Case Files

Gauri Lankesh was shot and killed outside her home in Bengaluru, India, in September 2017 after years of outspoken journalism criticizing extremism, caste discrimination, and political polarization. Her murder is widely linked to her work as a journalist and editor.   Gauri Lankesh's last words/work : She was the editor of the Kannada-language weekly Gauri...

Javier Valdez was shot and killed in Culiacán, Mexico, in May 2017 after years of reporting on organized crime and drug cartels. His murder is widely linked to his investigative journalism on narcotrafficking.   Javier Valdez Cárdenas's last words/work: His reporting focused on organized crime, drug trafficking, and the human cost of Mexico’s drug war, particularly...

Peter R. de Vries was shot in Amsterdam in July 2021 after leaving a television studio and died days later from his injuries. The attack was widely linked to his role as a crime reporter and advisor to a key witness in a major organized crime trial.   Peter R. de Vries's last words/work: His...

Viktoriia Roshchyna disappeared during a reporting trip in Russian-occupied Ukraine in August 2023 and died in Russian captivity in September 2024. Her body, returned to Ukraine in 2025, showed signs of torture and mistreatment, though the exact cause of death could not be determined.   Viktoriia Roshchyna's last words/work: Her last project focused on investigating...

Georgiy Gongadze was abducted near Kyiv on 16 September 2000, strangled to death by Interior Ministry officers, and later found decapitated and burned in a forest. His murder, linked to his investigations into high-level government corruption, remains one of Ukraine’s most emblematic cases of impunity. Journalist Information: Name: Georgiy Gongadze Age: 31 Gender: Male DOB:...

Hrant Dink was shot outside the offices of Agos by a teen attacker as he returned from the newspaper’s office. He died instantly. More than 100,000 people participated in his funeral march, highlighting the national outcry. Hrant Dink's last words/work: “Yes, I can feel myself as restless as a dove, but I know that in...

Kholodov was killed inside his newsroom when a briefcase bomb exploded on his desk. The briefcase had been delivered by a source who claimed it contained documents proving military corruption. He opened it while preparing for publication. The explosion killed him instantly and injured several colleagues. The method and precision of the attack indicated a...

Antoni Lallican, a French photojournalist known for covering conflict zones and the human toll of war, was killed on 03 October 2025 in eastern Ukraine. His vehicle was struck by an FPV drone near Komyshuvakha in Donetsk, in what Ukrainian and press freedom groups call a deliberate attack on the press. Antoni Lallican's last words/work:...

Veronica Guerin was murdered on June 26, 1996, in Dublin when two men on a motorcycle shot her while she sat at a traffic light. She had been reporting fearlessly on Ireland’s powerful drug gangs. Her killing shocked the nation and led to major anti-crime reforms.   Veronica Guerin's last words/work: “I did very well....

Miguel Ángel López Velasco, a Mexican columnist and editor known for writing about crime and politics, was murdered on 20 June 2011 in Veracruz. Armed men broke into his home at dawn and shot him, his wife, and his son to death, in what was widely seen as a targeted attack linked to his journalism....

In January 2002, Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl was kidnapped in Karachi while investigating extremist networks, and days later, he was filmed delivering statements under duress before being brutally beheaded and dismembered by militants linked to al-Qaeda.   Daniel Pearl's last words/work: “My name is Daniel Pearl. I am a Jewish American from Encino,...

Anas al‑Sharif, a 28‑year‑old Al Jazeera correspondent, was killed on August 10, 2025, in an Israeli airstrike targeting a media tent outside al‑Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. Four of his colleagues and two others, including a local freelancer, also died. Israel claims he was a Hamas operative, allegations rejected by Al Jazeera and press freedom organizations.  ...

Steven Sotloff, an American-Israeli journalist, was kidnapped in Syria by ISIS in August 2013 while covering the civil war. After over a year in captivity, he was executed by beheading in September 2014 in a propaganda video condemning U.S. policies. His death drew global outrage and underscored the grave dangers journalists face in conflict zones....

