The social media influencer who was shot lifeless throughout a livestream on TikTok within the Mexican state of Jalisco gave the impression to be murdered by a success man and expressed worry earlier than being killed, prosecutors stated on Thursday.
The grisly homicide of 23-year-old Valeria Márquez on Tuesday shocked the Latin American nation, igniting rumors in regards to the motive behind her killing in a area that’s been eclipsed by cartel violence lately. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated her administration is working with native investigators to trace down the killer and prolonged her condolences to Márquez’s household.
Denis Rodríguez, a spokesperson for the Jalisco State Prosecutor’s Workplace, offered new particulars on the killing on Thursday, however stated prosecutors had been nonetheless investigating the dying of the mannequin and wonder influencer with greater than 113,000 followers on the social media app.
@v___marquez/through Instagram/through REUTERS
Rodríguez stated that early Tuesday afternoon, hours earlier than the taking pictures, a masked man posing as a supply driver arrived on the magnificence salon on the outskirts of Guadalajara, accompanied by one other man on a bike. Based on a lady within the salon, the boys stated that they had a “very expensive” present for Márquez that they needed to ship in particular person. When Márquez arrived and heard folks had been searching for her she expressed worry in her livestream.
“Maybe they were going to kill me,” she stated within the video minutes earlier than she was killed. “Were they going to come and take me away, or what? I’m worried.”
When the boys returned, they requested if it was Márquez who was now within the salon, one thing that prompted prosecutors to imagine that the boys had been employed assassins, Rodríguez stated.
“The aggressor arrived asking if the victim (Márquez) was there. So it appears he didn’t know her,” Rodríguez stated. “With that, you can deduce – without jumping to conclusions – that this was a person who was paid. It was obviously someone who came with a purpose.”
Marquez was seen on the livestream saying, “they’re coming,” earlier than a voice off display screen requested “Hey, Vale?” and Marquez replied “yes,” the Reuters information company reported.
Márquez was handed a stuffed animal and a bag of Starbucks espresso whereas she was on the livestream, and was shot within the head and the chest, collapsing on digital camera. TikTok has since taken down the influencer’s account.
Whereas it was nonetheless unclear who was behind the killing, the area is firmly managed by probably the most highly effective cartels in Mexico, the Jalisco New Era Cartel, and Rodríguez famous murders by employed weapons on bikes, typically often known as “sicarios,” have grow to be a standard prevalence.
The Jalisco New Era Cartel has not too long ago been accused of utilizing pretend job ads to lure new members and of torturing and killing recruits who resist.
Rodríguez stated that authorities had been additionally investigating if the dying was linked to the homicide of a former congressman simply hours earlier in the identical space of Guadalajara, additionally carried out by two males on a bike. The state prosecutor’s workplace stated he was killed inside a shopping center in Zapopan.
Femicide epidemic and violence towards influencers
Márquez’s homicide has shocked Mexico — the place killings and kidnappings are a each day prevalence — and introduced into sharp focus each its femicide epidemic and rising violence towards influencers.
It’s not the primary homicide of a social media star in Mexico, which has a historical past of musicians, influencers and different celebrities getting caught up within the legal underworld.
In January, a small airplane was reported to have dropped pamphlets on the northwestern cartel stronghold of Culiacan threatening round 20 artists and YouTubers for alleged dealings with a warring faction of the Sinaloa drug cartel.
A number of influencers in Sinaloa have already been killed.
David Saucedo, an impartial professional on Mexican cartels, stated individuals who have fallen afoul of the gangs embody informants, cash launderers and people in romantic relationships with criminals.
“Influencers have become another cog in the machine of organized crime,” he stated.
Zapopan mayor Juan Jose Frangie stated that his workplace has no document of Marquez requesting assist from authorities due to threats towards her.
Stringer / REUTERS
“It’s incredible that (one minute) you’re making a video and then you’re murdered. A femicide is the worst thing,” Frangie stated.
Based on the United Nations, 70 p.c of girls over the age of 15 have skilled some type of assault a minimum of as soon as of their lives in Mexico. Since 2001, a minimum of 50,000 ladies have been murdered in Mexico, in keeping with the U.N, however solely 2% of instances finish in a legal sentence and just one in 10 victims studies their aggressor.
Round 10 ladies or ladies are murdered each day within the Latin American nation, however few draw as a lot consideration as Marquez’s sudden dying whereas interacting along with her followers.
On Marquez’s Instagram account, the place pictures confirmed the younger lady lounging on a yacht, by a swimming pool and in a non-public airplane, some customers paid tribute to the influencer.
Others speculated in regards to the motive, the sources of her obvious wealth and potential position of an ex-boyfriend.
“Justice for Valeria,” a number of posts demanded.
“So young and beautiful, she did not deserve to have her life taken away,” one consumer wrote.
Agence France-Presse contributed to this report.
