This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/20/world/americas/honduras-beauty-queen-maria-jose-alvarado-dead.html

The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Honduran Beauty Queen and Her Sister Are Found Dead Honduran Beauty Queen and Her Sister Are Found Dead
(about 1 hour later)
MEXICO CITY — The missing Honduran beauty queen, María José Alvarado, and her older sister, Sofía, have been found dead, their bodies buried in the sand of a riverbank near where they disappeared, the police in Honduras said on Wednesday. MEXICO CITY — A missing Honduran beauty queen, María José Alvarado, and her older sister, Sofía, have been found dead, their bodies buried in the sand of a riverbank near where they disappeared, the police in Honduras said on Wednesday.
The sisters had not been seen since last Thursday, after they attended a birthday party for Sofía Alvarado’s boyfriend, Plutarco Ruiz, at a resort near their home in western Honduras. He was arrested Tuesday, and the police told local news media that he is the leading suspect in their investigation. The sisters had not been seen since Thursday, after they attended a birthday party for Sofía Alvarado’s boyfriend, Plutarco Ruiz, at a resort near their home in western Honduras. He was arrested Tuesday, and the police told local news media that he was the leading suspect in their investigation.
The search for the missing sisters has riveted Honduras, the small Central American country that has the highest peacetime murder rate in the world. Their mother, Teresa Muñoz, has made daily televised appeals for their safe return this week from her home in the western region of Santa Barbara. The search for the missing sisters had riveted Honduras, the small Central American country that has the highest peacetime murder rate in the world. Their mother, Teresa Muñoz, made daily televised appeals for their safe return this week from her home in the western region of Santa Barbara.
María José Alvarado, 19, was scheduled to leave for London on Wednesday to compete in the Miss World contest. She had worked as a hostess on a popular television variety show and was finishing a technical degree in computing. María José Alvarado, 19, had been scheduled to leave for London on Wednesday to compete in the Miss World contest. She had worked as a hostess on a popular television variety show and was finishing a technical degree in computing.
Her older sister, Sofía, 23, was a teacher and had been dating Mr. Ruiz for about three months, according to Ms. Muñoz. Sofía, 23, was a teacher and had been dating Mr. Ruiz for about three months, according to Ms. Muñoz.
A second man, Aris Maldonado, was also arrested on Tuesday and police said they expected to make additional arrests. A second man, Aris Maldonado, was also arrested on Tuesday, and the police said they expected to make additional arrests.
The director of the National Police, Gen. Ramón Sabillón, said during a news conference that Mr. Ruiz had shot Sofia during an argument after she danced with another man at the party. The director of the National Police, Gen. Ramón Sabillón, said during a news conference that Mr. Ruiz had shot Sofía during an argument after she danced with another man at the party.
María José was shot twice in the back as she tried to flee, Gen. Sabillón said, according to The Associated Press. María José was shot twice in the back as she tried to flee, said General Sabillón, according to The Associated Press.
Leandro Osorio, the director of the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, told local news media that police found a gun they suspect was used in the shooting in Mr. Ruiz’s possession. His white Toyota pickup truck had been used to move the women’s bodies and then sent to a nearby garage to be painted, Mr. Osorio said. Leandro Osorio, the director of the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, told local news media that the police had found a gun they suspect was used in the shooting in Mr. Ruiz’s possession. His white Toyota pickup truck had been used to move the women’s bodies and then sent to a nearby garage to be painted, Mr. Osorio said.