A popular TikTok beauty influencer, Valeria Márquez, 23, was tragically shot dead while conducting a live stream from her beauty salon in Zapopan, a suburb of Guadalajara. The shocking incident, which unfolded on Tuesday, has sent waves of grief and outrage across social media and highlighted the ongoing crisis of violence against women in Mexico.
Márquez, who had amassed a significant following of nearly 200,000 on TikTok and Instagram through her beauty and lifestyle content, was reportedly interacting with someone off-camera, believed to be a delivery person, moments before the fatal attack. In the chilling footage that has since circulated online, Márquez can be heard saying, “They’re coming,” followed by a voice asking, “Hey, Vale?” to which she responded, “Yes.” The audio then abruptly cuts out, followed by the sound of gunshots. The live stream ended shortly after, with a person briefly appearing on screen.
According to local reports and the Jalisco state prosecutor’s office, the assailant arrived on a motorcycle and posed as a delivery worker before opening fire, striking Márquez in the chest and head. She died instantly at her salon, Blossom the Beauty Lounge.
Authorities have launched a full investigation into the crime, treating it as a possible femicide – the gender-motivated killing of a woman. This classification underscores the disturbing prevalence of violence against women in Mexico, where, according to UN data from 2023, the country ties for the fourth-highest rate of femicides in Latin America and the Caribbean. The state of Jalisco itself ranks alarmingly high in the nation for homicides.
Adding to the concern, the prosecutor’s office revealed that earlier in the live stream, Márquez had mentioned an unexpected visitor who had come to her salon with an “expensive gift” in her absence, expressing apprehension about the individual’s return.
The brutal nature of the crime, especially its occurrence during a live broadcast, has ignited widespread condemnation and calls for justice. Social media platforms have been flooded with messages of condolence for Márquez and expressions of horror at the escalating violence in the region. Authorities have urged the public to refrain from sharing the graphic video out of respect for the victim and her family.
In a separate incident hours later in the same area, former Mexican congressman Luis Armando Córdova Díaz was also shot dead at a nearby café, further amplifying concerns about the surge in violence in Jalisco, a state known to be heavily influenced by the New Generation Jalisco Cartel (CJNG).
The tragic death of Valeria Márquez serves as a stark reminder of the persistent dangers faced by women in Mexico and the urgent need for effective measures to combat gender-based violence. Her vibrant presence on social media has been silenced in a brutal act, leaving her followers and the wider community in mourning and demanding accountability.