• Mexican influencer Valeria Marquez, 23, was shot while livestreaming on TikTok.
• Her murder is being investigated under femicide protocols, highlighting gender-based violence.
• The incident raises societal issues of victim blaming and media distraction from ongoing violence against women.

Valeria Márquez, a 23-year-old beauty influencer, was tragically shot to death while livestreaming on TikTok from her beauty salon in Zapopan, Jalisco, on May 13. The incident has sent shockwaves throughout Mexico, a country grappling with high levels of gender-based violence. The Jalisco State Prosecutor's Office confirmed that Márquez's murder is being investigated under protocols for femicide, which addresses killings based on gender motives, according to BBC and Reuters.

During her final livestream, Márquez expressed concern about an unidentified courier scheduled to deliver an "expensive gift." Just before the incident, she was heard saying, "They're coming," indicating her apprehension. Moments later, she was shot multiple times, and the livestream abruptly ended as another individual picked up her phone, according to Channel News Asia, Reuters, and South China Morning Post.

Márquez had attained significant social media popularity, with nearly 200,000 followers across TikTok and Instagram, where she shared content about beauty and lifestyle. Her murder comes at a time when Mexico is confronting a staggering rate of femicide—ranking fourth in Latin America and the Caribbean, with a homicide count that continues to rise. In Jalisco alone, there have been over 900 homicides recorded since the beginning of President Claudia Sheinbaum's term in October 2024, as noted by BBC, Reuters, and South China Morning Post.

Public and media responses following Márquez's death have sparked conversations about victim blaming and how society quickly moves on after such tragedies. Comments on social media have pointed a finger at her lifestyle, unfairly suggesting that her popularity and past relationships contributed to her demise. Gema Kloppe-Santamaria, a sociologist, remarked on the troubling normalization of violence against women in Mexican society, reflecting a "level of saturation" regarding these crimes, according to Reuters and South China Morning Post.

The investigation into her murder continues, with authorities encouraging a thorough effort to discover those responsible. President Sheinbaum has aimed to assure the public that the security cabinet is engaged in facilitating this investigation, signaling a commitment to address gender-based violence in Mexico, as reported by Channel News Asia and Reuters.