'Below Deck's João Franco arrested after fight leaves 17-year-old dead
What's the story
Former Below Deck cast member João Franco has been arrested in Turkey after a violent altercation in which a 17-year-old died. The incident occurred on the night of November 7 in Bodrum's Muğla district when Franco and his brother Karlos Franco reportedly got into a heated argument with employees at a clothing store. The dispute quickly escalated into a physical fight outside the shop.
Incident details
Details of the incident
Local media reports suggest that the Franco brothers were using foul language, which led to a physical confrontation with store employees.
Page Six has obtained CCTV footage of the incident, showing Karlos throwing the first punch.
Franco, 36, stepped in immediately to separate his brother from an employee in an apparent attempt to calm the situation.
However, this only escalated into a full-blown brawl involving multiple other employees who came out of the shop.
Fatal outcome
Victim identified as 17-year-old
During the fight, one of the men involved fell to the ground and lay motionless.
This individual was later identified as a 17-year-old store employee who reportedly hit his head on some steps when he fell.
Voices Newspaper reported that the teen went into cardiac arrest after suffering a severe head injury; emergency responders revived him before he was taken to Muğla Training and Research Hospital in critical condition.
Later, it was reported that the teen had died.
Legal proceedings
Franco brothers in custody
Both Franco and Karlos were taken to Bodrum Courthouse following the incident; they remain in custody.
One source told Page Six that the duo is "awaiting the next steps."
Meanwhile, Franco has appeared on multiple seasons of Below Deck Mediterranean and Below Deck Down Under.