QUEVEDO, ECUADOR – A former Miss Ecuador contestant and well-known social media influencer, Landy Párraga, was tragically killed in a restaurant after sharing a meal photo on Instagram. The 23-year-old’s post of an octopus ceviche inadvertently led armed men to her location.
Authorities are currently investigating Párraga’s murder, amid rumors that the hit was ordered by the widow of a notorious drug trafficker, Leandro Norero, with whom Párraga allegedly had an affair. Her death occurred shortly after her name surfaced in a corruption investigation tying judicial officials to organized crime.
Párraga had just shared her lunch with her 173,000 Instagram followers when two men stormed into the Quevedo restaurant, firing multiple shots at her. The restaurant’s surveillance footage captured the horrifying incident. Reports indicate that she was shot three times and succumbed to her injuries shortly after.
Párraga, who secured fifth place in the 2022 Miss Ecuador pageant, is believed to have been romantically involved with Norero, a married drug lord who was killed in a prison riot 18 months prior. Evidence of their relationship, including photographs and records of extravagant gifts such as apartments and cars, were found on Norero’s phone following his death.
The investigation, known as Operation Metastasis, has led to the prosecution of approximately 50 individuals, including judges, police officials, and the former director of Ecuador’s prison authority. These individuals are accused of various crimes, including granting gang leaders favorable rulings, tampering with evidence, and providing special treatment to high-profile drug traffickers.
Párraga, who had over a million followers on TikTok and owned a sports clothing label and a goods-importing business, is suspected of laundering money for Norero. The authorities are investigating whether her businesses were fronts for Norero’s illegal activities.