Authorities in Jalisco say they have made a breakthrough in the murder case of Valeria Márquez, a 23-year-old beauty influencer who was shot and killed May 13 while livestreaming on TikTok from her beauty salon.
Jalisco Gov. Pablo Lemus Navarro told reporters that surveillance cameras captured the moment the alleged suspects fled the scene in two separate vehicles following the killing.
"That's where we got the evidence showing us where they went after the murder. Once they killed her, the two suspects took different routes in two different vehicles—one motorcycle and one white sedan," Lemus detailed.
Márquez was livestreaming from her salon when a man posing as a delivery driver entered the business and opened fire after confirming her identity. She was struck in the chest and head and was pronounced dead at the scene.
As reported by Infobae, the Jalisco Attorney General's Office has interviewed more than 20 people from Márquez's inner circle, including family members, friends and witnesses. Among them is Vivian de la Torre, a friend of Márquez who has been accused on social media of being involved in the crime.
Although she has not been formally named a suspect, followers of Márquez pointed out that de la Torre encouraged her to stay at the salon just minutes before the attack after Márquez mentioned she was about to leave.
Lemus said authorities are pursuing three lines of investigation to identify the suspects. He publicly denied any link between Márquez and organized crime, countering reports from last week that alleged she was in a relationship with a high-ranking member of the Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) operating in Zapopan.
"We have a lot of information. There are three lines of investigation being developed in parallel," Lemus said. He declined to provide details on possible motives but ruled out the theory that Márquez had ties to criminal groups, including reports linking her to Ricardo Ruiz Velasco, also known as "El Doble R," a top CJNG leader in Zapopan.
Despite reports identifying Ruiz Velasco as a possible suspect, Denis Rodríguez, spokesperson for the Jalisco Attorney General's Office, said no one has been formally identified. However, authorities believe the attacker did not personally know Márquez, suggesting the killing may have been a case of murder-for-hire.
In the latest developments, on May 19, a suspicious bouquet of flowers was left at the doorstep of Márquez's salon—six days after the murder. The bouquet, wrapped in paper with the word "Sorry" written on it, was placed next to candles and other floral arrangements left by fans.
Authorities labeled the bouquet "suspicious" and confirmed that surveillance footage is being reviewed to identify who left it.
🔴🌹 Aparece ramo de flores con la leyenda “PERDÓN” afuera de la estética donde asesinaron a la tiktoker Valeria Márquez
— Milenio (@Milenio) May 19, 2025
La Fiscalía de Jalisco ya investiga el hecho.
📹 @ToledoUsi pic.twitter.com/DPKLg6no2a
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