Colombian Influencer Shot Dead Outside Home By Man Posing As Delivery Man

Bogota:

Maria Jose Estupinan Sanchez, a 22-year-old social media influencer, was fatally shot outside her home in Cucuta, Colombia, earlier this week. Sanchez was at home in the La Riviera neighbourhood when a man posing as a deliveryman approached her with a fake present and shot her from close range, local media outlet Noticias Caracol reported. 

The footage of a security camera installed in the neighbourhood showed the suspect running away from Sanchez's home after shooting her, as her loud cries for help echo in the background. 

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Per the report, Sanchez was rushed to the hospital soon after the incident but succumbed to her injuries later. The incident happened around 1:00 PM local time, according to police. 

"She was killed by a man who pretended to be delivering a package," Colonel Leonardo Capacho of Cucuta's Metropolitan Police said.

The attack on the influencer came a day after she reportedly won a domestic abuse case against her ex-boyfriend, securing a payout of 30 million COP (approximately USD 7,000), local media reports said. Authorities are now probing the ex-boyfriend as a key suspect as they believe the courtroom win might have any connection to her murder, per a report by Canal TRO. 

However, no arrests have been confirmed so far. Police are looking for the prime suspect seen in security footage wearing a black cap with a jacket, jeans, and a backpack.

Sanchez, a seventh-semester student studying Social Communication at the University of Pamplona, frequently posted about her life as a model and a student on social media, earning her many followers. 

The attack on Sanchez came days after Mexican influencer Valeria Marquez was fatally shot during a live stream. The TikTokker was also targeted by a man posing as a deliveryman. Her murder was labelled a 'Femicide' and is being investigated.