Former ABC News correspondent Jim Avila dies at 69

Former ABC News correspondent Jim Avila has died at 69, the network announced on its ABC News Live streamer.

Avila, who had been with the network since 2004, died after what the network described as a “long illness.”

Most recently, Avila had been based in Los Angeles, serving as a national correspondent for the network with a focus on law and justice investigations. His reports appeared on “ABC World News Tonight,” “20/20” and other productions.

Previously, Avila covered the White House for ABC from 2012 to 2016.

Prior to ABC, he worked at NBC since 1997, most recently as senior national correspondent for “NBC Nightly News.” He averaged 130 reports a year on “Nightly,” according to his ABC News biography.

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Before moving to the network, Avila worked at KNBC in Los Angeles, WBBM and WLS in Chicago, and KPIX in San Fransisco.

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He began his broadcasting career as managing editor for KCBS-FM in L.A., meaning he had spent over 50 years in the industry.

Avila is survived by three children, Jamie, Jenny and Evan.