Local media outlets named the suspected killer as “Doble R”, a reputed figure in the Jalisco Nueva Generación Cartel, and allegedly Marquez’s former romantic partner.
While speculation points to cartel involvement, Jalisco prosecutors emphasized on May 14 that no formal allegations had yet been filed.
Femicide Epidemic in Latin America
The back-to-back murders of Estupiñan and Marquez underscore a broader epidemic of gender-based violence across Latin America:
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In Colombia, the PARES Foundation recorded 633 femicides in 2022 and 630 in 2023.
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In Mexico, at least 50,000 women have been murdered since 2001, according to the United Nations.
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The Guardian reports that an average of 10 women and girls are killed daily in Mexico, many by partners or family members.