Influencer’s murder in Jalisco to be investigated as possible femicide

Mexican quality influencer Valeria Márquez was changeable and killed portion livestreaming successful her Jalisco salon connected Tuesday, a transgression that authorities are treating arsenic a imaginable femicide.

The 23-year-old was broadcasting connected TikTok from Blossom Beauty Lounge successful the Guadalajara suburb of Zapopan, Jalisco, erstwhile a antheral entered and changeable her twice. She died instantly.

Jalisco authorities prosecutors accidental they are investigating the influencer’s execution arsenic a femicide. Márquez’s decease comes amid rising interest astir gender-based unit successful Mexico, where, according to the U.N., astir 10 women are murdered each day.

While prosecutors announced connected Thursday greeting that they person not yet identified a suspect, Milenio paper had speculated a time earlier that a notorious narco deed antheral was perchance down the murder.

Citing unnamed sources progressive successful the investigation, Milenio and Newsweek named Ricardo Ruiz Velasco — a subordinate of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) — arsenic the premier suspect. Local media reported that Ruiz and Márquez had been romantically progressive for respective months.

Ruiz has been linked to the 2012 execution of Venezuelan exemplary Daisy Ferrer Arenas successful Guadalajara. In 2017, Ruiz allegedly took portion successful the execution of an influencer who had insulted CJNG person Nemesio Oseguera.

Valeria Márquez poses for a societal media collaboration with jewelry marque Golden Deluxe. (Instagram)

Media speculation initially identified Vivian De la Torre, a person of Márquez and besides an influencer, arsenic a idiosyncratic of interest. Prosecutors announced they bash not presently see her a suspect.

Márquez had been speaking astir a bid of gifts she had received from De la Torre erstwhile she was gunned down. She mentioned that she was expecting an costly acquisition astatine immoderate infinitesimal and De la Torre allegedly told Márquez to enactment astatine the salon and hold for the delivery.

A pistillate is past heard saying a antheral has arrived with a package. As the influencer responded affirmatively that she was Valeria Márquez, she muted the broadcast. Moments aboriginal she was shot.

Zapopan Mayor Juan José Frangie said determination was nary grounds of Márquez filing immoderate complaints that threats had been made against her.

Márquez had much than 200,000 followers connected TikTok and Instagram. Her TikTok relationship was deleted soon aft her death.

With reports from Animal Político, BBC, El Financiero, Newsweek and Milenio