Valeria Márquez, a 23-year-old TikTok beauty influencer, was assassinated live in front of her horrified audience while she was streaming from her beauty salon in Jalisco, Mexico.
The attack, consisting of two shots to the stomach and one to the head, was captured in graphic detail on camera, shocking her mostly teenage viewers and reigniting public outcry over violence against women in the country and the influence of organized crime.
Highlights
- Valeria Márquez, a 23-year-old TikTok influencer, was fatally shot live while streaming from her salon in Jalisco, Mexico.
- The attack was classified as femicide, reflecting the sharp rise of gender-based violence in Mexico since 2015.
- Márquez had previously warned her followers that her ex-boyfriend posed a threat to her safety before the deadly attack.
In the now widely circulated footage, the influencer can be seen smiling and looking out the window of her salon before a gunman on a motorbike opened fire. The video shows her clutching her side before collapsing, as an unidentified woman appears and swiftly turns off her live stream.
Authorities confirmed that the gunman fled the scene on a motorcycle. A manhunt is currently underway to find him and determine the motive behind the crime.
Disclaimer: This story discusses violent gender-based crimes. Reader discretion is advised.
Popular Mexican beauty influencer was assassinated live on camera while streaming to her 100,000-plus audience
Image credits: Valeria Marquez
Jalisco’s Attorney General’s Office has launched an investigation, classifying the shooting as a femicide, believing the influencer to have been explicitly targeted due to her gender.
The office reported that the assailant entered the salon around 6:30 pm local time, confirmed Márquez’s identity, and fired at close range. The attack was reported via 911, prompting the immediate response from local police and forensic personnel.
Image credits: Valeria Marquez
An autopsy will be performed in the coming hours, as per local media. The killing comes just days after another high-profile on-camera assassination of a woman in Mexico. Yesenia Lara Gutierrez, a candidate for mayor from the ruling Morena party, was shot dead alongside her daughter and three supporters during a campaign livestream in Veracruz.
Image credits: Valeria Marquez
Both incidents have drawn national attention to the deteriorating security climate in the lead-up to Mexico’s June judicial elections, during which voters will elect nine Supreme Court justices as well as more than 380 district court judges and 460 circuit court magistrates.
The historical election is the first of its kind in Mexican history and follows the country’s 2024 judicial reform.
Gender-based violence has experienced a marked increase in recent years in Mexico
Image credits: Valeria Marquez
Márquez’ case has brought attention to the rise of gender-based violence in Mexico. According to non-profit organizations such as Visions of Humanity, there’s been an increase of approximately 120 percent in femicide cases since 2015, reaching an all-time high in 2022 with 968 reported incidents.
Intimate violence also remains a troubling issue, with the organization’s latest report confirming that both family violence and s*xual assault have experienced a steady increase since 2015—a concerning stat considering most cases go unreported.
Image credits: En Directo Noticias Jalisco
“Recent estimates suggest that about 93 per cent of sexual violence cases go unreported, or do not result in an investigation. Many victims do not even file complaints, owing to factors such as fear of retaliation and distrust in authorities,” the study stated.
“National survey data indicates that for every sexual offense committed against a man, nine are committed against women. Moreover, seven in ten women over the age of 15 report experiencing some form of violence in their lifetimes.”
While authorities haven’t confirmed a suspect, many believe the attack was connected to Márquez’ ex-boyfriend
Image credits: jarahumilde
In the hours following the attack, fans flooded Márquez’s Instagram profile with messages demanding justice and pointing to a troubling backstory.
Multiple reports suggest the influencer had expressed fears for her safety in recent weeks and had publicly named a former romantic partner as a potential threat.
The latest information reported by local outlets reveals that Márquez had written messages warning that her ex-boyfriend could harm her.
Image credits: blossom.beauty.ig
In a now-viral Instagram story in which she showed her bruised legs, she stated: “This is the work of my current partner with whom I lived, that’s why I call him my ‘ex.’ I hold him responsible for anything that happens to me or my family. Even if I have to leave the city.”
Image credits: Valeria Marquez
The revelation added a new layer to the investigation, yet Jalisco authorities have not publicly confirmed a suspect. Still, early reports suggest they are looking into Márquez’ former partner as a person of interest.
As the investigation continues, tributes continue to pour in for the influencer, who was considered a rising social media star known for sharing beauty tips, lifestyle content, and her entrepreneurial journey as the owner of a salon.
"Horrible." Netizens took to social media to express their shock over the gruesome attack
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