Authorities suspect ex-boyfriend’s involvement after 22-year-old wins domestic abuse case; murder follows similar attack on Mexican influencer
May 19, 2025: In a chilling incident in Cúcuta, Colombia, 22-year-old influencer and university student Maria Jose Estupiñan Sanchez was shot dead outside her home by a man posing as a delivery agent. The attacker approached Sanchez in the La Riviera neighborhood on the pretense of delivering a package and then shot her at close range, according to reports by Noticias Caracol.
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Security footage captured the suspect fleeing the scene as Sanchez’s desperate cries echoed through the street. Though she was rushed to a hospital, she succumbed to her injuries shortly after the attack, which took place around 1:00 PM local time.
Asesinan a otra Influencer, el agresor fingió ser un repartidor.
— Juan Carlos Robles (@JuanCarlosRR_Tv) May 17, 2025
María José Estupiñan conocida como “la mona” fue asesinada en Cúcuta Colombia el pasado 15 de mayo por la mañana. A través de redes sociales de difundieron imágenes del momento en que el presunto feminicida huye. pic.twitter.com/4Y7cGiUcUQ
Ex-Boyfriend Under Investigation
Cúcuta Police Chief Colonel Leonardo Capacho confirmed that the attacker disguised himself as a delivery man. The murder occurred just a day after Sanchez reportedly won a domestic abuse case against her ex-boyfriend, who was ordered to pay her 30 million Colombian pesos (approx. $7,000). Investigators are treating the ex-boyfriend as a key suspect, with local outlet Canal TRO reporting possible links between the verdict and the murder.
No arrests have been made so far. The suspect was seen in CCTV footage wearing a black cap, jeans, jacket, and a backpack.
Sanchez Was a Rising Influencer
Sanchez, a Social Communication student in her seventh semester at the University of Pamplona, had built a loyal following online through content about her life as a student and model. Her death has shocked Colombia and the influencer community at large.
This attack follows closely on the heels of another tragic incident in Mexico, where TikTok star Valeria Marquez was fatally shot during a livestream. Like Sanchez, she too was targeted by a man posing as a delivery agent. Authorities classified that killing as femicide, and it remains under investigation.
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Maria Sanchez murder, Colombian influencer shot, fake deliveryman attack, domestic abuse case Colombia, Cucuta influencer shooting, Latin America violence, influencer crime, Maria Jose Estupiñan Sanchez, social media femicide, Colombia news, violence against women