TURKISH TRAGEDY

Reality Star, 36, Arrested After Fistfight Leaves 17-Year-Old Dead

The brawl took place outside a clothing store in southwestern Turkey.

Below Deck alum João Franco and his brother, Karlos Franco, were arrested in Turkey after a fistfight that left a 17-year-old dead.

CCTV footage obtained by Page Six shows the brothers in a verbal dispute with employees at a clothing store in Muğla on Saturday night.

Karlos can be seen throwing the first punch while João, 36, attempts to break up the brawl. The scuffle escalated as more shop employees entered the fray.

According to local news reports, a 17-year-old boy who worked at the clothing store fell after being punched and hit his head on the stairs. He was rushed to a hospital, where he died two days later.

Page Six reports that the brothers are currently in a local prison “awaiting the next steps.”

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João is a deckhand who appeared across multiple seasons of Below Deck Mediterranean and Below Deck Down Under. He and Karlos were born in Zimbabwe and moved to Europe to “pursue careers in yachting,” according to Page Six.

In May, João told the Mallorca Daily Bulletin that he had become the captain of a very large vessel and wouldn’t be returning to the Bravo show.

“Below Deck recently hinted at a return, but my new role’s terms mean I won’t be going back,” he said. “Sure, the money is great, but with the prestige of my current position, I think I’ve outgrown it.”

João’s talent agency currently lists him as the captain of a 43-meter superyacht.

He also sells personalized videos to fans on Cameo, with prices starting at $55. His last completed video was on Thursday—two days before the brawl.

In a 2019 interview with the Daily Dish, João said Karlos, two years his junior, was working in yachting in Dubai.

The Daily Beast has reached out to Bravo for comment.

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