A popular TikTok beauty influencer was shot dead during a live stream at her salon in Jalisco, Mexico, in a brutal killing that authorities are investigating as a suspected femicide. The victim, identified as Marquez, was a social media personality with over 100,000 Instagram followers.
According to the Jalisco Attorney General’s office, a male assailant entered Marquez’s salon and opened fire while she was broadcasting live. The harrowing footage captured the moment of the attack, showing Marquez slumping over in her chair with blood pooling on her desk. The livestream continued until another individual picked up her phone, briefly revealing their face to viewers before the feed ended.
Marquez’s death has sparked widespread outrage in a country grappling with rampant violence against women. Her killing comes just days after a female mayoral candidate in Veracruz was gunned down during her own livestream, alongside three others.
Femicide, the gender-based killing of women, remains a severe crisis in Mexico. Amnesty International reports that in 2020, 25% of all female homicides in the country were classified as femicides, with cases reported in every one of Mexico’s 32 states.
According to official statistics, 847 femicides were reported in 2023 alone. In the first quarter of 2024, 162 cases have already been recorded. Human Rights Watch notes that approximately 4,000 women were killed in Mexico in 2022, representing 12% of total homicides, yet only around 67% of cases result in a verdict.
Human rights organizations continue to criticize Mexico’s inadequate response to gender-based violence, pointing to systemic failures in investigations and insufficient protection for victims and witnesses.
As investigations into Marquez’s murder continue, her death underscores the urgent need for stronger legal and social protections for women in Mexico.
Written By Rodney Mbua
