‘Below Deck’ Star João Franco & Brother Arrested in Turkey Following Fight That Killed 17-Year-Old

Below Deck alum João Franco and his brother, Karlos Franco, were arrested in Turkey over the weekend following a fistfight that allegedly left a 17-year-old boy dead, per reports from Page Six and Turkish news outlet Haberler.

The incident took place on Saturday (November 7) at a local business in Bodrum’s Muğla district. Reports indicate an argument broke out between the brothers and employees over alleged profanity before escalating into a physical altercation outside. During the confrontation, a 17-year-old employee reportedly fell to the ground, suffered a head injury, and subsequently went into cardiac arrest.

According to Haberler, the teenager was transported to a local hospital to receive treatment but was later pronounced dead. The outlet did not name the suspects, but Page Six reported that João and Karlos had been arrested in Turkey.

Page Six also shared CCTV footage of the reported incident, showing the two men believed to be the reality star and his brother. In the video, Karlos appears to throw the first punch, while a group of men fights back, with one lifting up a stool and attempting to throw it at the Francos.

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João initially appears to attempt to pull his brother away from the crowd before throwing a punch of his own. After this, one of the men falls to the ground and lies there motionless until the fight is broken up less than a minute later.

A source told Page Six that João and Karlos were taken to Bodrum Courthouse and are currently in prison and “awaiting the next steps.”

João first appeared in the Below Deck franchise in 2018, starring in Below Deck Mediterranean before joining Below Deck Down Under in 2023. He featured in Down Under‘s second and fourth seasons.

Representatives for João and Karlos have not yet commented on the matter, nor has Bravo.