A former Venezuelan beauty queen with a law degree died on the streets after spending the last 15 years of her life homeless.

Damarys Ruiz, 68, shot to stardom in 1973 at the age of 26 when she entered the Miss Venezuela contest to represent her home state.

But her body was found in a park in the country's capital Caracas this week, but none of her family have visited the hospital to identify her.

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Heartbreaking end: Damarys Ruiz, 68, died on the streets after spending the last 15 years of her life homeless

Heyday: The brunette shot to stardom in 1973 at the age of 26 when she entered the Miss Venezuela contest

Despite being just 5ft 2" tall, the beautiful Miss Sucre - a state in the north of Venezuela - impressed the judges with her intelligence and looks, including her hourglass figure.

Despite her fame and popularity, Ms Ruiz never made it to the big time. After deciding not to pursue a career in law, she began selling homemade crafts and junk jewellery in Caracas.

She never had a proper boyfriend and instead lived with her brother, who according to friends was jealous of her and didn't allow her any freedom.

In a rare interview in 2005, Ms Ruiz told local media: ' He used to starve me. He often threatened me and often hit me.

'I repeatedly called the police but they never did anything.'

Not able to stand the abuse, she fled in 2000 and, with nowhere else to go, started living on the streets.

Despite being just 5ft 2" tall, the beautiful Miss Sucre (left in 1973 and right more recently) impressed the judges with her intelligence and looks

Rosalba Gomes, who had known Ms Ruiz for the last two years of her life, said: 'I saw her two or three times in the week and I talked to her for long hours.

'Her life ended up with great depression, without receiving support from her family or friends. She couldn't see any way to escape the trap she was in.

'She was a beautiful woman inside and outside.

'My cute little old lady. This lady was wonderful, educated and a great conversationalist. She was a lawyer and studied several years in the university and had opinions about everything.

'I loved to listen to her and her stories, anecdotes, we talked about everything.'