What began as a routine TikTok livestream from a local beauty salon ended in tragedy when 23-year-old beauty influencer Valeria Marquez was fatally shot on camera.
Authorities are investigating the incident as a suspected femicide.
The livestream turned horrific as Marquez, smiling moments earlier while showing her followers a plush piglet gift, was suddenly gunned down in her salon chair.
Blood was visible pooling on her workstation as the video continued to roll, only stopping when an unidentified person picked up her phone and ended the broadcast.
According to the Attorney General’s Office in the state of Jalisco, a man had appeared at the salon earlier that day asking for Marquez by name.
He later returned and entered the premises, allegedly carrying out the shooting. Authorities have not released the suspect’s name and have ruled out cartel involvement at this stage of the investigation.
Valeria Marquez, who had over 100,000 followers on Instagram, was a rising beauty influencer known for her hair tutorials and salon business. Her public killing has stunned social media users and drawn renewed attention to Mexico’s alarming record on gender-based violence.
Her murder comes just days after a mayoral candidate in Veracruz was shot and killed during a live broadcast of a campaign event—highlighting a disturbing trend of attacks on women, many of which unfold in public view.
While not all murders of women in Mexico are officially classified as femicides, a growing number are. In 2023, there were 847 reported femicides nationwide. In just the first three months of 2025, 162 cases have already been reported, according to government statistics.
Valeria’s killing underscores the persistent dangers faced by women in Mexico, where violence against women continues to rise, and justice remains elusive. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have both criticized the country’s low prosecution rates and lack of protective measures, with less than 70% of homicide cases reportedly leading to convictions.
“In 2022, around 4,000 women were killed in Mexico,” said Human Rights Watch Americas Director Juanita Goebertus, “and the rate of cases that lead to a verdict is around 67%. That’s simply not enough.”
Human rights advocates are calling on Mexican authorities to invest more resources into investigating femicides, protecting witnesses, and ensuring accountability.
For now, the life of a young woman who simply wanted to share her joy with followers has become another symbol of a deeply rooted national crisis.
The investigation is ongoing.
