Hello, all.

How have you been doing whatever you have been doing?

I  have  a question about a fictional newspaper article from
Ross Macdonald's "The Doomsters"

  The story began in a rather stilted atmospheric style  which
  made  me  wonder  if  Slovekin  had  been embarrassed by the
  writing of it: "In a tragedy which may parallel the  ancient
  tragedy  of  Cain and Abel, violent death paid a furtive and
  shocking visit today to a well-known local family. Victim of
  the  apparent  slaying  was  Jeremiah Hallman, 34, prominent
  Buena Vista Valley rancher."

Why is `victim' not heralded with the definite  article?  Is
it  omitted  by way of telegraphic journalese? Unlikey among
the surrounding wordly folliage...

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