Veteran ABC News correspondent Jim Avila has died at age 69 after a long illness, his family confirmed Wednesday. The announcement renewed searches for Jim Avila cause of death as colleagues and viewers revisited his five-decade career. Avila spent nearly 20 years at ABC News and returned to local reporting in San Diego in 2023 after stepping back for health reasons. ABC officials praised his investigative rigor and steady presence in major national stories.
Who: Jim Avila, longtime ABC News correspondent and award-winning investigative reporter.
What: Died at age 69; cause described publicly as a “long illness.”
When: Family confirmed his death on Wednesday, November 12, 2025.
Where: Avila passed away at his home in San Diego, California.
Why: Public statements say the death followed a protracted health battle; Avila received a kidney transplant in 2020 and faced ongoing complications.
How: ABC and family statements say he died after a long illness; detailed medical cause has not been released. This summary is based on family and network announcements and reporting by major outlets.
Career milestones and recent years
Jim Avila’s journalism career spanned roughly 50 years across local and national outlets.
He worked at NBC Los Angeles in the 1990s, contributing to Emmy-winning investigative coverage of the O.J. Simpson case.
Avila joined ABC News and held high-profile roles including White House correspondent from 2012–2016.
His reporting on reopened U.S.-Cuba relations earned the Merriman Award in 2015; his career tally includes two National Emmys and five Edward R. Murrow Awards.
After a 2020 kidney transplant, Avila left ABC in 2021 for health reasons, then returned to reporting in 2023 as a senior investigative reporter at KGTV in San Diego.
Colleagues, leaders, and peers
ABC News released an internal staff memo praising Avila’s courage and commitment during years of health struggles.
Network colleagues called him a “mentor” and “old-school journalist” who demanded accuracy and clarity.
The National Association of Hispanic Journalists, which inducted Avila into its Hall of Fame in 2019, paid tribute to his contributions to investigative reporting.
Reporters on social media shared memories of Avila’s newsroom mentorship, late-night story sessions, and tireless pursuit of public-interest stories.
How his death affects journalism circles
Avila’s death removes a visible guardian of investigative TV reporting at a time when local and national newsrooms face resource pressures.
His approach—detailed field reporting combined with courtroom and policy coverage—helped shape standards for broadcast investigation.
Younger reporters said his methods influenced how they handle source verification, FOIA requests, and long-form investigations.
Avila’s passing is likely to prompt retrospectives on major stories he covered and renewed attention to investigative units within broadcast outlets.
Memorials, tributes, and follow-up reporting
Family and ABC have not yet announced public memorial plans; media outlets say arrangements will be shared when available.
Tributes are expected from former colleagues, journalism organizations, and news academies.
Local station KGTV and ABC News will likely air retrospectives and compile highlight reels of Avila’s most notable reporting.
Press organizations may convene panels or special coverage honoring his career and discussing his influence on investigative journalism.
Sources
ABC News staff email and network statement.
Associated Press reporting.
CNN obituary coverage.
National Association of Hispanic Journalists release.
KGTV (San Diego) announcements.
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