MARLENE  GARCIA ESPERAT

News Organization: MIDLAND REVIEW

Died: 2005

Location: PHILIPPINES

A columnist known for digging into government corruption, Garcia-Esperat was gunned down March 24 in her home by a killer who entered and said, "Good evening, ma'am," then shot her in front of family members. She had been assigned police escorts but she had given them time off for Easter. Her husband said that his wife, 45, had "many enemies because of her exposes," and added, "I told her earlier to stop, but she just shrugged it off, saying she's just doing her work."