MISS VENEZUELA CROWNED IN 2000 DEAD

Eva Ekvall, who was crowned as Miss Venezuela in 2000 and was the third runner up of Miss Universe pageant, has died.

Eva who was born to a Jamaican mother, died of cancer on Saturday at a hospital in Houston her family revealed.

She was crowned Miss Venezuela at age 17 in 2000, and the following year she was third runner-up in the Miss Universe pageant in Puerto Rico. She went on to work as a model, actress and television news anchor. She also authored a book, Fuera de Foco (Out of Focus), about her struggle with cancer, which included images by Venezuelan photographer Roberto Mata.

On the cover was a portrait in which she appeared with makeup and her head shaved. The book also included images of her while going through chemotherapy.

Eva's family said in a statement that her remains were being cremated in Houston and that a service is to be held in Venezuela once her remains are returned to the country.

She was married to a radio producer and had a 2-year-old daughter.