UPDATE: US Officials Express Sadness Over Kellermann's Death

The U.S. Treasury Department and the regulator for Freddie Mac (FRE) expressed grief over the death of acting Freddie Mac Chief Financial Officer David Kellermann, who was found dead Wednesday morning at his northern Virginia home.

"We are deeply saddened by the news this morning of David Kellermann's death. Our deepest sympathies are with his family and his colleagues at Freddie Mac during this difficult time," Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said in a statement.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency, which has been serving as conservator for Freddie and its sibling Fannie Mae (FNM) in recent months, called Kellermann "a person of utmost ethical standards" in a statement.

"As the Acting Chief Financial Officer of Freddie Mac during particularly challenging times, David was an inspiration to his staff and many others who were privileged to work with him," FHFA said.

Kellermann's death is thought to have been a suicide. He had been at Freddie Mac for 16 years and had been its acting finance chief since September.

-By Meena Thiruvengadam, Dow Jones Newswires; 202-862-6629; [e-mail]