Sandra Day O'Connor, first woman on the Supreme Court, dies at 93

Washington — Former Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, who blazed a trail as the first woman to sit on the Supreme Court, died Friday, the Supreme Court said. She was 93 years old.

O'Connor died of complications related to advanced dementia, probably Alzheimer's, and a respiratory illness, the court said in a statement. She withdrew from public life in 2018 after she was diagnosed with dementia.

O'Connor was appointed to the Supreme Court by former President Ronald Reagan in 1981, making history as the first woman justice. During her 24-year tenure on the high court, she was often at its center and was a crucial swing vote in divisive cases, including those involving abortion and affirmative action.