Police believe an influencer was gunned down after sharing a photo of her lunch on social media.
Landy Párraga, a 23-year-old Ecuadorian beauty queen was fatally shot in the restaurant where she was having lunch, per the New York Post.
Surveillance footage captured the harrowing moment when two masked assailants approached Párraga at an eatery in Quevedo last Sunday, mercilessly gunning her down.
Investigators revealed that moments before the attack, Párraga shared a photo on her Instagram account to her 173,000 followers, showcasing a distinctive plate of octopus ceviche, per the Telegraph.
Little did she know that this seemingly innocent post would serve as a breadcrumb trail for her killers.
The fatal food snap displayed the seafood dish along with a side of eggs, bearing the restaurant's logo on either a placemat or menu.
Shortly after sharing the image, Párraga was seen conversing with a man inside the restaurant, only to be interrupted by the arrival of the armed assailants.
One of the gunmen approached Párraga and opened fire, leaving her and the man she was conversing with critically wounded.
The assailants fled the scene, leaving the beauty queen lying motionless in a pool of blood.
Reports from The New York Post indicate that Párraga sustained three gunshot wounds and succumbed to her injuries shortly after the attack.
Authorities are currently investigating the shooting, with speculation rife that the assassination may have been orchestrated by the widow of notorious drug trafficker Leandro Norero, with whom Párraga allegedly had an affair.
Párraga's involvement with Norero came to light following revelations in a chat between the slain drug lord and his accountant, Helive Ángulo.
In the exchange, Norero expressed grave concerns about the exposure of his relationship with Párraga, fearing dire consequences if his wife were to discover the truth.
The investigation further uncovered evidence of Norero's extravagant gifts to Párraga, including apartments and cars, suggesting a deep relationship between the two.
While the Attorney General's Office scrutinized Párraga's financial affairs, she was never formally charged with any crime and had maintained a discreet silence regarding her ties to Norero and his criminal enterprise.
The brutal murder, occurring in broad daylight, displays Ecuador's alarming descent into violence, with the country witnessing a staggering 250 percent surge in its murder rate since 2020, per the Daily Mail.
Ecuador, once known for its tranquility, is now grappling with Mexican drug cartels tightening their grip on its territory.
A damning report released last year by the NGO Crisis Group shed light on the situation, revealing that the drug trade has become a lifeline for many impoverished families in Ecuador.
Men engage in the sale of cocaine, while women are involved in packaging the illicit substance into plastic bags.
Glaeldys Gonzalez Calanche, an expert and one of the authors of the Crisis Group report, expressed concern over the expanding reach of narco groups, stating how gangs are now "encroaching into previously unaffected areas."
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