Reality television star João Franco, best known for appearing on Bravo’s Below Deck franchise, has been arrested alongside his brother in Turkey after a violent street fight outside a clothing store left a 17-year-old employee dead.
The shocking incident unfolded Saturday, November 7, in the popular tourist destination of Bodrum, where an argument between the brothers and store employees escalated into a chaotic physical confrontation.
Now, newly released surveillance footage has raised disturbing questions about what happened during the deadly altercation.
According to Turkish news reports, Franco, 36, and his younger brother, Carlos, also known as Karlos, were allegedly intoxicated when they became involved in a dispute with employees at a clothing store on Cumhuriyet Street.
Witnesses reportedly claimed the brothers had been using offensive language before the confrontation turned physical.
Security camera footage obtained by Page Six appears to show Karlos throwing the first punch during an argument outside the business.
João, wearing a striped shirt and baseball cap, initially appears to step between his brother and another man in an attempt to separate them.
However, the situation quickly spirals out of control as several other men join the confrontation.
The footage shows punches being exchanged, people pushing and kicking one another, and one individual apparently attempting to use a stool during the fight.
At one point, João appears to throw a punch before a young man falls backward near the entrance of the store.
The teenager, identified by Turkish authorities as 17-year-old Muhammet Koyabakan, reportedly struck his head on nearby steps during the confrontation.
He suffered a severe head injury and went into cardiac arrest, according to local reports.
Emergency responders rushed to the scene and managed to revive him before transporting him to Muğla Training and Research Hospital in critical condition.
Despite doctors’ efforts, Koyabakan died Monday, November 9, two days after the fight.
His death transformed what began as a street confrontation into a criminal investigation that has now attracted international attention.
Turkish authorities detained both João and Karlos before bringing them to the Bodrum Courthouse, where a judge ordered them held in custody as the investigation continued.
According to the Associated Press, the brothers told investigators that they had been attacked and were acting in self-defense.
Both reportedly denied striking Koyabakan.
Karlos allegedly told police that his brother repeatedly tried to stop the confrontation and suggested the teenager may have lost his balance during the fight.
The exact sequence of events leading to Koyabakan’s fatal injury remains under investigation, and authorities have not publicly clarified the specific criminal charges against the brothers.
The arrest has stunned fans familiar with João’s years aboard luxury yachts on Bravo’s popular reality television franchise.
Born in Zimbabwe, Franco built a career in the yachting industry before making his television debut on Below Deck Mediterranean in 2018.
He returned for another season in 2019, eventually becoming a familiar face to viewers thanks to his outspoken personality and sometimes turbulent relationships with fellow crew members.
He later joined Below Deck Down Under, serving as a senior crew member before returning to the franchise in its fourth season.
Outside television, Franco continued advancing his professional career, eventually becoming a yacht captain.
The deadly incident has also prompted reactions from former castmates.
Fellow Below Deck Mediterranean alum Colin Macy-O’Toole defended Franco after reviewing the surveillance footage, arguing that the video appeared to show his former colleague attempting to calm the situation rather than provoke it.
Macy-O’Toole, who was not present during the altercation, described the teenager’s death as tragic and urged people not to rush to judgment before the full circumstances were established.
Bravo has declined to comment on the arrests.
Meanwhile, Turkish investigators continue examining witness statements and surveillance footage to determine precisely what happened outside the clothing store.
For the family of 17-year-old Muhammet Koyabakan, the confrontation has ended in an irreversible tragedy.
And for Franco, a television personality whose career once centered on navigating the drama aboard luxury yachts, the situation has become far more serious as he and his brother remain in custody awaiting further legal proceedings.