A young Mexican social media influencer was tragically shot to death during a live TikTok broadcast at her workplace, triggering shockwaves across the nation. Authorities have launched an investigation, treating the case as femicide—a gender-based killing of women.
Valeria Marquez, 23, who gained a substantial following with her beauty and makeup content, was broadcasting from a beauty salon in Zapopan, Jalisco, when an unidentified man entered and fatally shot her. The Jalisco state prosecutor confirmed the incident in a statement released Tuesday night.
Moments before the attack, Marquez, who had nearly 200,000 followers across Instagram and TikTok, appeared uneasy on her livestream, holding a stuffed toy. She mentioned an “expensive gift” left for her at the salon when she wasn’t there, expressing discomfort about the situation.
Her final moments were captured on the livestream. She was seen answering, “Yes,” to a voice calling her name, before muting the audio. Seconds later, she was shot. A figure briefly appeared on the screen, seemingly picking up her phone before the livestream abruptly ended.
Mexican authorities are investigating the case under femicide protocols, which recognize killings driven by gender-based motives. The country has one of the highest femicide rates in Latin America, with 1.3 deaths per 100,000 women in 2023, according to the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean.
Jalisco, where the incident occurred, ranks sixth among Mexico’s 32 states for homicides, with 906 recorded since President Claudia Sheinbaum took office in October 2024, based on data from TResearch.
