By Alaska Headline Living Staff | November 13, 2025
Veteran journalist Jim Avila, known for his decades of reporting with ABC News and his deep commitment to fairness and truth, has died at his home in San Diego, California after a long illness. He was 69.
His brother Tom Simon confirmed the news in a Facebook post Wednesday, saying, “It is with sadness and great hope that I relate to you now my brother, Jim Avila, died at his home in San Diego… Dear Jim, see you on Resurrection Day!”
Avila’s career spanned more than four decades. At ABC News, he served as a Senior National Correspondent and White House reporter, covering major stories from the O.J. Simpson trial to U.S.–Cuba diplomatic relations. His investigative reporting on consumer safety, immigration, and “pink slime” in the beef industry earned multiple Emmy and Edward R. Murrow Awards.
After leaving network news in 2021, Avila joined KGTV San Diego in 2023, continuing to tell local stories with the same drive and curiosity that defined his career.
He is survived by his mother, Eve Simon; siblings Karie, Tom, and Jaie Avila; and his children Jamie, Jenny, and Evan. A public memorial will be announced by the family.
Source: ABC News and the Avila family statement via Williston Trending Topics News Radio Live
