of his way to do anything for you. He worked so hard for his clients and believed that everyone deserved a second chance. …

"Matt will be missed not only by his family but by the hundreds of us lucky enough to call him a friend."

Geary had participated in a physically grueling endurance competition to benefit injured soldiers in the final weeks of the campaign, keeping a promise to teammates. The night of the race, he managed to attend a cancer benefit ball.

On Sunday, Henrico Fraternal Order of Police President Shawn Maxwell praised Geary for his dedication to police officers and his determination to have the prosecutor's office develop a better working relationship with officers on the beat.

"He was truly on the side of law enforcement and he stood up for what was right. He knew the campaign was going to get ugly, but he admitted to his mistakes and never backed off trying to do the right thing for the police and the public," Maxwell said.

Another highly visible supporter, VCU Police Chief John Venuti, described Geary as "a good man. … Matt was a rare breed of attorney that had the core DNA of a prosecutor.

"In court, whenever Matt had the opportunity to talk with groups of police or groups of attorneys, Matt always chose police officers. I can count on one hand the prosecutors that I have worked with that had the commitment and dedication of Matt Geary."

Richmond Chief Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney Tracy Thorne-Begland, who replaced Geary, said: "It's hard not to sound cliché when you talk about Matt, but he really was a friend to everybody that he met. He was the driving force in our office, always looking for a way to improve public safety."

It fell on Maxwell to deal with Geary's family at the home where Geary died. He was the ranking officer on duty Sunday.

"I hope it meant something to the family that an officer was there for them who knew Matt and had a deep respect for him, not just someone they didn't know in a uniform," Maxwell said.