María José Alvarado Muñoz (19 July 1995 – 13 November 2014) was a Honduran model, TV host and beauty pageant titleholder who was Miss Honduras 2014.[1]

María José Alvarado
Born
María José Alvarado Muñoz

(1995-07-19)19 July 1995
Died13 November 2014(2014-11-13) (aged 19)
Cablotales, Honduras
Beauty pageant titleholder
TitleMiss Honduras 2014
Major
competition(s)
Miss World 2014 (did not compete)

Biography

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She was born on July 19, 1995, in Santa Bárbara, Honduras, as María José Alvarado Muñoz. She was an actress, taking part in a TV show X-O da dinero. In December 2014 she had been scheduled to compete at the Miss World 2014 contest in London, but was murdered prior to the event.[1][2]

On the night of 13 November, 2014, María José (19) and her older sister, Sofía Trinidad Alvarado Muñoz (23), disappeared after leaving a party in Santa Bárbara, Honduras.[3][4][5][6] According to witnesses she stepped into a car without license plates.[7]

On 19 November, the same day María José had been expected to travel to London, the sisters' bodies were found. They had both been shot and buried in a field near Cablotales.[8][9] Plutarco Ruiz, Sofía Trinidad's boyfriend, as well as another man, Aris Maldonado, were arrested on suspicion of kidnapping and murder of the two sisters.[7] Ruiz confessed to the murders, stating he had shot Sofía Trinidad after an argument on the night of the party, then shot María José twice in the back as she tried to flee.[2]

It was announced the same day that Honduras would not send a replacement to the Miss World pageant as a sign of respect for Alvarado.[9] The chairwoman of the Miss World organization Julia Morley released a statement "to everyone around the world who has been touched by the awful news from Honduras this morning ... We are devastated by this terrible loss of two young women, who were so full of life. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Maria Jose Alvarado and Sofía Trinidad at this time of grief".[10] Morley also stated the Miss World pageant would hold a special memorial service for María José and her sister on 23 November. It was held.[10]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "María José Alvarado crowned Senorita Honduras Mundo 2014". World Beauty Updates. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
  2. ^ a b "Miss Honduras María José Alvarado Found Dead, Officials Say". The Huffington Post. Archived from the original on 19 November 2014. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
  3. ^ Our Foreign Staff (17 November 2014). "Miss World 2014: Miss Honduras and her sister go missing". Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
  4. ^ Elvin Sandoval and Catherine E. Shoichet, CNN (17 November 2014). "Miss Honduras World missing days before pageant - CNN.com". CNN. Retrieved 17 November 2014. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  5. ^ "Miss Honduras World 2014, sister missing". Fox News Latino. Archived from the original on 20 November 2014. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
  6. ^ "BBC News - Honduras beauty queen María José Alvarado found dead". BBC News. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
  7. ^ a b Selby, Jenn. "Miss Honduras María José Alvarado vanishes days before Miss World Competition: Sister's boyfriend arrested on suspicion of kidnapping". The Independent, UK. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
  8. ^ "Missing Miss Honduras: Police Find Bodies". Sky News. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
  9. ^ a b "BBC News - Honduras beauty queen María José Alvarado found dead". BBC News. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
  10. ^ a b Garvey, Megan (19 November 2014). "Miss Honduras María José Alvarado and sister found dead; pair had been missing". latimes.com. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
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