The killing of Pierre Fould Gerges, vice president of economic daily Reporte Diario de la Economica, could have a chilling effect on Venezuelan media, international press freedom groups are saying in condemnation of the killing, the Associated Press reported Thursday.

Gerges was driving his brother's car late Monday when two unidentified gunmen on a motorcycle shot him, and local media reported he was shot at least 12 times.

Reporte Diario de la Economica is known for investigating corruption, the AP stated in an article posted by the International Herald Tribune.

Gerges could have been mistaken by the shooters as his older brother, Tannous Gerges, president of the newspaper. He has received death threats in the past year.

Four journalists in the country have been killed because of their work in the country since 1992.

Yisel Soares, the newspaper's lawyer, said several senior staff members have received more than 50 threats by e-mail and telephone, but Pierre had not been threatened personally, as he does not write for the newspaper. However, Soares said some threats made to Tannous have mentioned his family, and the most recent e-mail said he would “be the next to fall,” according to the AP.