TikTok influencer Cesar Gastelum killed in Culiacán during livestream

Culiacán is the capital of Sinaloa state, where a war between two factions of the Sinaloa Cartel has left thousands dead or missing over the past two years. The city is also the heart of Mexico's "narco-culture," where social media influencers are sometimes tied to criminal gangs and targeted for score-settling.

The killing follows a pattern. In May 2025, beauty and fashion influencer Valeria Marquez was murdered during a livestream in Jalisco state. Authorities tied her killing to her ex-boyfriend, the son of a leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). In May 2017, an influencer known as "the Pirate of Culiacan" was shot dead days after posting a video that mentioned Nemesio Oseguera, or "El Mencho," the CJNG leader who was killed in a shootout with Mexican special forces in February this year. El Mencho's death triggered a wave of retaliatory attacks by the CJNG that killed more than 60 people across Mexico, including security forces and civilians.

Despite the persistent violence in Sinaloa and Jalisco, Mexico's overall homicide rate fell 22.7% in 2025, according to official figures and independent indices. The Council on Foreign Relations, a U.S.-based thinktank, estimates that represents roughly 7,000 fewer violent deaths year over year. The decline has been a central talking point for President Claudia Sheinbaum's administration as it tries to contain criminal violence.