A beauty queen was killed in a restaurant after posting a photo of her octopus ceviche lunch to social media, according to reports.
Landy Párraga, 23, took fifth place in the 2022 edition of Miss Ecuador, she boasted over a million followers across her social media platforms.
Tragically, it has been confirmed that Párraga has died and now, devastating details of her death have emerged.
People have been left horrified by the news and have taken to social media to pay tribute, with one fan writing: “She didn’t deserve to go this way. May she rest in peace.”
Another adds, alongside a broken heart emoji: “Still can’t believe your painful departure.”
“What a shame what happened to you, what injustice,” somebody else pens.
The Ecuadorean beauty queen was tragically gunned down in a restaurant shortly after posting photos of her meal to thousands of Instagram followers.
A snapshot of her distinctive octopus ceviche may have unknowingly revealed her location — a detail police believe tipped off her killers.
Chilling surveillance footage captures the moment gunmen approach Párraga as she sits at a table with a male companion.
One assailant opens fire at point-blank range, repeatedly shooting her, while a second stands watch by the restaurant entrance.
After the brutal attack, the gunmen quickly fled the scene, leaving the beauty queen lying motionless on the floor.
She was reportedly shot three times and succumbed to her injuries shortly afterward.
Authorities have launched an investigation to identify the assailants and uncover the motive behind the killing.
According to The Telegraph, Párraga may have had ties to notorious Ecuadorian drug trafficker Leandro Norero, as her name reportedly appeared in text messages retrieved from his phone.
The messages were uncovered during Operation Metastasis — an ongoing investigation aimed at exposing criminals accused of corrupting Ecuadorian state officials.
As part of the probe, investigators examined the phone of drug trafficker Leandro Norero and reportedly found photos of Párraga, along with images of lavish gifts he had allegedly given her.
The messages suggested a secret relationship between Norero and the beauty queen, one that existed outside of his marriage.
In one exchange, Norero allegedly warned his associate Helive Ángulo, saying, “If my wife finds out anything about her, I’m screwed.”
Párraga reportedly ran a sporting label and a goods-importing business, authorities are investigating whether it was tied to Norero, according to The Telegraph.
The beauty queen was never prosecuted for a crime and never publicly commented on the case.
Norero was killed in a prison riot in 2022 and some of his known associates are being prosecuted as a part of Operation Metastasis, El Pais reports.
