Honduran police have arrested several people in connection with the deaths of a beauty queen and her sister.
The bodies of 19-year-old Maria Jose Alvarado and her 23-year-old sister Sofia were found buried along a river outside the northwestern town of Santa Barbara on Wednesday, nearly one week after their disappearance.
The sisters were last seen leaving a resort where they celebrated the birthday of Sofia's boyfriend, Plutarco Ruiz. Police say Ruiz shot Sofia Alvarado in a jealous rage after seeing her dancing with another man, then shot Maria when she tried to flee.
Ruiz has been arrested over the murders of the Alvarado sisters, along with another man who is believed to have helped him. Police have also arrested the owners of the resort where the sisters were last seen.
Maria Jose Alvarado was crowned Miss Honduras World back in April, and was scheduled to fly to London on Thursday to compete in the Miss World pageant.
According to the United Nations, Honduras has the world's highest homicide rate, with an estimated 90 murders per 100,000 people. The U.N. also says the killings of women and girls in the Central American nation rose 263 percent between 2005 and 2013.
