Family's anguish after beauty queen and British ex-husband shot dead in front of daughter, 5, in Venezuela

 
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The family of a beauty queen gunned down with her London-born ex-husband on holiday in Venezuela today told of their anguish over the killing.

British businessman Thomas Berry, 39, and former Miss Venezuela Monica Spear Mootz, 29, died in a hail of bullets as they were ambushed by bandits in in their broken down car. Their five-year-old daughter Maya was shot in the leg but survived.

Mr Berry’s father Professor Tom Berry, a former professor at Kings College London, and his mother Kate, are holding vigil at Maya’s bedside in hospital where she was today said to be recovering following surgery.

Ten of Ms Spear Mootz’s close family have now been flown by private jet from their homes in Florida to Venezuela by the country’s president.

Dad: Thomas Berry with his daughter, who was present when her parents were killed. Picture: Facebook

Her father Rafael said: “It is the deepest pain, the deepest pain. It is unbelievable.

“This is a great loss for us. She was very charismatic, a very good daughter, a very good mother, and she loved Venezuela.”

He recalled how his daughter had come to him for advice when she wanted to change from her chemical engineering course to study acting instead.

“I told her she had to decide what she wanted to do to be happy for the rest of her life. When my children were young, I wouldn’t let them watch telenovelas, (soap operas) and then she began acting in soap operas, and I began watching all of hers.”

Crime scene: Venezuelan authorities check the car in which the couple were killed

Her aunt Petra Spear added: “Mónica was very special, and we loved her as [much as] she loved Venezuela.”

Mr Berry married Ms Spear in 2008, a University of Central Florida graduate who became one of Venezuela’s biggest soap stars.

The two separated last year but remained close friends for the sake of their daughter.

They are believed to have been driving back from a trip to a national park near Merida when they were ambushed as they hid in their broken-down car which was being loaded on to a tow truck on a motorway outside the capital Caracas.

Beauty queen: Monica Spear, 29, and Thomas Berry, 39

Friends paid tribute to Mr Berry, who ran an adventure tour company in Venezuela after moving to South America from London with his family 30 years ago when his father took up a teaching post in the maths department at the Universidad Simon Bolivar.

Aristides Pietrangeli, 39, a senior account director at communications firm Publicis London, said: “He was a really nice bloke and chilled out. He loved the outdoors in Venezuela and I think that’s why he ran a travel company – he always wanted to do treks and mountain biking.

“He loved his little girl too. Although he looked English, he’d lived here for a long time and knew the country very well. He knew that it’s not very safe in Caracas, but this happened outside the city.”

Travelling: Monica Spear, 29, and Thomas Berry, 39 were in Venezuela. Picture: Facebook

Mr Berry had moved to Orlando, Florida, after being shot for the first time 15 years ago by robbers trying to steal his car.

Luis Dominguez, Mr Berry’s business partner, said: “His friend died in the incident and although doctors saved his life, they couldn’t extract the bullet and he still had it in his stomach.

“He moved to the States to get away from things here for a while but missed Venezuela and came back. His parents still live here but he’s got family in England and used to go back every two years.”

Police chief Jose Gregorio Sierralta today said five people had been arrested in connection with the double murder, including two teenagers aged 15 and 16.

The tow truck driver and his assistant are also being quizzed as witnesses.

Police said the couple hit a sharp object “placed on the road” puncturing two of the tyres before they were attacked.

President Nicolas Maduro has promised to respond with “an iron fist”. He said: “There will be no tolerance to those who carry out acts like that, killing decent men and women, who have a right to live.”

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