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 gunned down in a restaurant after sharing snapshots of her food with her thousands of Instagram followers.
The photo of the distinctive octopus ceviche plate may have been a crucial clue to her location. Police suspect it tipped off her killers to her whereabouts.
Disturbing footage shows the gunmen approach Párraga at the table where she is with a male companion.
She is then shot repeatedly at point-blank range. The second attacker stays on guard by the restaurant door.
Following the attack, the assailants swiftly flee the scene, leaving the beauty queen motionless on the floor.
The beauty queen was reportedly shot three times and died shortly after.
Officers are now investigating the murder and trying to identify the assailants.
Párraga was allegedly linked to Ecuadorian drug trafficker Leandro Norero – she was reportedly mentioned in text messages obtained on his phone, reports The Telegraph.
The conversations were found through Operation Metastasis, an investigation that seeks to find criminals accused of corrupting Ecuadorian state officials.
Investigators reportedly looked through Norero’s phone and found photos of Párraga and the lavish gifts he had apparently given her.
The alleged messages implied he had a relationship with the beauty queen outside his marriage.
Norero reportedly said to his associate Helive Ángulo: “If my wife comes across 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.