Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Monica Spear in the Miss Universe pageant in 2005 AP Photo/APichart Weerawong
Shooting

Former Miss Venezuela and British husband shot dead

The 29-year-old and her husband were found dead inside their car on a Venezuela motorway. Their 5-year-old daughter was injured in the shooting.

A FORMER MISS Venezuela and her husband have been shot dead in South America.

Monica Spear Mootz, 29, and Thomas Henry Berry, 49, were killed on a motorway in Carabobo in Venezeuela on Monday night. Local media reports that they had resisted a robbery which happened after their car broke down.

Their bodies were found inside their Toyota sedan car along with their 5-year-old daughter, who was injured in the shooting. The child was shot in the leg and is now in police protection, Globovision reports.

Monica Spear Mootz represented Venezuela at the Miss Universe pageant in 2005 before becoming an actress. Local media is reporting that Berry was Irish; however he was born in London and does not appear to have had links to Ireland. He is believed to have been an entrepreneur.

Prosecutors in Venezuela are investigating the deaths. The Minister for Communications has expressed condolences to the family and friends of the couple in a tweet and said the “full weight of the law” will be used to find the perpetrators.

“Our deepest condolences to family and friends of Monica Spear and her husband,” Delcy Rodríguez tweeted. “We condemn all acts of violence that violate life”.

There has been a huge outpouring of shock on social media in South America in reaction to the deaths. Many people have left messages of condolences on Monica Spear’s final tweet, an Instagram video posted just hours before her death.

Read: Venezuela confirms Nicolas Maduro as president >

Your Voice
Readers Comments
27
    Submit a report
    Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
    Thank you for the feedback
    Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.