The bodies of Mexican TikTok influencer Esmeralda Ferrer Garibay , 32, her husband Roberto Carlos Gil Licea, 36, and their two children — a 13-year-old boy and a 7-year-old girl — were found wrapped in plastic inside an abandoned pickup truck in Guadalajara , in what authorities suspect was a cartel-linked execution .
Bloodstains, bullet casings found at auto repair shop
The grisly discovery was made on August 22, when police located the family’s gray Ford Ranger. Prosecutor Alfonso Gutierrez Santillan told reporters that surveillance footage helped trace the vehicle back to a nearby auto repair shop, where investigators uncovered bloodstains, bullet casings, and other ballistic evidence, suggesting the victims were killed on-site before being transported, Latin Times reported.
Murdered at the same shop
“While forensic results are not yet in, ballistic and blood evidence almost certainly confirm they were murdered at that location,” Santillan said.
Shocking twistTwo men at the repair shop were initially detained but later released due to insufficient evidence, Diario de Yucatan reported. In a shocking twist, both were kidnapped by armed men shortly after leaving the prosecutor’s office, along with two acquaintances — one of whom managed to escape and remains in hiding. Authorities say the assailants had waited more than two hours before striking, indicating a carefully planned operation.
The motive remains unclear, though prosecutors are probing whether the murders were linked to organised crime. Investigators believe Gil Licea may have been the intended target.
The family’s identities were confirmed on August 28. Garibay, who had over 44,000 followers on TikTok, was known for flaunting a luxury lifestyle — designer brands, high-end cars, cosmetic surgery, and exotic vacations — content that may have made her a high-profile target in a region where cartel violence often collides with social media fame.
Bloodstains, bullet casings found at auto repair shop
The grisly discovery was made on August 22, when police located the family’s gray Ford Ranger. Prosecutor Alfonso Gutierrez Santillan told reporters that surveillance footage helped trace the vehicle back to a nearby auto repair shop, where investigators uncovered bloodstains, bullet casings, and other ballistic evidence, suggesting the victims were killed on-site before being transported, Latin Times reported.
Recent🚨"TikTok" star, Esmeralda Ferrer Garibay, 32, is found dead along with husband and two children, seven and 13.
— Make Europe Great Again - M.E.G.A (@ScaryEurope) August 30, 2025
The couple and their two children were found dead inside a pickup truck in "Mexico" ‼️ pic.twitter.com/3lLgMH1e7z
Murdered at the same shop
“While forensic results are not yet in, ballistic and blood evidence almost certainly confirm they were murdered at that location,” Santillan said.
Shocking twistTwo men at the repair shop were initially detained but later released due to insufficient evidence, Diario de Yucatan reported. In a shocking twist, both were kidnapped by armed men shortly after leaving the prosecutor’s office, along with two acquaintances — one of whom managed to escape and remains in hiding. Authorities say the assailants had waited more than two hours before striking, indicating a carefully planned operation.
The motive remains unclear, though prosecutors are probing whether the murders were linked to organised crime. Investigators believe Gil Licea may have been the intended target.
The family’s identities were confirmed on August 28. Garibay, who had over 44,000 followers on TikTok, was known for flaunting a luxury lifestyle — designer brands, high-end cars, cosmetic surgery, and exotic vacations — content that may have made her a high-profile target in a region where cartel violence often collides with social media fame.
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