Moments Before Mexican Influencer Was Shot Dead During TikTok Livestream

A Mexican social media influencer was shot dead while live-streaming on TikTok. Valeria Marquez, 23, was murdered by a man who entered her beauty salon in Guadalajara city of Mexico's Jalisco, on the pretext of delivering a gift before opening fire at her, the state prosecutor's office said.

Marquez was mid-livestream from her Blossom the Beauty Lounge salon when the incident occurred, a clip of which was shared by RT on X. In the footage, the TikToker was seen seated at a table, clutching a stuffed toy, and talking to her followers. Seconds before the incident, she was heard saying, "they're coming," before a voice in the background asked, "Hey, Vale?"

"Yes," Marquez replied, just before muting the sound on the live stream.

Moments later, shots are heard in the background as Marquez clutched her ribcage before collapsing on the table. A person appeared to pick up her phone, with their face briefly showing on the livestream before the video ended.

Per reports, Marquez had said earlier on the livestream that someone came to the salon when she was not there with an "expensive gift" to deliver to her. She apparently appeared concerned and said she was not planning to wait for the person to come back.

Marquez took a bullet to her chest and head and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to a report by the New York Post. The report said the gunman came on a motorbike and pretended to deliver a gift to her. 

The influencer had nearly 2,00,000 followers on Instagram and TikTok, and was known for sharing beauty and lifestyle clips online.

According to police, Marquez's killing is being investigated according to protocols for femicide, which means the killing of women or girls for reasons of gender. Femicide can involve degrading violence, sexual abuse, a relationship with the murderer, or the victim's body being exposed in a public space, according to the Jalisco state prosecutor. 

The prosecutor's office did not name a suspect.

Mexico is tied with Paraguay, Uruguay and Bolivia as the countries with the fourth-highest rates of femicide in Latin America and the Caribbean, according to the latest data from the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, at 1.3 such deaths for every 100,000 women in 2023.

Jalisco is ranked sixth out of Mexico's 32 states, including Mexico City, for homicides, with 906 recorded there since the beginning of President Claudia Sheinbaum's term in October 2024, according to data consultancy TResearch.

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