CCTV Catches Killer Fleeing Scene After Murder of Influencer ‘La Mona’

In a murder that has outraged a nation and once again revealed the sorrow of the lethal prices of unrestrained gender brutality, 22-year-old María José Estupiñán was killed outside her home in the Cúcuta El Bosque area on Thursday, May 15. The assassination, by a man dressed as a delivery man, outraged Colombia and fueled mass indignation at state inaction to defend vulnerable women.

A Sneaky Delivery, A Horrific Murder

At approximately 8:12 a.m., María José, dressed in sportswear and having just returned from exercising, stepped out of her home to receive what she thought was a parcel. What she received was a bullet to the face. The surveillance footage shows the assailant, who was dressed in black footwear, a hoodie, a red hat, and face covering, walking leisurely from the scene on foot. He has not been identified or apprehended.

Local Mecuc Policía Metropolitana de Cúcuta police and forensic Brinho Brigada Internacional de Homicidios investigators arrived at the scene shortly after the shooting. But they found more than a murder. They found the horrific culmination of years of institutional breakdowns.

History of Abuse and a Justice System That Came Too Late

According to reports released by the Cúcuta police, María José had also made similar complaints of domestic violence against her former boyfriend in 2018. That long and painful court fight, for nearly seven years, was only resolved a day before when she was killed by a notification of the favorable judgment sent to her by the Fiscalía General de la Nación. Her ex-boyfriend was directed to pay her 30 million pesos as compensation for the abuse.

It was a vindictive victory. Police say the verbal and psychological aggression also continued after the breakup. María José allegedly was harassed continuously, and this led to her continuous anxiety attacks as well as emotional outbursts. The case now tilts in favor of a likely case of feminicide or gender murder.

Mecuc commander Colonel William Quintero Salazar told a news conference, “Preliminary investigations show that this would be a feminicide due to prior domestic violence complaints. But this is under investigation.”.

María José was not a statistic. She was a seventh-semester student of Social Studies and Communication at Universidad Francisco de Paula Santander. She was charming and ambitious, and she aspired to become a television presenter at the national level. La Opinión interviewed her and said that she sought internships to start working in broadcasting.

On the day she died, María José was going to leave for Cartagena. She hasn’t released anything as yet, but bags were packed and hope was forecasted in her last social media updates. They were all from a beauty salon, spa, and various other aesthetic treatments. She was alive, optimistic, and en route until she wasn’t.

Did The Colombian State Fail María José Estupiñán?

Maybe the toughest insult was delivered by Alejandra Vera, president of Corporación Mujer Denuncia y Muévete, a feminist social movement organization. For Noticias Caracol, Vera wasn’t tactful. “The government of Colombia failed this young woman. She fulfilled all the procedures, she denounced the violence, she asked for protection, and in spite of everything, she was murdered.”

The outrage of all Colombians has echoed Vera’s denunciation. Feminist organizers, students, and citizens have flooded social media with the hashtags #JusticiaParaMaríaJosé and #NiUnaMenos, demanding there be responsibility and speedy reform in measures to protect victims of domestic and gender-based violence.

What’s Happening To Columbian Women? 

María José Estupiñán’s murder is not unique. It contributes to the dejected figure of over 500 feminicides in Colombia in 2024, as figures provided by a feminist network known as Sisma Mujer show. It is particularly concerning because it disrupts the fantasy of justice. There was a judge’s sentence, but no specific protection measure was enforced.

Even as the investigation continues, her killer remains at large. The police are urging the general public to come forward with whatever information will help them arrest and identify the suspect. The country is mourning yet another young woman who had a bright future ahead of her cut short by a senseless act of violence in the daytime.”