Daily Journal editor-publisher Janet Kellyfound dead, murdered?

www.vheadline.com Posted: Monday, March 24, 2003 By: Roy S. Carson

Leading economist and editor-publisher of the Caracas Daily Journal, Janet Kelly (56) has been found dead close to the Cota Mil highway above Caracas ... her Toyota Yaris automobile was parked at a tourist vantage point overlooking the upper Altamira suburb of Caracas close to a major exit from the highway and her body found over the edge, 150 meters below.

At this moment there are no indications as to how Janet's death occurred, but police detectives are at the scene which has been cordoned off while investigations proceed. Our highly-regarded colleague Janet Kelly had only just taken over the Daily Journal (March 10) and had great ambitions for the publication under her leadership. She was also part of an international negotiating committee between the Chavez Frias government and the opposition.

Philadelphia-born Janet had graduated in international studies at the John Hopkins University (USA) and had become a much-respected economics professor at the Institute for Higher Economic Studies (IESA) in Caracas and had gathered a group of investors to buy-out the DJ from the Neumann family in a deal that closed earlier this month. She was an associate professor at the Simon Bolivar University (USB) in Caracas and a leading light in the expat American comunity as well as a director at the Venezuelan American Chamber of Commerce (VenAmCham).

Chacao Mayor Leopoldo Lopez is at the scene and says that it is up to the experts to determine what happened ... suicide has apparently been ruled out and it is thought that she may otherwise have been the target of political assassination.