Shocking video shows moments TikTok influencer shot dead live on stream
She was smiling, interacting with her followers during a routine live stream from her salon.
Seconds later, the unthinkable happened, broadcast live to her fans.
A Routine Day Turns Tragic
Valeria Marquez, a popular 23-year-old beauty influencer, was chatting with her audience.
The scene was her beauty salon in Zapopan, Mexico.
Suddenly, someone appeared at the door with a small package.
Valeria took the parcel, unwrapping a stuffed animal.
"He's a little piglet!" she exclaimed happily to her viewers.
She tossed her long blonde hair and continued the stream, the unexpected gift momentarily brightening her day.
But the delivery wasn't what it seemed.
Investigation Underway
According to the Jalisco Attorney General's office, the incident is being investigated.
The killing is currently being treated as a suspected femicide.
Femicide is defined as the killing of a woman or girl specifically for gender-based reasons.
Investigators say a male intruder shot Marquez inside her salon.
Growing Concerns Over Violence
Valeria Marquez had built a significant following, with over 100,000 Instagram followers.
Her violent death sent shockwaves through Mexico.
The country has long grappled with high levels of violence, including violence against women.
Just days prior, a mayoral candidate in Veracruz was also killed during a live stream.
She was shot dead alongside three other people.
The Scale of the Problem
While not all homicides involving women are classified as femicides, many are investigated as such.
In 2020, one quarter of killings of women in Mexico were investigated as femicides.
Cases were reported in every single one of Mexico's 32 states that year, according to Amnesty International.
Government figures show 847 reported cases of femicide nationwide last year.
Another 162 cases were reported in the first three months of the current year.
Challenges for Authorities
Rights groups have criticized Mexico's response to homicides.
They state that too few investigations result in prosecution.
“In 2022, around 4,000 women were killed in Mexico, which amounts to 12% of all homicides that year,” Human Rights Watch Americas Director Juanita Goebertus told CNN. “And the rate of cases that lead to a verdict is around 67%.”
Goebertus highlighted that a major challenge is increasing the capacity of authorities to investigate crimes effectively.
Protecting witnesses and victims is also a key issue.
The Horrifying Climax Caught Live
Moments after opening the package, the unthinkable occurred.
Valeria Marquez was shot and killed.
She slumped forward in her chair.
Blood began to pool on the desk in front of her.
The live stream, incredibly, continued to record the scene.
The footage only ended when another person entered the room and picked up the phone.
Their face briefly appeared on screen for the horrified viewers.
A spokesperson for the Jalisco Prosecutor’s Office stated that the suspect had reportedly been at the salon earlier that day, asking for Marquez before she arrived.
He returned later, leading to the tragic confrontation captured on video.
The suspect's name has not been publicly released.
Authorities currently do not believe the killing is linked to drug cartels in the area.
The investigation into the shocking incident is ongoing.
