Amidst the staggering, apocalyptic ruin left behind by the rare double earthquakes that shattered Venezuela last week, a devastating discovery has brought a deeply personal face to a national tragedy.
Skarlent Rodríguez, a prominent Florida pageant queen and model, and her boyfriend, José Castro, have been confirmed dead. Search and rescue teams recovered the couple’s bodies on June 29—found side-by-side beneath the collapsed concrete—four days after a pair of catastrophic, back-to-back tremors tore through the region near the capital city of Caracas.
Found Together in the Ruins
The heartbreaking conclusion to the multi-day search was confirmed by the couple’s relatives in a statement posted to a joint fundraising page. As rescue workers picked through the pulverized remains of what was once a bustling neighborhood, they found the young couple positioned “one beside the other,” remaining together even in their final moments.
While the loss of Skarlent and José has shattered their immediate circles, the devastation for the Castro family runs unfathomably deeper. The family’s public statement revealed that the exact same collapse wiped out nearly an entire generation of José’s bloodline, instantly killing his father, his grandmother, his uncle, and his aunt.
“For this reason, we are calling on everyone who stood by Skarlent and José during these painful times to share this fundraiser and help cover the funeral expenses, which have increased significantly due to this tragedy,” the grieving families wrote on GoFundMe, expressing profound gratitude to the volunteers who risked their own safety to locate their children.
Mourning a Sovereign Symbol of Grace and Light
Born in Venezuela, the 25-year-old Rodríguez had carved out a highly successful career in the United States, balancing high-fashion modeling with elite pageantry. Her star was undeniably on the rise; just last year, she captivated judges to be crowned Miss Grand Orlando 2025.
As news of the recovery spread, the Miss Grand Orlando organization released an emotional tribute to the fallen queen, remembering her as an individual whose internal warmth easily outshone her external accolades.
“She will be remembered not only for her beauty and accomplishments but also for the way she uplifted others and carried herself with dignity and light,” the organization wrote in an official statement. “Her legacy will continue to live on in the hearts of her fellow queens, judges, directors, and all members of the Miss Grand Florida family.”
Beyond the traditional pageant circuit, Rodríguez was a familiar face in the sports entertainment world, working internationally as a brand ambassador and Monster Energy Girl. The global beverage brand joined the chorus of mourning, releasing a statement to honor her impact on their corporate family.
“Our hearts are broken as we remember Skarlent, who was tragically lost during the devastating earthquakes in Venezuela,” the company’s tribute read. “Skarlent’s beautiful spirit touched so many lives, and her smile will never be forgotten. She will be deeply missed by the entire Monster Energy family. Rest peacefully, Skarlent.”
A Country Buried Under the Numbers
The private horror experienced by the Rodríguez and Castro families is currently being mirrored tens of thousands of times across Venezuela.
The country is grappling with the catastrophic fallout of a rare seismic anomaly: two massive earthquakes, registering at violent magnitudes of 7.1 and 7.5, striking within mere seconds of one another. The hyper-concentrated energy release systematically leveled older concrete high-rises and residential hillsides alike.
During a somber press briefing covered by NPR, National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez unveiled the latest staggering statistics compiled by emergency agencies:
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2,295 citizens are officially confirmed dead.
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More than 11,200 individuals are hospitalized with severe injuries.
The humanitarian crisis is further complicated by a massive, chaotic missing persons register. Data published by the specialized tracking portal Desaparecidos Terremoto Venezuela indicated that immediately following the disaster on June 26, over 57,000 citizens had been logged as completely unaccounted for.
While frantic efforts by neighborhood brigades and international crews have successfully pulled more than 7,800 survivors and victims from the debris, just under 50,000 people remain lost in the ruins. As the critical window for survival slams shut, the country faces the grim reality that many more families will mirror the tragic story of Skarlent and José—waiting by the rubble only to bring their loved ones home together, one last time.