A 21-year-old former pageant winner turned police officer has died after being found with a gunshot wound to her head – and her cop boyfriend is the prime suspect.

Araceli Denise Aracena Frassa was only 21 years old when she was found injured in Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, on Saturday evening, 12th February.

She had reportedly been elected ‘Reina de los estudiantes’ (‘Queen of the Students’) at the Colegio Comercio Juan XXIII school in her hometown of General Mosconi in Salta Province in 2017.

After she was found injured, the young woman was reportedly taken to the Ramos Mejia Hospital alive, but she died a few minutes after arriving due to the haemorrhage caused by the bullet.

Araceli’s partner, named as Hernan Pocce, age not reported, is the main suspect in the case, although the police have not yet ruled out suicide. Pocce is also reportedly an officer with the Argentine Federal Police.

Neighbours are quoted in local media as saying that on the day of the incident, the couple had a violent argument before a single gunshot was heard followed by silence.

The police questioned the boyfriend, who confirmed what the neighbours had said, but he alleges that despite the gunshot having come from his service weapon, she took her own life.

The investigation is ongoing, and the suspect is not thought to have been formally charged at the time of writing. It is currently unclear what the couple had been arguing about.