ISABEL  CHUMPITAZ PANTA

News Organization: RADIO SATELITE

Died: 1998

Location: PERU

Murdered along with her journalist husband, Jose Amaya Jacinto, by a group of 12 gunmen who burst into their home in Piura April 6. “Who’s the journalist who defends poor people?” one asked. When Chumpitaz identified herself, she was beaten and shot at point-blank range. The attackers also beat and stabbed several family members. “This crime has been to shut up the voice of journalism,” said Walter Chumpitaz, an injured brother who is also a journalist. Isabel, 34, anchored the daily program “Voice of the People,” which advocated farmers’ rights. She was investigating a local official for stealing funds from the agricultural cooperative. Three of the accused gunmen were prosecuted as members of organized crime and received life imprisonment under Peru’s terrorism law.