REPORT: TMZ, KABC erroneously link tuner's custom Benz to VH1 murder case
As has been extensively reported, VH1 "Megan Wants a Millionaire" reality show contestant Ryan Jenkins has been charged with murdering his wife, Jasmine Fiore. As the news story spread, celebrity gossip site TMZ reported that Jasmine Fiore's "2007 white Mercedes, with very large black rims (24") and a black roof" could contain crucial clues to the case. (Note: TMZ is also owned by Autoblog's parent, AOL. Trust us: there's no editorial affiliation.)
To illustrate the car, TMZ didn't use a picture of Fiore's Mercedes, however. The ever-careful gossip mongers instead used a picture of tuner R.J. DeVera's Brabus CLS, shod with his own RO-JA wheels. Then KABC-TV Los Angeles ran with the story as well -- apparently without fact-checking TMZ's photo source. The network ran a photo of R.J.'s CLS as well -- the same car you can see on R.J.'s Facebook and MySpace pages. GT Channel's Taro Koki saw what happened and documented it all, including screenshots of both TMZ's original post and from the KABC Eyewitness News broadcast that subsequently reused the photo of DeVera's car.
Meanwhile, Ryan Jenkins is still a murder suspect, still on the run, and the object of a manhunt in Canada. Until Jenkins is apprehended, it looks as if DeVera's going to have a hard time going anywhere in his Mercedes, since driving the car that's been plastered all over the news related to a murder case is no way to spend a couple of weeks in August...
[Source: GT Channel]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Will 11:21AM (8/23/2009)
I'm pretty sure R.J. has other cars he can drive.
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Farmboy 11:48AM (8/23/2009)
Letter to TMZ from VH1,
OMG, TMZ!!1!
KTHXBAI,
VH1
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Farmboy 3:39PM (8/23/2009)
Thanks to whoever voted me up on that. That is without a doubt the single most retarded thing I have ever typed. Do not worry, I have doubts something of this nature will ever escape the combination of fingertips hitting keys ever again.
waiownsyou 11:50AM (8/23/2009)
well there goes the resale value
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Farmboy 11:59AM (8/23/2009)
The description of this car sounds like about nine billion more owned by professional athletes and rappers.
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Blacksabre 12:38PM (8/23/2009)
Hot Rod - How about you live in the United States and sentence the guy AFTER he's convicted? It's people like you who poison juries and cause erroneous convictions which jail innocent people for years. Jenkens might be guilty, but you weren't there to see it happen, so you can't say so.
As far as Jasmine, the 'skank' thing is just lame, and unworthy of Autoblog.
:shrugs: You guys should all toddle over to Dr. Phil's blog, and post there.
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HotRodzNKustoms 2:23PM (8/23/2009)
No, you are right, he is innocent until proven guilty, but he sure looks awfully guilty at this point.
Purpleslyrpee 2:45PM (8/23/2009)
You do have a point, he is not proven to be guilty, but if he isn't guilty why the hell has he not turned himself in?
He has a warrant under his name, and being that MTV/ VH1 are the most popular channels, alongside all the news coverage he damn well knows he is a wanted man, if he didnt have anything to do with it he should come forth, at the very least...
YouFaceTheTick 12:47PM (8/23/2009)
Plus that is one uber-dorky looking car.
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Jrejre 12:49PM (8/23/2009)
I've never heard of any of these people.
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mcatrage 12:49PM (8/23/2009)
If only she and all the people like her just disappeared into obscurity now with her death it's going to be all over the news for months.
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cFoo 1:21PM (8/23/2009)
This is not erroneous, this is all intentional to quickly have content even if it's inaccurate or bogus.
I am glad that Autoblog doesn't operate in the same manner as their sister site, TMZ. Right????
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Nathan 1:32PM (8/23/2009)
Look at this real video of a Cayman shooting break!!!! Breaking News! The real deal! Right here on autoblog. Haha.
Britboyj27 2:06PM (8/23/2009)
I smell a lawsuit.
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HotRodzNKustoms 2:24PM (8/23/2009)
What's wrong with you people? Do you have no respect for the dead?
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safil 2:42PM (8/23/2009)
anyone notice how creepy these 2 names can be and how much further u can go with this? ryan jenkins, they're looking for his wife's mercedes, R.J. has a mercedes and tmz used it to show what the car could look like, kabc followed. ryan jenkins, initials are R.J.? hmmm, maybe one and the same person? wow, conspiracy theorists, where are you, help me take this further...
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Venom 3:00PM (8/23/2009)
This woman lived a gold digger/stripper/prostitute skank life and it caught up with her.
She married this guy for his money and then when he was off filming another show she was off in Mexico with her ex boyfriend.
I wish I could say I felt sympathy for her but they were two horrible people that deserved each other.
If you date quality, educated women instead of these blonde, inflatable breasted strippers with an IQ of 50 you generally don't get these problems.
Next.
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Axel 4:23PM (8/23/2009)
That ugly turd Jenkins is gonna find out what his money will buy in prison... and it ain't gonna be inflatable breasts!
Fooman 3:17PM (8/23/2009)
Funny I thought murdered out cars where all black....
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Patrick 3:24PM (8/23/2009)
Who cares?
But damn that CLS is so sexy! That's exactly how I would mod mine.
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