Mexican TikTok influencer Esmeralda Ferrer Garibay and her family were found dead inside a pickup truck in the San Andres neighbourhood of Guadalajara on August 22. 32-year-old Esmeralda, her 36-year-old husband Roberto Carlos Gil Licea, their 13-year-old son Gael Santiago, and their 7-year-old daughter Regina has fallen victim to the brutal killing. According to authorities, their bodies were wrapped in plastic. Prosecutor Alfonso Gutierrez Santillan stated that the killings appear to be linked to cartel violence, as reported by The New York Post. “While the forensic results are not yet in, ballistic and blood evidence almost certainly confirm they were murdered at that location,” The publisher quoted prosecutor Santillan.
According to CCTV footage obtained by western media, the investigators traced the truck’s route and discovered that it passed through a nearby auto repair shop. At the shop, police found bloodstains, spent bullet casings and other ballistic evidence.
What Investigation States
Authorities detained two workers, Hector Manuel Valdivia Martinez and a man nicknamed El Chino, from an auto repair shop during the investigation. They were later released after questioning due to insufficient evidence to formally charge them. However, after leaving the prosecutor’s office, an armed group ambushed them along with two relatives who were with them. El Chino managed to escape, but the other three people went missing. Prosecutor Blanca Trujillo said the attackers had been watching the exit for more than two hours and had carefully planned the ambush.
Who Was Esmeralda Ferrer Garibay?
Garibay was a popular TikTok influencer with over 44,000 followers. She often showed a luxurious lifestyle by posting videos of high-end products such as Dior, Gucci, and Louis Vuitton, as well as luxury cars, cosmetic surgery procedures, and expensive vacations.
She posted lip-sync videos to narco-corridos, a type of Mexican song that glorifies drug cartels and their activities. Some of her videos suggested that her husband had connections to a cartel, which authorities say may have attracted the attention of criminal groups.
According to the New York Times, the attackers lay in wait for the group for more than two hours before striking, suggesting a coordinated attack, prosecutor Blanca Trujillo told reporters. However, it is unknown whether the attack was an act of retaliation for the murder of Garibay and her family.
