Kidnapped Reporter Daniel Pearl Killed by Captors

Updated from 5:43 p.m. EST

Daniel Pearl, The Wall Street Journal reporter who was kidnapped in Pakistan last month, has been killed by his captors, according to U.S. government officials.

The U.S. State Department said it has evidence to confirm the death of the 38-year-old reporter. Pearl was kidnapped in Pakistan Jan. 23 while working on a story about possible links between militant Islamic groups and Richard Reid, the man now in custody for trying to ignite explosives stored in his shoes while aboard a trans-Atlantic flight.

"Our embassy in Pakistan has confirmed today that they have received evidence that Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl is dead," said Richard Boucher, a spokesman for the State Department. "The murder of Mr. Pearl is an outrage and we condemn it." ...