Authorities are investigating the tragic shooting of María José Estupiñán, a 22-year-old model and social media influencer from Cúcuta, Colombia, as a femicide. Estupiñán was killed at her home on May 15 by a suspect who posed as a delivery driver. When she opened the door, she was shot in the face. Police have obtained surveillance footage showing the shooter fleeing the scene shortly after the attack.
Magda Victoria Acosta, president of Colombia’s national gender commission, condemned the violence, highlighting the ongoing issue of gender-based violence in the country. She noted that Estupiñán was a young woman with a bright future cut short by this senseless act.
Following the incident, police revealed that Estupiñán had previously reported abuse from her former partner, who is now a suspect in her murder. They indicated that her death could be classified as femicide, which refers to the intentional killing of women because of their gender. Cúcuta police Colonel Leonardo Capacho confirmed that Estupiñán had filed multiple complaints regarding domestic violence.
Just a day before her death, a judge ruled in her favor, ordering her abuser to pay her nearly 30 million pesos, about C$9,900, in damages. Despite these legal actions, women’s rights advocates argue that the system failed to protect her. They claim there are inadequate protection orders and insufficient resources for women facing domestic violence.
Alejandra Vera, director of the feminist collective Woman, Speak Out and Move It, stated that Estupiñán’s murder is a reflection of a larger crisis in Colombia, where a woman is killed every 28 hours due to gender violence. Vera emphasized that despite reporting the abuse and seeking help, Estupiñán was let down by the authorities.
Estupiñán’s death comes shortly after another high-profile case in Mexico, where 23-year-old beauty influencer Valeria Marquez was shot while livestreaming at a salon. Her murder is also being investigated as a femicide. These incidents have raised alarm about the alarming rates of violence against women in both Colombia and Mexico.
According to the Colombian Observatory of Femicides, the country saw 886 femicides in 2024, marking the highest number in seven years. This data underscores the urgent need for effective measures to protect women and combat gender-based violence.