Rémi Ochlik, the French photojournalist, was killed on February 22, 2012, in Homs, Syria, when Syrian government forces launched a rocket/artillery barrage on the makeshift media center in the Baba Amr neighborhood where he and fellow journalist Marie Colvin were staying. They were struck by shellfire from Syrian army units, and both died instantly in the bombardment.  ...

Marie Colvin, a renowned American war correspondent, was killed on February 22, 2012, in Homs, Syria, when Syrian forces shelled a media center. A U.S. court later ruled she was deliberately targeted by the Assad regime and awarded her family \$302 million. She is remembered for her fearless reporting from war zones. Marie Colvin’s last...

James Foley, an American journalist, was kidnapped in Syria in 2012 and killed by ISIS in 2014, with his execution shown in a video titled "A Message to America." His killer, "Jihadi John," was later identified as Mohammed Emwazi and killed in a 2015 U.S. drone strike. Foley’s death underscored the dangers journalists face in...

On August 17, 2019, Journalist Samuel Wazizi, known for exposing human rights violations during Cameroon's Anglophone crisis, died in detention under unclear circumstances. His critical reporting and outspoken views on government handling of the crisis made him a target, highlighting the risks faced by journalists in the region.   Journalist Information: Name: Samuel Wazizi Age:...

Martínez Pérez, a journalist, was murdered on April 28, 2012, in her home in Xalapa, Veracruz. Her body was discovered on the bathroom floor, showing signs of severe beating and strangulation. Initial investigations considered various motives, including personal reasons, theft, and work-related retaliation. A dispute escalated into a violent attack, with the men beating her,...

On October 16, 2022, at around 7:10 p.m. in Montelíbano, Colombia, journalist Rafael Emiro Moreno Garavito was fatally shot while closing his bar and grill. Two men arrived on a motorcycle, and one entered the restaurant wearing a baseball cap. The assailant drew a revolver and fired three shots, killing Moreno instantly. Known for his...

On July 20, 2016, journalist Pavel Sheremet was killed in a car bomb explosion in Kyiv while driving a vehicle belonging to his partner, Olena Prytula. Days earlier, Sheremet and Prytula had reported being under surveillance. Ukrainian officials suggested possible Russian involvement, but an independent OCCRP investigation later pointed to flaws in the official inquiry...

On July 15, 2009, human rights activist Natalya Estemirova was abducted near her Grozny home while investigating abuses in Chechnya. Witnesses saw her forcibly taken into a car. Later that day, her body was found with gunshot wounds in Ingushetia. Items confirming her identity were discovered at the scene. Estemirova had faced threats for her...

On March 23, 2017, Miroslava Breach Velducea, 54, a journalist exposing political corruption and cartel ties, was shot outside her Chihuahua home. Her work, including a recent corruption investigation, made her a target. She wrote for La Jornada and other outlets. FEADLE launched an investigation into her killing.   Journalist Information: Name: Miroslava Breach Age:...

On February 21, 2018, Slovak journalist Ján Kuciak, 27, and his fiancée Martina Kušnírová were fatally shot at their home in Veľká Mača. Their families alerted police after days of silence. Kuciak was shot twice in the chest, and Kušnírová once in the head, with no signs of struggle or robbery.   Jan Kuciak's last...

On December 17, 1986, journalist Guillermo Cano Isaza was assassinated outside El Espectador's office in Bogotá, Colombia. Hitmen linked to drug cartels shot him in retaliation for his reporting on their political influence. Cano, 61, died shortly after the attack. His murder marked escalating cartel violence, including a later bombing of El Espectador's office and...

The murder of Gerry Ortega, a Palawan-based journalist and environmental activist, took place on January 24, 2011. Ortega was known for his vocal opposition to local corruption, particularly surrounding former Palawan Governor Joel T. Reyes and his mining projects. He was shot and killed while shopping in Puerto Princesa, which shocked the nation and underscored...

