A rising social media star in Mexico was gunned down during a livestream in a chilling attack that highlights the growing intersection of organized crime and digital fame.
Valeria Márquez, a 23-year-old beauty influencer, was shot and killed while broadcasting live on TikTok from a beauty salon in Zapopan, Jalisco—a city frequently linked to cartel operations. The assailant, reportedly disguised as a delivery driver, approached her with a stuffed toy and coffee before opening fire at close range. He then fled the scene on a motorcycle.
Local authorities are treating the killing as a targeted act. Early reports suggest Márquez may have had a previous relationship with a known cartel enforcer, raising suspicions that her murder may have been a retaliatory move by criminal elements.
The execution-style attack mirrors tactics often used by cartels in the region, particularly those associated with the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG)—one of the most powerful and violent criminal organizations in Mexico.
The brazen nature of the murder has sparked national outrage and renewed concerns about impunity, especially when it comes to violence against women and the growing dangers facing public figures in Mexico’s volatile regions.
Human rights advocates and social media users have since flooded platforms with calls for justice and protection for influencers, women, and anyone at risk of becoming collateral in the country’s ongoing struggle with organized crime.
