Mexican Beauty Influencer Shot To Death During TikTok Livestream

In Mexico City on May 14, a young Mexican social media influencer, known for her beauty and makeup videos, was tragically killed while livestreaming on Tiktok, causing shock across a country grappling with high levels of gender-based violence.

The death of Valeria Marquez, 23, is being looked into as a potential femicide, the Jalisco state prosecutor stated on Tuesday. Femicide in Mexico can encompass various forms of violence against women, including sexual abuse and degradation.

Marquez was fatally shot in the beauty salon where she worked in Zapopan by a man who entered the premises. Moments before the shooting, she was seen on the livestream holding a stuffed toy and mentioning that someone was approaching. Shortly after muting the sound, she was killed. The suspect remains unidentified.

Marquez, who had a substantial following on Instagram and Tiktok, had expressed concern on the livestream about an individual delivering an “expensive gift” to the salon when she wasn’t present.

Mexico ranks among countries with high rates of femicide in Latin America and the Caribbean. Jalisco is listed as the sixth state in Mexico for homicides, with over 900 cases reported since President Claudia Sheinbaum took office in October 2024, according to data from TResearch.