Robert Serra, a rising star within the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), was found murdered in his Caracas home alongside his female companion, Maria Herrera. Government officials lament his death and have vowed to investigate who killed the young lawmaker.

Serra, 27, was found dead in his home in La Pastoras neighborhood of Caracas. The BBC initially reported Serra and his partner Herrera has been shot. Venezuela’s Interior Minister, Miguel Rodriguez Torres, explained the couple was "vilely killed here in their house, a two-storied house, on the ground floor lay the woman and on the upper floor lay Robert Serra."

However, according to Reuters, Serra and Herrera died of hemorrhagic shock after being stabbed with a “sharp and penetrating weapon.” Rodriguez asked the opposition not to use Serra’s death and turn it into a “media circus,” adding that it is being investigated as a homicide.

"According to preliminary expert testimony and based on early research, this is no random act; this is an intentional homicide, planned and executed with great precision," said Rodriguez at a press conference, according to BBC Mundo.

The minister explained that the homicide was highly planned and took place over the span of 15 to 20 minutes.

Although unconfirmed, Venezuela Analysis reports the couple was tortured before their deaths. Serra’s murder is the latest in a series of killings targeting PSUV members and security officials.

Serra’s death resurrected fears of assassination plans targeting PSUV officials. Jesus Silva, a professor of political science, wrote on the pro-government forum Aporrea: “It’s not a myth, it’s a reality: there is a national plan for the targeted assassination of mid-level socialist political leaders”.

He blamed NGOs funded by foreign companies and governments.

Opposition leader Henrique Capriles expressed his condolences over Serra’s death but did not link his murder with assassination plots but rather the nation’s high murder rate, second only to Honduras.

President Nicolas Maduro also expressed his sadness via Twitter, saying: “A great pain has taken with the assassination of Robert Serra, Bolivarian leader and chavista, may God raise you to His glory.”

Serra had been a rising star within the PSUV and the youngest member in the National Assembly, Venezuela’s legislative body. Before his legislative career, Serra had been a prominent youth leader.