Landy Párraga

{{short description|Ecuadorian model and beauty pageant contestant}}

{{Family name hatnote|Párraga|Goyburo|lang=Spanish}}{{Infobox pageant titleholder

| name = Landy Párraga

| image =

| alt =

| caption =

| birth_name = Landy Milena Párraga Goyburo

| birth_date = {{Birth date|2001|02|26}}

| birth_place = Quevedo, Ecuador

| height = 1.65m

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2024|04|28|2001|02|26}}

| death_place = Quevedo, Ecuador

| death_cause = Murder (gunshot wounds)

| resting_place =

| other_names =

| occupation = Model, influencer

| spouse =

| relatives =

| children =

| education =

| title =

| competitions = Miss Ecuador 2022

}}

Landy Milena Párraga Goyburo (February 26, 2001 – April 28, 2024) was an Ecuadorian model, influencer and beauty contestant, who placed fifth in the Miss Ecuador 2022 competition.{{cite web|url=https://www.expreso.ec/ocio/son-candidatas-miss-ecuador-2022-129188.html|title=Ellas son las candidatas a Miss Ecuador 2022|publisher=Diario Expreso.com|language=ES|date=June 9, 2022|access-date=April 29, 2024}} A popular influencer, Párraga had her own line of sportswear and over a million followers on social media.{{Cite news |date=2024-05-05 |title=Influencer publicly shot dead in restaurant; attackers found location on social media |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/landy-parraga-goyburo-death-ecuadorian-influencer-publicly-shot-dead-in-restaurant-attackers-found-location-on-social-media/articleshow/109854892.cms?from=mdr |access-date=2024-09-20 |work=The Economic Times |issn=0013-0389}}

Early life

Landy Milena Párraga Goyburo was born on February 26, 2001, in the city of Quevedo. She studied Social Communication at the Universidad Técnica de Babahoyo (UTB) and lived in the Ecuadorian city of Santo Domingo.

Foray into beauty contests

Párraga's first title was queen of her parish. Later she became Vice Queen "Vicereina" of Quevedo. In 2019 she was named Miss Tourism of Quevedo.{{Cite web |last=ALDIA |date=2024-04-29 |title=El último amor de Landy Párraga, un cirujano plástico |url=https://www.aldia.com.ec/el-ultimo-amor-de-landy-parraga-un-cirujano-plastico/ |access-date=2024-09-20 |website=ALDIA {{!}} Noticias de Los Ríos, Ecuador y el mundo |language=es}} She was then named Queen of the Faculty of her university, Queen of the Special Forces Group #26 Cenepa, and then she rose to represent Ecuador at the Miss Mesoamerica Internacional 2022 contest in El Salvador.{{Cite web|url=https://www.elsalvador.com/entretenimiento/espectaculos/reinas-belleza-asi-fue-paso-landy-parraga-por-el-salvador-en-2022/1139158/2024/|title=Así fue el paso de Landy Párraga por El Salvador en 2022|website=Noticias de El Salvador - Noticias de El Salvador, noticias internacionales, salvadoreños por el mundo, economia, negocios, politica, deportes, entretenimiento, tecnologia, turismo, tendencias, fotos, videos, redes sociales}}

= Miss Ecuador 2022 =

She participated in the beauty contest of Miss Ecuador 2022,{{Cite web |last=ALDIA |date=2022-06-08 |title=Landy Párraga y María Cristina Zambrano representarán a Quevedo en el Miss Ecuador 2022 |url=https://www.aldia.com.ec/landy-parraga-y-maria-cristina-zambrano-representaran-a-quevedo-en-el-miss-ecuador-2022/ |access-date=2024-09-20 |website=ALDIA {{!}} Noticias de Los Ríos, Ecuador y el mundo |language=es}} representing Los Ríos Province, where she was placed fifth in the contest.{{cite web|url=https://www.eldiario.ec/actualidad/ecuador/en-que-ano-participo-landy-parraga-en-el-miss-ecuador/|title=¿En qué año participó Landy Párraga en el Miss Ecuador?|publisher=El Diario.ec|language=ES|date=April 29, 2024|access-date=April 29, 2024}}

In December 2023, Párraga's name was mentioned in communications related to the Caso Metástasis investigations into the drug cartel activities. She was linked romantically to the drug trafficker :es:Leandro Norero, who had been killed in prison in October 2022.{{Cite web |last=Correal |first=Annie |date=January 13, 2024 |title=Ecuador’s Attorney General Took on Drug Gangs. Then Chaos Broke Out. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/13/world/americas/ecuador-drug-gangs-unrest.html |via=NYTimes.com}}{{Cite web |last=Liotti |first=Belén |date=April 28, 2024 |title=Matan en Quevedo a Landy Párraga, excandidata a Miss Ecuador y mencionada en chats de Caso Metástasis |url=https://cnnespanol.cnn.com/2024/04/28/matan-landy-parraga-miss-ecuador-caso-metastasis-orix/}}

Death

On April 28, 2024, Párraga was murdered while eating lunch in a restaurant. About 20 minutes earlier, she had published a photo on Instagram of her meal, revealing her location.{{cite web|url=https://www.vistazo.com/actualidad/nacional/landy-parraga-quien-fue-mencionada-en-los-chats-del-caso-metastasis-fue-asesinada-en-quevedo-BD7243164|title=Landy Párraga, quien fue mencionada en los chats del caso Metástasis, fue asesinada en Quevedo-Redacción|publisher=Vistazo.com|language=ES|date=April 28, 2024|access-date=April 29, 2024}} Párraga was shot in the head and body, by a hitman who entered the restaurant and fled with an associate afterwards. She was pronounced dead at the scene.{{cite web|url=https://www.eluniverso.com/noticias/ecuador/asesinato-landy-parraga-excandidata-miss-ecuador-caso-metastasis-nota/|title=Asesinan a Landy Párraga, excandidata a Miss Ecuador, mencionada en chat del caso Metástasis|publisher=El Universo|language=ES|date=April 28, 2024|access-date=April 29, 2024}} Her shooting was captured on the restaurant's CCTV.{{Cite web |last=Bureau |first=ABP News |date=2024-05-05 |title=Ecuadorian Influencer Shot Dead After Instagram Post Lead Killers To Her Location |url=https://news.abplive.com/lifestyle/ecuadorian-influencer-landy-parraga-goyburo-shot-dead-after-instagram-post-lead-killers-to-her-location-1685198 |access-date=2024-09-20 |website=news.abplive.com |language=en}}

Several theories abounded about the motivation for Párraga's killing, mostly due to her connection with Norero. Some speculated that Párraga's killing was ordered by his widow, or by Norero himself.{{Cite web |last=ALDIA |date=2024-04-30 |title=Dos hipótesis concretas se manejan en la muerte de Landy Párraga |url=https://www.aldia.com.ec/dos-hipotesis-concretas-se-manejan-en-la-muerte-de-landy-parraga/ |access-date=2024-09-20 |website=ALDIA {{!}} Noticias de Los Ríos, Ecuador y el mundo |language=es}} The motive for the crime remains unknown.

= Funeral =

Párraga was buried in her hometown of Quevedo on April 29, 2024, under the strongest security measures.{{cite web|url=https://www.primicias.ec/noticias/seguridad/landy-parraga-sepelio-crimen-quevedo/|title=Caso Landy Párraga: identifican los autos en que huyeron asesinos de la exreina|publisher=Primicias.ec|date=April 29, 2024|access-date=April 29, 2024}}