Mexico’s security cabinet is leading an investigation into the murder of Valeria Márquez, a 23-year-old beauty influencer shot dead during a TikTok livestream, President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed on Thursday.
The killing, suspected to be a femicide, has ignited national outrage in a country grappling with endemic gender-based violence.
Márquez was targeted on Tuesday while working at a salon in Zapopan, Jalisco. Security footage and her livestream captured chilling moments before the attack: she clutched a stuffed toy, murmured “They’re coming,” and muted the audio after responding to a voice off-camera. Seconds later, a gunman entered and shot her in the head and chest. Paramedics pronounced her dead at the scene, according to local reports.
The assailant remains unidentified, though Jalisco prosecutors revealed Márquez had mentioned an unidentified visitor attempting to deliver an “expensive gift” earlier that day. President Claudia Sheinbaum vowed on Thursday her cabinet would prioritise “justice for Valeria and her family.”
The case underscores Mexico’s femicide crisis, with 1.3 gender-motivated killings per 100,000 women in 2023, among the highest rates in Latin America. Jalisco, a state plagued by cartel violence, ranks sixth nationally for homicides, recording 909 since Sheinbaum took office in October 2024.
Femicide prosecutions require evidence of gender-based motives, such as sexual violence or public body disposal. Márquez’s murder, streamed to her 200,000 followers, has amplified demands for stricter protections.
