A Mexican influencer was shot dead inside her beauty salon during a TikTok livestream, moments after she voiced fears about being killed. Valeria Marquez was known for showcasing a lavish lifestyle, often posting images aboard yachts, next to private jets, and shopping at upscale boutiques.
“Maybe they were going to kill me,” the 23-year-old said during the livestream from her salon in Jalisco on Tuesday. “Were they going to come and take me away? I’m worried.”
Shortly after her remarks, a man off-screen called out, “Hey Vale,” to which she responded, “Yes?” and then muted the video.
Ms Marquez was handed a stuffed animal and a Starbucks coffee bag before she was shot in the head and chest by a man who had earlier posed as a delivery driver, according to Denis Rodriguez, spokesperson for the Jalisco State Prosecutor’s Office.
Mr Rodriguez told CBS News that the attacker had arrived earlier on a motorcycle with another man, claiming to deliver an “expensive gift” to the influencer. After handing over the items, the man left, only to return and carry out the fatal shooting.
A person appeared to pick up Ms Marquez’s phone after the shooting, with their face briefly shown on the livestream before it ended. TikTok has since taken down her account.
While the shooter has not been identified, Mr Rodriguez noted the region is under the control of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. The method used, gunmen on motorcycles, is a tactic commonly employed by cartel hitmen, known locally as “sicarios.”
“The aggressor arrived asking if the victim (Ms Marquez) was there. So it appears he didn’t know her,” Mr Rodriguez said. “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.”
Authorities are also looking into whether Ms Marquez’s murder is connected to the killing of a former Congressman just hours earlier in the same area of Guadalajara. That attack, too, was carried out by gunmen on motorcycles inside a shopping mall.