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Murders of Mexican and Colombian Influencers Highlight Gender-Based Violence Crisis

Valeria Marquez and Maria Jose Estupinan were both fatally attacked by men posing as delivery workers, with investigations probing cartel links and domestic abuse motives.

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Maria Jose Estupinan aka La Mona was fatally shot earlier this week
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Overview

  • Mexican influencer Valeria Marquez, 23, was shot dead during a TikTok livestream inside her Jalisco salon by a man disguised as a delivery driver.
  • Colombian influencer Maria Jose Estupinan, 22, was killed outside her Cucuta home by a similarly disguised man, one day after winning a domestic abuse case against her ex-boyfriend.
  • Mexican authorities are investigating potential cartel involvement in Marquez's murder, including links to a congressman's killing hours earlier in the same region.
  • Colombian police have identified Estupinan's ex-boyfriend as a key suspect in her murder but have not yet made any arrests.
  • The killings underscore the systemic challenges of addressing femicide and gender-based violence in Latin America, where conviction rates remain low despite rising cases.