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.