María José Estupiñán Sánchez, a 22-year-old social media influencer and model, was shot dead outside her home in Cúcuta, Colombia, on the morning of May 15. The brutal killing occurred just one day after a court ordered her ex-partner to compensate her over a longstanding domestic violence case, reported El Universal.According to witnesses, the attacker arrived around 8:30 am (local time) disguised as a delivery man. Pretending to hand over a gift, he shot María José in the face and chest at point-blank range when she opened the door. Surveillance cameras captured the harrowing moment and the suspect’s escape. The footage is now key evidence in the police investigation.As per news outlet Univision, María José’s mother was present during the shooting and is believed to have witnessed the crime. Her screams of agony, recorded by a bystander, later circulated on social media, amplifying public outrage.The murder came just a day after María José had attended a hearing at the Prosecutor’s Office, where she was officially recognised as a victim in a domestic violence case filed in 2018. Her ex-partner was ordered to pay her 30 million Colombian pesos (around $7,120), according to Caracol Noticias.Authorities are now investigating the killing as a suspected femicide, with the ex-boyfriend being the prime suspect.Alejandra Vera, director of the Women’s Denounce and Move Corporation, told Caracol Noticias that the young woman had “activated all protective measures” and sought help from the state. “He stalked her, he abused her, and she reported it… The Colombian State has failed this young woman,” Vera said.The Francisco de Paula Santander University, where María José was in her seventh semester, condemned the killing, stating, “We reject all forms of violence and mourn the loss of a young woman full of dreams.”Her funeral was held on May 17 at Nuestra Señora del Carmen Parish. Hundreds gathered to mourn her death. Univision reported that her sister, who lives abroad, sent a heartfelt letter read aloud during the mass. “You were always my little princess… Even though you’re gone, you’ll always live on in me,” it read.In a heartbreaking moment, María José’s dog, Valentino, approached her coffin and whined as if saying goodbye. Her grieving mother, kneeling by the casket, cried, “Here I give her to you, Joseph,” La Opinión de Cúcuta reported.Her murder is being compared to that of Mexican influencer Valeria Márquez, who was killed just two days earlier under similar circumstances. As per El Universal, both cases reflect the urgent need to address the growing threat of gender-based violence across Latin America.Police Commander Colonel Leonardo Capacho stated that efforts to capture the suspect are “well advanced.” The case remains under active investigation.
