Mexican Influencer Valeria Márquez Fatally Shot on Livestream in Suspected Cartel-Linked Femicide
Valeria Márquez, a 23-year-old Mexican model and TikTok influencer with over 113,000 followers, was tragically shot and killed during a livestream while at a beauty salon in Jalisco, a region notorious for cartel violence. Authorities have confirmed the attack was a targeted hit, likely carried out by a hired assassin, and are investigating the murder as a femicide under Mexican law.
The shocking killing occurred shortly after Márquez voiced concern about two suspicious men who had visited the salon earlier that day claiming to have an expensive gift for her. In a chilling video filmed minutes before her death, Márquez expressed fear, saying, “Maybe they were going to kill me… I’m worried.”
Moments after the men returned and asked for her by name, Márquez was heard saying, “They’re coming,” before muting the livestream. She was then fatally shot in the head and chest. A person was seen picking up her phone before the video abruptly ended.
Gunman Fled on Motorbike After Targeted Killing
According to prosecutors, the masked gunman escaped the scene on a motorcycle with an accomplice. Investigators believe the attacker did not personally know Márquez, indicating that he was likely a sicario — a cartel-hired assassin. The Jalisco State Prosecutor’s Office is also probing potential connections between Márquez’s murder and the killing of a former congressman in the same area hours earlier, also executed by two motorcycle-riding assailants.
President Claudia Sheinbaum Responds to Influencer’s Death
Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum offered her condolences to Márquez’s family, describing the incident as a heartbreaking reflection of the ongoing crisis of gender-based violence and cartel-related killings in Mexico. She confirmed that the national security cabinet is working closely with the prosecutor’s office to investigate the motive and apprehend those responsible.
“We are working to find those responsible and determine the motive behind this situation… Our solidarity goes out to her family,” said Sheinbaum during a press conference.
Jalisco's Escalating Violence and Femicide Crisis
The brutal murder of Valeria Márquez has sparked outrage across Mexico, drawing attention to the country's escalating femicide rates and unchecked cartel violence. Jalisco, a stronghold of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), ranks sixth in the country for total homicides, with 909 killings recorded since Sheinbaum assumed office in October 2024, according to data from TResearch.
Friends and family held a funeral for Márquez on Thursday, mourning the loss of a young woman whose life and influence had only just begun.