- Valeria Marquez, a 23-year-old beauty influencer, was killed live on TikTok in Guadalajara, Mexico.
- The shooter posed as a delivery person bringing a gift before opening fire.
- The case is being investigated as femicide amid Mexico’s ongoing gender violence crisis.
Valeria Marquez was livestreaming from her beauty salon when a man arrived pretending to deliver a gift. Seconds after she acknowledged his presence, gunshots rang out, and Marquez collapsed on camera, clutching her chest before dying at the scene. The violent act was captured in chilling real-time footage shared widely on social media.
Authorities have opened a femicide investigation into the killing, reflecting the broader issue of gender-based violence in Mexico. The country reports one of the highest femicide rates in Latin America, with nearly 10 women killed daily due to gender-related violence. Despite Marquez’s online visibility, local officials confirmed no prior reports of threats from her side.
Gender Violence Claims Life of Mexican TikTok Star in Live Broadcast
The attack occurred in Zapopan, a suburb of Guadalajara, where Marquez operated her salon and engaged with thousands of followers through beauty and lifestyle content. Her nearly 200,000 followers across TikTok and Instagram reacted with shock and grief following the fatal livestream.
The perpetrator reportedly arrived on a motorcycle and gained entry by pretending to deliver an expensive gift, which raised suspicions for Marquez during the livestream. Moments before the shooting, she seemed uneasy, even muting the livestream audio as the man approached.
The Jalisco state prosecutor’s office is leading the investigation but has not yet named a suspect. Forensic teams are gathering evidence to understand the motive, with femicide protocols guiding the inquiry due to the gendered nature of the crime.
Mexico struggles with a deeply rooted culture of violence against women, with femicides often involving brutal and public acts of violence. Despite government efforts, the phenomenon persists, making Marquez’s death a grim reminder of the urgent need for societal and legal reforms.
Valeria Marquez’s tragic death underscores the pervasive threat of gender-based violence in Mexico, calling for urgent action to protect women and bring justice to victims of femicide.
“The killing of women because of their gender is not just a crime—it’s a societal failure that demands immediate attention and change.” — Jalisco State Prosecutor’s Office
