Colombian influencer Maria Jose Estupinan shot point-blank outside her home

UPDATED: May 19, 2025 04:58 IST

Maria Jose Estupinan, a 22-year-old student and social media influencer, was shot and killed outside her home in Cucuta, Colombia, earlier this week.

The attack occurred in the La Riviera neighbourhood after a man who was posing as a delivery man approached her with a fake present.

According to security footage cited by local news outlet Noticias Caracol, the assailant shot her at a close distance before running away. Estupinan was taken to the hospital but died from her injuries later.

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

INVESTIGATION FOCUSES ON EX-BOYFRIEND

Estupinan had just won a legal case against her ex-boyfriend in a domestic violence issue. She received 30 million Colombian pesos (approximately $7,000 USD) from the court. Officials are investigating whether this courtroom win might have any connection to her murder. Her ex-boyfriend is currently under investigation as a suspect, although no one has been arrested yet.

The CCTV footage captured a man dressed as a delivery worker walking up to Maria Jose without raising suspicion. He shot her and the screams of Estupinan's mother can be heard.

"It was a tragic loss," said Magda Victoria Acosta, president of the Gender Commission of the Judicial Branch, during a recent conference in Cucuta.

Estupinan was in her seventh semester studying in Social Communication at the University of Pamplona. She frequently posted about her life as a model and a student on social media, which gave her many followers.

Police are looking for the prime suspect, who can be seen in footage wearing a black cap with a jacket, jeans, and a backpack. The investigation is ongoing.