Mexican beauty queen charged for gunning down cartel rival in California

Lidia Vanessa Gurrola Peraza, better known as Vanessa Gurrola, 32, was arrested on Oct. 9 and charged in connection with the death of Christian Espinoza Silver, also known as "El Chato," who was fatally shot inside his BMW at the upscale Palisade UTC apartment complex on Feb. 17, 2024, New York Post reported.

According to police, a gunman dressed in a camouflage jacket, black pants, and carrying a black backpack approached Espinoza's car as it entered the garage and opened fire at close range before fleeing. Both Espinoza and a 39-year-old passenger were struck multiple times. Espinoza was later pronounced dead at a local hospital, while the second man survived in stable condition. Authorities described the shooting as a "targeted attack," Daily Mail reported.

Early reports suggested the ambush may have stemmed from a turf war involving remnants of the Arellano Félix Organization, a once-powerful Mexican cartel battling for control of Baja California. Espinoza was believed to be connected to Tijuana Plaza boss Pablo Edwin Huerta Nuno, also known as "El Flaquito," who was arrested in Tijuana in June and later extradited to San Diego on federal drug charges.

Gurrola, originally from Sinaloa, the home state of notorious drug kingpin Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, has over a million Instagram followers and built a following by sharing glimpses of her glamorous life filled with travel, luxury goods and pageantry.

Prosecutors said Gurrola was taken into custody in San Diego and later arraigned on Oct. 13, where she pleaded not guilty to murder. She is currently being held without bail at the Las Colinas Detention Facility in Santee and is scheduled to appear in court again on Nov. 19.

Authorities have not released an official motive for the killing.