Mexico: The brutal killing of 23-year-old beauty influencer Valeria Marquez during a live TikTok stream has stunned Mexico and reignited concerns over the country’s persistent wave of gender-based violence. The young content creator, known for her beauty tutorials and engaging online presence, was shot to death in broad daylight inside a beauty salon in Zapopan, Jalisco — a tragic event captured in real-time by her own phone camera.
According to the Jalisco state prosecutor's office, the case is being investigated under femicide protocols, which apply when a woman's killing is believed to be motivated by gender. Mexican law defines femicide as the killing of a woman due to her gender, often marked by extreme violence, prior threats, intimate partner links, or public humiliation of the body.
On Tuesday, Marquez was live on TikTok, speaking softly to her audience while holding a stuffed toy, when she appeared visibly unsettled. Just before the attack, she mentioned someone had come to the salon earlier with an "expensive gift" for her while she wasn’t there — a detail she shared with hesitation, adding she wasn’t planning to wait around for the person to return. Seconds before the shooting, a male voice asked, “Hey, Vale?” to which she responded, “Yes,” and then muted the stream.
Moments later, she was fatally shot. After the gunfire, someone approached and picked up her phone, with their face briefly visible before the livestream cut off.
Valeria had built a following of nearly 200,000 on TikTok and Instagram, becoming a rising star among Mexico’s beauty influencers. Her sudden death has drawn outrage online, with fans and advocates calling for justice and better protection for women, especially those in the public eye.
Femicide remains a deep crisis in Mexico. According to 2023 data from the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, the country ties with Paraguay, Uruguay, and Bolivia for the fourth-highest rate of femicides in the region — at 1.3 deaths per 100,000 women. The state of Jalisco, where Valeria was murdered, ranks sixth in total homicides nationwide, with 906 killings reported since President Claudia Sheinbaum took office in October 2024, as per data from consultancy group TResearch.
So far, no suspect has been publicly identified or arrested in connection with Valeria’s murder.
Her death adds another devastating name to the long list of women killed in Mexico simply for being women — a list that has stirred protests for years and forced lawmakers to confront a deepening social crisis. Advocacy groups have demanded more accountability from local authorities, especially in cases where victims had voiced prior concerns or were visible public figures potentially facing targeted harassment.
As tributes continue to pour in for Valeria on social media, her killing has become a grim reminder of the risks women face daily — not just in private spaces, but even while performing ordinary parts of their lives in public view.
The investigation remains ongoing.
