Influencer Esmeralda Ferrer Garibay, 32, and her husband, Roberto Carlos Gil Licea, 36, were found dead along with their children, Gael Santiago, 13, and Regina, 7, as law enforcement in Mexico investigates the double homicide. Their bodies were found stuffed in plastic bags in a Ford Ranger pickup truck on Aug. 22. No arrests have been made, as authorities are investigating whether the murders were related to organized crime.
Prosecutor Alfonso Gutierrez Santillan said that Licea might have been the intended target. Reports suggest his vehicle business and farming work in Michoacan, a region with heavy cartel activity, may have drawn criminal attention. The family had recently shifted to Guadalajara, the capital of the western state of Jalisco, in search of safer opportunities.
Who Was Esmeralda Ferrer Garibay?
Garibay was a popular social media influencer. She established a presence on TikTok in 2020 and posted lip-sync, lifestyle, and travel content. She quickly attracted over 44,000 followers. Her videos frequently featured luxury brands, cars, cosmetic surgery, and lavish holidays. Some of the videos had narco-corridos, or songs associated with Mexican drug cartel culture, leading to speculation about her husband's connections to criminal groups. However, there is no official proof of cartel participation.
The Investigation
Investigators so far have found only surveillance footage, which led them to an automotive repair business where blood, bullet casings, and other evidence indicated that the family was executed there before their bodies were taken elsewhere. Two men were arrested at the time but were released without charges for lack of evidence.
A Shocking Twist
Soon after being released, both men were kidnapped at gunpoint outside the prosecutor's office when they were meeting with their other 2 acquaintances. The kidnappers spent hours waiting and tried to kidnap all four, though one of those men escaped, according to a statement made by prosecutor Blanca Trujillo. He further stated that evidence suggested that they had monitored their target. It is unknown if the kidnapping was related to last week's killings of the Garibay family, police said.
The case has attracted national and international attention to the ongoing violence in Mexico related to organized crime. Authorities continue to investigate.
