On 11 September 1993, Antoine Izméry attended a mass that had been organised by KOMEVEB to commemorate the 1988 St Jean Bosco massacre, where numerous people had been killed in an attempt on Aristide's life, when he had been a parish priest.
Few journalists or human rights advocates dared attend, as there was a strong chance at the time that such a gathering would be attacked by paramilitaries.
Numerous journalists were beaten and detained, and placed under the charge of Jackson Joanis, who headed the Port-au-Prince police's feared "Anti-Gang Unit".
While this was ongoing, a group of 10 men forced Izméry outside, and made him kneel before shooting him dead with a single bullet to the head.
In September 1995, after Aristide had been returned to power, fourteen people, including former paramilitary leader Louis-Jodel Chamblain, and police officers Jackson Joanis and Michel François, were convicted in absentia and sentenced to forced labour for life over Izméry's death.