Was it a mugging gone wrong? Detectives say execution-style murder of MTV Punk'd exec may be linked to LA robbery spree



Sister describes him as ' one of the kindest and most gentle souls I have ever met'

The 30-year-old was shot just yards from his own front door



Music coordinator went to private school in Los Angeles and grew up in entertainment industry family

Tragic death: Music coordinator Gabriel Ben-Meir, a rising star at MTV, was shot dead just yards from his luxury Los Angeles home

The execution-style murder of a top MTV music executive just yards from his front door may be linked to a spree of shotgun robberies in the same area, detectives have revealed.

It's their first lead in the mysterious shooting of Gabriel Ben-Meir, 30, who was shot in the back of the head as he walked from his BMW to his apartment in the upscale Wilshire suburb of Los Angeles.

LAPD sources say they are trying to work out whether the killer is the same man they believe is responsible for eight robberies - and one murder - in the last fortnight.

The suspect is described as a black male, wearing wire-rimmed glasses and gold jewellery, the WeHo Daily reports.

Police say he has been using a single-barrel shotgun in the robberies - the same weapon they believe killed Mr Ben-Meir.

Anonymous sources told the Los Angeles Times detectives had not yet made an official link, but described the robberies as a solid lead.

Yesterday officers revealed their shock that Mr Ben-Meir, a music coordinator, lay dead in a pool of blood on the sidewalk for more than five hours before his body was discovered.



Neighbours in the upscale LA suburb, not far from the Miracle Mile, said they heard a single shot being fired at about 1am, but nobody bothered to call police.



He was only found when a man out walking his dog saw his blood-drenched body and dialled 911.

The time lapse made attempts by police to trace the gunman even more difficult, because there were no witnesses.

New home: Gabriel Ben-Meir had only just moved to this apartment block in the upscale Mid-Wilshire neighbourhood of Los Angeles. He was shot just yards from his front door as he walked from his BMW

One Los Angeles police officer said: 'It was surprising that nobody called earlier. It’s not as if this happened down some back alley.



‘There are no leads and no witnesses. The only thing I can think of is that they were just not used to this sort of thing in that area,’ he added.

Dead: Police arrested two people in connection with a strong of robberies and Mr Ben-Meir's death as well as the robbery-shooting of another man in the area

One neighbour said she heard a ‘single boom’ in the night, but thought nobody reported it or went out to check what happened because they didn’t recognise the sound of gunfire.

‘He was lying there dead for five hours and nobody seemed to notice,’ said neighbour Parker Brand.

‘I know it may seem weird but this is the kind of area where people don’t come out that late at night,’ another resident, Cris Graves, told KTLA.

The death of the 'kind and gentle soul', who comes from a wealthy entertainment industry family and was described as a 'rising star', has stunned his family and friends.

His elder sister, a well-known music manager, begged anyone who could help with the investigation to come forward.

She described him as 'not only my brother, but my best friend'.

Mr Ben-Meir grew up in Los Angeles and came from a family well-known as executives within the entertainment industry.

He had only just moved to the grey six-unit apartment block in Packard Street, where he lived alone.

He was a staffer for MTV, and had worked on shows including Punk'd, starring Ashton Kutcher.

Miss Ben-Meir, who represents bands including Sum 41 and Good Charlotte, told the LA Times: 'He loved his job and was more passionate about music than anyone I have ever met.

Tribute: Friends left flowers on the sidewalk where Mr Ben-Meir, described as 'a very sweet guy' was found shot on Sunday morning

Death scene: Mr Ben-Meir lay face down in a pool of his own blood on the sidewalk just yards from his own front door in Mid-Wilshire, Los Angeles

'He was not only my brother but my best friend. He will be greatly missed by his family, friends and co-workers.'

'We are all in terrible shock, and would appreciate anyone with any information regarding his final hours to come forward.'

A spokesman for MTV said: 'We are shocked and saddened to learn about the tragic death of Gabriel Aron Ben-Meir, who was a valued member of the MTV family and a beloved and dedicated colleague and friend.

'Our hearts go out to his family.'

In his career at MTV, Mr Ben-Meir worked on shows including Top Pop Group, which featured amateur bands competing to be crowned America's best pop band, as well as Punk'd, the practical joke show presented by Ashton Kutcher.

Promising talent: Mr Ben-Meir worked as a musical and production coordinator on several shows, including Punk'd starring Ashton Kutcher

He was also music and production coordinator for The Hard Times of RJ Berger, a gross-out high school comedy series, and Parental Control, a scripted reality show where parents choose dates for their children.

Most recently he worked on Dudesons in America, which followed a Finnish stunt group, and MTV's Ultimate Parkour Challenge, about free-running.

Alexandra Jackson, who also lives nearby, told ABC7: 'We were pretty shocked. This is a really nice neighbourhood. Everyone in the neighbourhood is always looking out for everybody.'

One neighbour said: 'He seemed like a very sweet guy. This is so out of the norm for this neighbourhood.

Another, 73-year-old Kristina Nowinski, said the killing was an 'aberration' in a community where everyone knows each other, and even throw parties for local children at Halloween.

Upscale neighbourhood: The quiet, leafy street in the Mid-Wilshire area of LA where Gabriel Ben-Meir was slain

She said: 'Forty-seven years I live here, never before was there something like that.'

Yesterday mourning friends left a bunch of spring flowers on the sidewalk where he died, with a note reading 'Gabriel - gone too soon'.

Jason Steele, who worked with Mr Ben-Meir at The Hit Factory recording studio in New York in 2004, told MailOnline: 'He was fun, easygoing and witty, and he had this sly smile. He was an extremely smart guy, and he never had a bad word to say about anyone.

'He was a professional individual, who treated bands as individuals, not as celebrities.'

Mr Steele was at a loss to explain why anyone would kill his friend. He said: 'Who would do this to that guy, why him, why would anybody do anything to hurt him?'



Another former colleague told the Hollywood Reporter: 'Gabriel was so damn sweet. He just loved music.