▁editor ▁who ▁is ▁thought ▁to ▁have ▁played ▁a ▁" key ▁role " ▁in ▁un cover ing ▁the ▁kill ings . ▁On ▁ 1 2 ▁March ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁H aj jar ian ▁was ▁shot ▁in ▁the ▁head ▁and ▁left ▁par al yz ed ▁for ▁life . ▁ ▁History ▁of ▁chain ▁mur ders ▁ ▁Kill ings ▁The ▁term ▁" Chain ▁Mur ders " ▁was ▁first ▁used ▁to ▁describe ▁the ▁murder ▁of ▁six ▁people ▁in ▁late ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁The ▁first ▁two ▁killed ▁were ▁ 7 0 - year - old ▁D ari ush ▁For ou har ▁( secret ary ▁general ▁of ▁the ▁opposition ▁party , ▁the ▁Nation ▁of ▁Iran ▁Party ), ▁and ▁his ▁wife ▁Par v ane h ▁E sk and ari , ▁whose ▁m util ated ▁bodies ▁were ▁found ▁in ▁their ▁south ▁Te h ran ▁home ▁on ▁ 2 2 ▁November ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁For ou har ▁received ▁ 1 1 ▁kn ife ▁w ounds ▁and ▁E sk and ari ▁ 2 4 . ▁Their ▁home , ▁which ▁was ▁later ▁r ans ack ed , ▁was ▁thought ▁to ▁be ▁under ▁ 2 4 - hour ▁surve ill ance ▁by ▁the ▁Ministry ▁of ▁Int elligence ▁and ▁National ▁Security ▁of ▁Iran , ▁thus ▁casting ▁susp icion ▁on ▁that ▁min istry ▁for ▁at ▁least ▁comp licity ▁in ▁the ▁murder . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 ▁December ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁Moh amm ad ▁M ok ht ari , ▁an ▁Iran ian ▁writer , ▁left ▁his ▁residence