Honduran Beauty Queen Wualys Aquino Found Dead in Apartment at 23

Wualys Suseth Fuentes Aquino, a 23-year-old beauty queen and first runner-up of Miss Universo Tegucigalpa 2026, was found dead in her apartment in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, on July 20, 2026. Her family discovered her body after not hearing from her for several days Source: Clarín. The news has sent shockwaves through the pageant community and the nation.

What happened

Aquino's family grew concerned when they could not reach her and went to her residence at Altos del Trapiche. Upon entering, they found her unresponsive and immediately alerted authorities Source: Infobae. Police arrived, cordoned off the scene, and launched an investigation. No official cause of death has been released, and all hypotheses remain open Source: Hoy. Forensic experts are conducting an autopsy and toxicology tests Source: Infobae.

Her life and career

Aquino was a finalist in the Miss Universo Tegucigalpa pageant in June 2026, earning the title of virreina (first runner-up) Source: Clarín. She was also a student at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras, pursuing degrees in International Marketing and Social Work Source: Infobae. In a statement, the Miss Universo Tegucigalpa organization described her as "a woman who not only shined herself but also helped her companions shine" Source: Clarín. Her last public post on TikTok showed her enjoying the World Cup final, supporting Argentina Source: Infobae. Notably, Clarín reported that Aquino's death is the second of a Miss Universe contestant in the same week, though other sources do not mention this .