Vecernje Novosti
June 11, 2001, in Jagodina, Serbia, Yugoslavia

Pantic, a reporter for the Belgrade daily Vecernje Novosti, was killed shortly before 8 a.m. as he was entering his apartment building in the central Serbian town of Jagodina.

Pantic had gone to fetch a loaf of bread. As he entered the front door of his building, attackers grabbed him from behind, broke his neck, and then struck him several times on the head with a sharp object as he lay face down on the ground, according to Vecernje Novosti.

An eyewitness saw two attackers – both aged 20 to 30 and wearing masks and black shirts – running from the scene, sources at Vecernje Novosti said. Local authorities launched an investigation, but no progress was reported at year's end.

The 47-year-old journalist worked as the Vecernje Novosti correspondent for the Pomoravlje region of central Serbia. He reported extensively on criminal affairs, including corruption in local companies. His wife, Zivka Pantic, told Vecernje Novosti that Pantic had received numerous telephone threats in response to articles he had written.

Medium:Print
Job:Print Reporter
Beats Covered:Business, Corruption, Crime
Gender:Male
Local or Foreign:Local
Freelance:No
Type of Death:Murder
Suspected Source of Fire:Unknown Fire
Impunity:Yes
Taken Captive:No
Tortured:No
Threatened:Yes

 

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