Tragic Trend: Colombian Influencer Shot Days After Similar Murder of Mexican Star
A 22-year-old Colombian model and influencer was shot dead by a gunman posing as a delivery person. This incident comes just days after a similar tragedy struck in Mexico, where a young influencer was also murdered under deceptive circumstances.
Maria Jose Estupinan, a university student from Cucuta, Colombia, was shot at close range when she opened her door to the fake deliveryman. Magda Victoria Acosta, who heads the National Gender Commission of the Colombian Judiciary, shared details during a news conference, as reported by CNN.
Surveillance footage captured the suspect fleeing Estupinan's home right after the shooting, with desperate cries for help echoing in the background, according to NDTV.
This shocking event follows the murder of 23-year-old Valeria Márquez, who was killed while livestreaming from her salon in Jalisco, Mexico. Márquez was targeted by a motorcyclist who pretended to deliver a gift, highlighting a disturbing pattern.
Estupinan, known for sharing glimpses of her glamorous life and travels on social media, had previously reported an ex-partner for domestic abuse. Colonel Leonardo Capacho, commander of District One of the Cúcuta Metropolitan Police, mentioned in a statement to Noticias Caracol that this could potentially be classified as femicide, given her history of complaints regarding domestic violence.
Her ex-partner had a troubling history of stalking and abuse, as noted by Alejandra Vera, director of the organization Mujer Denuncia y Muévete (Woman Report and Move). This tragic situation has sparked renewed discussions about the alarming rates of femicide in both Colombia and Mexico.
In Colombia alone, there were 633 reported femicides in 2022, with a similar number in 2023, according to the PARES foundation. Meanwhile, the United Nations reports that over 50,000 women have been murdered in Mexico since 2001, a staggering statistic that underscores the severity of the issue.
Acosta expressed her sorrow over Estupinan's death, stating, “She was a young, enterprising woman with a whole life ahead of her, but those dreams are cut short like the dreams of many women in this country.” The tragic losses of Estupinan and Márquez have reignited urgent conversations about the need for change and protection for women in Latin America.
