Sister of Well-Known Sinaloa YouTuber Slain as Cartel Threats Against Creators Grow

The violent conflict between two Sinaloa cartel factions that has terrorized northern Mexico since September 2024 has claimed hundreds of lives, including civilians, law enforcement officers, and even internet personalities.

One of the latest homicide victims in the state of Sinaloa has been identified as María de Jesús "N," the sister of YouTuber "El Conejo Toys" and part of the circle of content creators associated with "Markitos Toys," a well-known Culiacán-based YouTuber with alleged ties to Los Chapitos —one of the factions battling rival group La Mayiza for control of the Sinaloa Cartel.

According to local media reports, the attack occurred on Aug. 26 around 3 p.m. near a kindergarten in the town of Villa Adolfo López Mateos, in the municipality of Culiacán. Official reports state the victim was sitting outside an abandoned market when armed men opened fire on her. Forensic investigators with the Sinaloa State Attorney General's Office recovered at least seven shell casings from the scene as part of the ongoing investigation.

The victim and her family are well known for producing content for platforms such as YouTube. Reports indicate she was the daughter of content creator "El Loco Mailo" and the sister of José Ismael, also known as El Conejo Toys, a member of the influencer group Los Toys, led by Marcos Eduardo Castro Cárdenas, better known as Markitos Toys.

Although it remains unclear whether the 35-year-old was also a content creator, her killing appears to be part of a broader pattern of attacks targeting internet personalities in Sinaloa.

In January, criminal groups circulated pamphlets naming 25 individuals—including YouTubers, singers, and TikTokers—allegedly tied to Los Chapitos, the faction led by the sons of Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán.

The pamphlets, reportedly distributed by rival group La Mayiza, accused figures such as Peso Pluma, Roberto Tapia, Markitos Toys and El Conejo Toys of helping support the financial operations of Los Chapitos.

Since the pamphlets surfaced, at least nine of the 25 individuals named have been killed, according to Milenio. Among them were regional YouTubers including Leobardo Aispuro Soto (known as "El Gordo Peruci"), Miguel Vivanco ("El Jasper"), Gael Castro (brother of Markitos Toys), and, more recently, Camilo Ochoa ("El Alucín").

As reported by The Latin Times last week, Ochoa was found dead inside a home in the state of Morelos with multiple gunshot wounds.

Known for his YouTube channel "Soy Camilo Ochoa," which had more than 348,000 subscribers, he used the platform to recount his past as a plaza boss for the Sinaloa Cartel in Mazatlán until 2014. He often shared stories of imprisonment, assassination attempts, and a 2004 kidnapping by Los Zetas. His stated goal was to warn young people against joining organized crime.

Before his death, Ochoa had repeatedly criticized the government for failing to protect content creators. "Until something happens to someone within the authorities who protect them, they're not going to pay attention," he said in a video posted shortly before he was killed.