DANGEROUS LIAISON

Actor Found Dead After Tinder Date With Two Women

Chilean actor Alex Araya arrived in Medellin, Colombia on June 1. Days later he was found dead at his Airbnb.

Chilean actor Alex Araya may have succumbed to the stealth drug burundanga after he was found dead in his Colombian Airbnb.

The actor was discovered dead on June 7 after a cleaning lady found his corpse in the Medellin Airbnb, according to La Tercera. The night before, Araya reportedly went on a Tinder date with two women, according to his brother, Eduardo, who talked to Chilean newspaper La Tercera. Araya went to the Airbnb at around 11:30 p.m. with the two women—two hours later, only the two women walked out.

The women allegedly stole Araya’s credit cards and cell phone, which they used to pay for Uber rides and jewelry.

Araya is the 29th foreigner to die in Medellin alone this year, and his family believes he may be another victim of burundanga.

Burundanga, or scopolamine, is a drug that, according to a U.S. State Department travel warning, can “render a victim unconscious up to 24 hours or more” and in larger doses can “cause respiratory failure and death.” The State Department released the statement in June 2023 warning travelers of the increase “in reports of incidents involving the use of sedatives to drug and rob individuals.”

The agency added that there have been 50,000 unconfirmed reports of burundanga related druggings in Colombia last year.

Araya’s brother added that he believes “there are more people involved... they are part of a group that is dedicated to doing these types of things,” according to La Tercera.

Now, Colombian authorities are searching for suspects.