Former Miss Venezuela Monica Spear shot dead

In this May 31, 2005 file photo, Monica Spear, Miss Venezuela 2005, competes at the Miss Universe competition in Bangkok, Thailand. Venezuelan authorities say the soap-opera actress and former Miss Venezuela and her husband were shot and killed resisting a robbery after their car broke down. Prosecutors said in a statement that Monica Spear and Henry Thomas Berry were slain late Monday, Jan. 6, 2013 near Puerto Cabello, Venezuela's main port. AP Photo

Former Venezuelan beauty queen and actress Monica Spear was murdered during an attempted highway robbery here in presence of her five-year-old daughter. She was 29.

The incident took place Monday, after Spear's car broke down in the Puerto Cabello-Valencia highway here. Delinquents shot and killed her and her ex-husband, Henry Thomas Berry. The former couple's daughter Maya was shot in the leg, but she survived, reports eonline.com.

The family had met with a small accident that stranded their rented Toyota Corolla, police said. Armed men approached the car and the family locked themselves inside. The assailants then opened fire.

Spear, who lived in Miami, had been documenting their trip via Instagram before she was murdered.

She had won the title of Miss Venezuela in 2004 and participated in Miss Universe 2005 in Thailand. She went on to appear in a number of Venezuelan soap operas like "La Mujer Perfecta" and "Calle Luna, Calle Sol" before acting in US show "Flor Salvaje".

Spear's most recent TV show "Pasión Prohibida" was showcased in 2013.