Mexican Officials Search for Killer of Social Influencer
Investigation intensifies as authorities hunt the suspect behind the murder of a popular social media influencer in Mexico.
Jalisco state prosecutors are pursuing multiple leads in the brazen killing of Valeria Márquez, a 24-year-old social media personality gunned down during a live broadcast. The attack, which unfolded in real time for her 800,000 TikTok followers, has become the latest flashpoint in Mexico’s crisis of violence against women.
Márquez was mid-sentence discussing makeup techniques when viewers heard her say, “¿Quién es?” (Who is it?)Moments later, gunshots rang out as the camera captured blurred movement. The feed cut abruptly after 37 seconds of chaos, but not before recording the assailant’s motorcycle helmet—a signature of cartel-linked hitmen in the region.
“This wasn’t random—she was hunted,” stated Jalisco Attorney General Luis Méndez at a press conference. Forensic evidence indicates the shooter waited outside Márquez’s Guadalajara studio for 22 minutes before striking.
Investigators are examining three angles:
1. Gender-based violence: Márquez recently obtained a restraining order against an ex-partner with alleged cartel ties.
2. Professional retaliation: Her last exposé on counterfeit cosmetics implicated local businesses.
3. Wrongful identity: The killer may have confused her with a rival influencer sharing the same first name.
The crime has reignited protests over Mexico’s 10 daily femicides. Feminist collectives projected Valeria Marquez’s face onto government buildings with the phrase “¿Cuántas más?” (How many more?). President Sheinbaum pledged a special task force, but critics note similar promises followed the 2020 murder of Ingrid Escamilla.
Valeria Marquez mother told reporters: “They didn’t just kill my daughter—they executed her in front of the whole world. Now the world must demand justice.”
Authorities urge witnesses to come forward, offering a 2 million peso ($120,000) reward for information leading to an arrest.