Haitian journalist Garry Tesse was on his way to work at a local radio station in the southern city of Les Cayes when he disappeared shortly after exiting a taxi. His naked and disfigured corpse was found six days later, face down on the seashore close to downtown. One of his eyes was gouged out,...

On January 29, 2009, Kenyan journalist Francis Nyaruri, missing for two weeks after threats, was found decapitated with his hands bound in Kodera Forest. The family claims police delayed investigating, alleging bias and negligence. His death highlights risks faced by journalists reporting on corruption.   Francis Nyaruri's last work/words: His last article has just been...

On June 5, 2022, British journalist Dom Phillips and Brazilian Indigenist Bruno Pereira were shot dead while traveling near Vale do Javari, home to many uncontacted peoples. Phillips was researching a book on saving the Amazon, while Pereira, working with UNIVAJA, was meeting Indigenous leaders after securing a FUNAI license in 2020.   Journalist Information:...

On October 16, 2017, Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia was killed by a car bomb near her home in Bidnija. The explosion hurled her car 80 meters into a field, where her remains were found by her son, Matthew. This was Malta's sixth car-bombing since 2016. Despite prior threats, her protection had been reduced after...

Cihan Bilgin, a 29-year-old journalist, and Nazim Dastan were both killed on Thursday in a suspected Turkish drone strike while reporting on clashes near the Tishrin Dam in northern Syria. Bilgin, who worked for the Kurdish media outlet Anha news agency, was documenting fighting between the Türkiye-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) and the Kurdish-led Syrian...

On October 23, 2022, Journalist Sharif was shot dead by Kenyan police in Kajiado, claimed as a "mistaken identity" case, sparking assassination suspicions. Investigations were launched by Kenyan authorities, Pakistan's FIA, and a judicial committee at PM Shehbaz Sharif's request. In July 2024, the Kajiado High Court ruled the killing unlawful, ordering $78,000 compensation to...

On October 7, 2006, journalist Anna Politkovskaya was fatally shot in her Moscow apartment building on Vladimir Putin's birthday. Thousands mourned at her funeral on October 10, though no top Russian officials attended. Her posthumous works were later published, and her granddaughter was named Anna in her honor. In 2007, ten suspects were detained, with...

On January 16, 2019, Ahmed Hussein Suale, a journalist dedicated to uncovering corruption, was shot dead in his car by two unidentified men on motorbikes. Despite the shocking murder, a year later, journalist Guillaume Perrier revealed through Forbidden Stories that Ghanaian police failed to pursue a critical lead, raising questions about justice for Ahmed.  ...

Ángel Gahona, a journalist passionate about truth, died on April 21, 2018, while live-reporting protests in Bluefields, Nicaragua. The demonstrations, which began on April 18 against President Ortega's harsh social security reforms, had turned violent. Gahona, covering the chaos of riot police clashing with citizens, was fatally shot while exposing the destruction wrought by mobs....

Hamza Al-Dahdouh, a 27-year-old Palestinian journalist and cameraman for Al Jazeera, was killed on January 7, 2024, in an Israeli drone strike in southern Gaza. He was traveling with colleague Mustafa Thuraya, a freelance videographer, when their vehicle was targeted while returning from an assignment documenting the aftermath of an Israeli airstrike on the Abu...

Sandeep Kothari was kidnapped by a group of men while traveling on his motorcycle to his home. His abductors strangled him, placed his body in a car, and set it on fire in neighboring Maharashtra. The brutality of the attack shocked India’s press community, exposing the dangers faced by journalists covering corruption and illegal resource...

The journalist Jeff German was a man who lived for his job. And as it turns out, they may have died for it. In September 2022, he was stabbed to death by an assailant outside his home.   Jeff German’s last word/work: "A couple of hours later with four stitches under my lip, I had...

At approximately 7:00 AM, journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, a reporter for Al Jazeera, was fatally shot while covering clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinian militants in the Jenin Refugee Camp. Abu Akleh was wearing a marked press vest at the time. Another journalist, Ali Samoudi, sustained injuries during the same incident.   Shireen Abu Akleh’s...