View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. News
August 9, 2021updated 30 Sep 2022 10:30am

Ex-Mirror and National Enquirer journalist who became front-page news in media anthrax attack dies aged 82

By John Smith

Former Mirror man and National Enquirer scoop-getter David Wright has died from cancer in Florida aged 82.

David joined the Daily Mirror from the Daily Express in Manchester, where he had been a very successful district reporter.

In the 60s he joined the Daily Mirror’s New York bureau, alongside Ralph Champion, John Smith, Syd Young, Gordon Gregor, Brian Hitchen and Malcolm Keogh.

When he returned to London he became a sports feature writer for the Daily Mirror, but he enjoyed his time in America so much that he returned there to work as a reporter on the National Enquirer in Florida, where he became their top globe-trotting correspondent and produced a string of exclusives.

For almost two years he covered the baffling twists and turns of the police and FBI investigation into the death of six-year-old beauty queen JonBenet Ramsey, found strangled at her home in Boulder, Colorado on Christmas Day in 1996.

He also broke the story that Liberace was dying from AIDS and later that the death certificate was faked to conceal his disease, and got the exclusive on Hollywood star Liz Taylor’s relationship with a fairly low-profile Mexican attorney, Victor Gonzalez Luna.

In 2001 David himself became front-page news when he was exposed to the same deadly Anthrax bacteria that had killed photo editor Bob Stevens when some of it was posted to the National Enquirer headquarters in Boca Raton, Florida.

After receiving an antidote, he quarantined at home with the world’s press and television crews camped out on his front lawn in the Florida city of Atlantis.

A keen long distance runner who ran alongside Oprah on her first marathon, David wrote for sports magazines after retiring from the Enquirer.

A devoted family man, he leaves wife Carole, daughters Kirsty and Katya and four grandchildren.

Picture: Family of David Wright

Topics in this article :

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly dose of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how Progressive Media Investments may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network