QUEVEDO, ECUADOR – The spotlight has been tragically dimmed for Landy Párraga, a popular social media influencer and former Miss Ecuador contestant. Her life was cut short in a horrifying incident when a seemingly innocent Instagram post of her lunch led armed assailants to her location.
The 23-year-old beauty queen’s sudden demise is under investigation, amidst swirling rumors that the widow of a slain drug lord, Leandro Norero, may have ordered the hit. Párraga’s name had recently surfaced in a corruption probe that linked several judicial officials to organized crime.
Moments after sharing a snapshot of her octopus ceviche lunch with her Instagram followers, Párraga’s meal was violently interrupted by two armed men who stormed into the restaurant and shot her multiple times. The chilling scene was captured by the restaurant’s security cameras.
Párraga, a top-five finalist in the 2022 Miss Ecuador pageant, was reportedly involved with Norero, a married drug kingpin who met his end in a prison riot. Evidence of their relationship, including photos and records of extravagant gifts, was discovered on Norero’s phone after his death.
The ongoing investigation, dubbed Operation Metastasis, has implicated around 50 individuals in a network of corruption, including judges, police officials, and the former head of Ecuador’s prison authority.
Párraga, who boasted over a million TikTok followers and owned a sports clothing brand and a goods-importing business, is suspected of laundering money for Norero. Authorities are probing whether her businesses served as a cover for Norero’s illicit activities.