MTV Producer Gabe Ben-Meir Found with Gunshot to the Head
Police have yet to determine a motive in the execution-style killing of a promising young MTV producer, found dead outside his home in an affluent section of Los Angeles.
Gabriel Ben-Meir, 30, was found face down, shot at least once in the back of the head, on the sidewalk outside his Mid-Wilshire district home early Sunday morning by a neighbor.
Ben-Meir, who coordinated music for MTV shows including Ashton Kutcher's "Punk'd," had parked his BMW outside his apartment building and was shot just feet from his front door, police said.
LAPD would not say whether he had been robbed.
Ben-Meir was killed from a blast from a shotgun, reported the Los Angeles Times, citing an unnamed source. Police would not confirm the weapon used to ABCNews.com.
"We don't know the motive," an LAPD spokesman told ABCNews.com. "The investigation is still ongoing."
There are currently no suspects in the shooting.
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Neighbors near L.A.'s Miracle Mile commercial district told police they heard a single boom around 1 a.m. Sunday, but did not realize it was a gunshot. It would be more than five hours until his body was discovered.
"We were pretty shocked. This is a really nice neighborhood. Everyone in the neighborhood is always looking out for everybody," said neighbor Alexandra Jackson.
Ben-Meir worked as a music coordinator on several MTV programs including, "MTV's Ultimate Parkour Challenge," "Top Pop Group" and "Dudesons in America," broadcast on the cable network's sister station MTV2.
"We are shocked and saddened to learn about the tragic death of Gabe Ben-Meir, who was a valued member of the MTV family and a beloved and dedicated colleague and friend," MTV spokeswoman Brandi Albahary said in a statement. "Our hearts go out to his family."
Ben-Meir, a 2003 graduate of Kenyon College where he studied music and physics, was born into an entertainment industry family. His father, Nick, is an entertainment accountant. His sister Alexis manages the rock bands Sum 41 and Good Charlotte.
"We are all in terrible shock, and would appreciate anyone with any information regarding his final hours to come forward," Alexis Ben-Meir told the Los Angeles Times in an email.
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