Esmeralda Ferrer Garibay, a 32-year-old TikTok influencer, has been found murdered alongside her family in Mexico. The bodies of Esmeralda, her husband Roberto Carlos Gil Licea, 36, their 13-year-old son Gael Santiago, and seven-year-old daughter Regina were discovered in an abandoned grey Ford Ranger in Guadalajara, Jalisco, last Friday. Authorities confirmed their identities on Monday.

The family had relocated to the Guadalajara metropolitan area for work just months prior to the tragedy. Roberto was involved in the buying and selling of vehicles and also engaged in tomato farming in Michoacan state. Investigators suspect that the killings may be connected to his business dealings.

Esmeralda, known online as Esmeralda FG, had garnered tens of thousands of followers on TikTok under the handle @esmeraldafg222. She was known for sharing lifestyle and travel content, as well as lip-syncing to "narcocorrido" drug ballads. Some of her posts included provocative phrases such as "advantages of having a narco boyfriend," set to music associated with drug trafficking, including references to the Beltrán Leyva cartel. Her last post, made on August 7, received over 100,000 views, while other videos attracted more than 600,000 views.

In her content, Esmeralda showcased luxury brands like Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, and Versace, alongside clips featuring her children and Pomeranian dogs.

Following the discovery of the family's bodies, investigators traced part of the pickup's route using CCTV footage, which led them to a nearby mechanic's workshop. Prosecutor Alfonso Gutierrez Santillan stated, "The scene was processed, and investigators found multiple pieces of evidence suggesting the family was killed there. While the forensic results are not yet in, ballistic and blood evidence almost certainly confirm they were murdered at that location."

Two men who were present at the workshop were taken in for questioning but were later released due to insufficient evidence. After leaving the prosecutor's office, these men met with two others who had been waiting for them. Minutes later, armed men intercepted the group, forcibly taking three of them, while one managed to escape. The three missing men are still unaccounted for, and authorities are seeking the fourth individual to obtain his statement.

Prosecutor Blanca Trujillo remarked, "Investigations show the perpetrators had been watching the exit for over two hours. It wasn't an immediate attack - they waited until the group had moved a few metres before carrying out the abduction." The investigation into this tragic incident continues.