A popular influencer and podcast host has been shot dead while serving customers at his family’s taco restaurant.
José Luis Esparza, better known online as El Piturris, was working at Los Güichos when a gunman reportedly walked into the business and opened fire.
The 37-year-old was rushed to hospital following the attack but died from his injuries shortly afterwards.
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Police said the shooter fled on a motorcycle with another person following the killing, as reported by Need To Know.
Two .40-calibre shell casings were recovered from the scene.
No arrests have yet been announced.
Esparza had built a huge online following with his comedy videos, stories about everyday life and appearances on La Guarida Podcast.
His social media and podcast accounts had amassed a combined following of around 130,000 people.
Despite his growing online success, the dad continued working at Los Güichos, a family-run taco restaurant which had reportedly been operating for around 50 years.
Podcast producer Luis Antonio Escalante said Esparza had been chosen to host La Guarida because of his easygoing personality and popularity with others.
The show launched around a year ago and saw Esparza appear alongside his friend of more than 20 years, Luis Alberto González, known as Huicho.
Esparza had appeared in 28 episodes this year, with the podcast covering everything from everyday experiences and travel to jokes and humorous stories.
His final episode was published just a day before his death.
Escalante later paid an emotional tribute to his friend, thanking him for the “moments of joy” he had given them.
He finished the tribute with one of Esparza’s trademark sayings: “Que el ánimo no decaiga, chavalada” – roughly meaning: “Keep your spirits up, guys.”
Esparza’s unusual nickname reportedly dated back to his childhood.
Escalante said his father once returned home drunk and attempted to call his son “Pirruris” – the name of a famous Mexican television character.
But he instead pronounced it “Piturris”, prompting other members of the family to jokingly adopt the name.
It eventually became the identity by which Esparza was known to tens of thousands of followers online.
He regularly shared comedy clips, family moments and videos from the taco shop, while also working as an entertainer at parties and events.
Esparza was attacked on the morning of Thursday (10 Sep) at Los Güichos in Ciudad Obregón, in the Mexican state of Sonora.
The Sonora Attorney General’s Office has since revealed investigators are examining a possible connection between his killing and another murder carried out just one day earlier.
Forensic analysis reportedly found a match between ballistic evidence recovered following Esparza’s death and evidence collected after a homicide in El Conti, Cócorit, on 9 September.
Prosecutors said one line of inquiry is whether the killings could be connected to a confrontation between criminal groups linked to drug trafficking.
Authorities are also examining Esparza’s connection to a relative by marriage who reportedly composes and performs songs dedicated to members of a criminal group.
Investigators stressed these are lines of inquiry as they work to establish a motive and identify those responsible.
Esparza’s death has devastated friends and fans.
His podcast colleagues said their “hearts are broken into a thousand pieces”, while Escalante said the team planned to take a break following the loss of their friend.
Investigations into the killing continue.
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