Mexican TikTok influencer Esmeralda Ferrer Garibay and her entire family were found dead inside a grey Ford Ranger pickup truck in Guadalajara, Mexico on 22 Aug 2025.
TikTok Star Esmeralda Ferrer Garibay and Family Discovered Wrapped in Plastic
The bodies of 32-year-old Garibay, her husband Roberto Carlos Gil Licea, 36, their 13-year-old son Gael Santiago, and seven-year-old daughter Regina were discovered wrapped in plastic.
The truck was abandoned near a mechanic shop in the city’s San Andrés neighbourhood.
Prosecutor Alfonso Gutiérrez Santillán revealed during a press conference that the deaths appeared to be a cartel-style execution. The family was believed to have been killed in a premeditated attack before their bodies were transported to the discovery location.
Investigation Uncovers Murder Scene at Auto Repair Shop
Forensic investigators used surveillance footage to trace the pickup truck’s movements to a nearby auto repair shop. At the workshop, police discovered bloodstains, spent bullet casings, and other ballistic evidence.
“While the forensic results are not yet in, ballistic and blood evidence almost certainly confirm they were murdered at that location,” Santillán stated.
The evidence strongly indicated that the execution occurred at the auto repair shop before the perpetrators moved the bodies to the truck.
Authorities detained two workers from the mechanic shop for questioning: Hector Manuel Valdivia Martinez and a suspect known by the nickname El Chino. Both men were subsequently released due to insufficient evidence to formally charge them.
After leaving the prosecutor’s office, the two men were ambushed by an armed group along with two relatives who accompanied them. El Chino managed to escape during the abduction, while the other three individuals remain missing.
Prosecutor Blanca Trujillo reported that the attackers had surveilled the exit for more than two hours and had carefully planned their operation. The coordinated effort indicated possible connections to criminal networks.
Social Media Fame and Business Activities Drew Criminal Attention
Garibay had built a substantial social media following, with TikTok follower counts ranging between 43,000 to over 46,000 users. Her content primarily showcased a luxurious lifestyle featuring designer brands including Dior, Gucci, and Louis Vuitton.
The influencer regularly posted videos displaying luxury vehicles, cosmetic surgery procedures, and expensive vacation destinations. She also created lip-syncing content set to narcocorridos, Mexican ballads that glorify the country’s drug cartel culture.
One video showed her with a Gucci handbag alongside text reading “Advantages of having a narco boyfriend”.
Despite the social media implications, investigators currently possess no concrete evidence linking either Garibay or her husband to actual cartel affiliations. Instead, law enforcement suspects that Licea’s legitimate business operations in Michoacán state drew the interest of organized crime groups.
Licea’s commercial activities included vehicle trading and tomato farming enterprises, both of which may have intersected with criminal territory or interests in the region.
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