Monica Spear dead: Miss Venezuela beauty queen and husband Thomas Henry Berry shot and killed during attempted car robbery, young daughter injured [PHOTOS]

Reports confirm that Monica Spear, a stunning telenovela actress and former Miss Venezuela beauty queen, was shot and killed during an attempted robbery earlier this week. Spear's 49-year-old husband Thomas Henry Berry was also murdered - the couple's five-year-old daughter survived the violent attack.

(Miss Venezuela)

The popular 29-year-old pageant queen was traveling on Venezuela's Puerto Cabello-Valencia highway with her family when their car crashed (or broke down) late Monday evening (January 6). That's when the unknown assailants attacked in an attempt to rob them. Spear and Berry were both shot and killed. Their young daughter was injured with a bullet-wound to the leg. She was treated at a hospital and remains in stable condition.

According to Globovision, the family was on holiday vacation in Spears' homeland traveling in a grey 2002 Corolla Toyota toward the city of Valencia. Spears currently lives in Miami - she was expected to return from their trip sometime this week.

(Twitter)

Spear was crowned Miss Venezuela in 2004 - she also participated in Thailand's Miss Universe in 2005. She starred in several Venezuelan soap opera gigs and broke into the U.S. market in Telemundo's 2011 "Flor Salvaje." She last starred in "Pasión Prohibida" alongside Jencarlose Canela in 2013.

According to The Guardian, "Venezuela's official murder rate late year was 39 per 100,000 inhabitants, but local non-government organisation put the figure at nearly twice that for a total of 24,000 deaths." That's one of the main reasons Spear moved to the U.S.

(Twitter)

Fans and colleagues continue offering their condolences on Twitter - "I'm so sad for my Venezuela, my condolences for Monica Spear's family. Rage and impotence are what I feel right now," Venezuelan salsa singer Oscar D'Léon wrote.

RIP, Spear and Berry. Thoughts and condolences go out to their family and young daughter.