Valeria Márquez, a 23-year-old Mexican social media influencer, was tragically killed during a live broadcast from her beauty salon, Blossom the Beauty Lounge, in Jalisco, Mexico. Márquez, who had a significant following on TikTok and Instagram, had expressed fears for her life just moments before her death. She was shot by a man who had earlier posed as a delivery driver, delivering a stuffed animal and a bag of Starbucks coffee.
During the livestream, Márquez voiced her concerns about her safety, although she did not specify who she believed was a threat. Shortly after, an off-screen voice addressed her, leading her to mute the livestream. The assailant, who had returned to the salon, then shot Márquez in the head and chest, causing her to collapse on camera, according to Denis Rodríguez, a spokesperson for the Jalisco State Prosecutor’s Office.
The assailant had arrived at the salon earlier, claiming to have an “expensive gift” for Márquez. Another man accompanied him on a motorcycle. After the shooting, someone appeared to pick up Márquez’s phone, briefly appearing on the livestream before it ended. TikTok has since deactivated Márquez’s account.
While the identity of the killer remains unknown, the Jalisco region is known to be under the control of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, one of Mexico’s most powerful cartels. Hitmen, known locally as “sicarios,” often similarly target individuals, Rodríguez noted.
Authorities are also investigating a potential connection between Márquez’s murder and the killing of a former congressman in the same area of Guadalajara just hours earlier. The congressman was also killed by gunmen on motorcycles inside a shopping mall.
Márquez’s death has drawn attention to the ongoing issue of femicide in Mexico. According to the United Nations, at least 50,000 women have been murdered in Mexico since 2001. Approximately ten women or girls are killed every day in the country. Márquez’s high-profile lifestyle, which included images of luxury yachts, private jets, and high-end boutiques, has brought her case into the spotlight.
Jalisco ranks sixth among Mexico’s 32 states, including Mexico City, for homicides, with 906 recorded since the start of President Claudia Sheinbaum’s term in October 2024, according to data consultancy TResearch.