Demaris Martinez, Hillside, N.J woman id as pedestrian and popular social media influencer killed crossing highway during early morning hours. Content creator often brought up troubling themes in her videos and had vowed to become a lawyer.
A New Jersey woman who died after being struck by two vehicles early Saturday while crossing a highway in Bergen County has been identified as a popular social media influencer.
Demaris D. Martinez, 28, of Hillside, was struck about 3:30 a.m. as she attempted to cross the southbound lanes of traffic in Paramus after having crossed the northbound lanes and the median, according to police.
Martinez was hit by one vehicle in the middle lane driven by a 42-year-old motorist and was then hit again by a tractor-trailer driven by a 65-year-old, police said.
What was influencer doing crossing highway during early morning hours?
Neither motorist was charged, according to Paramus police Chief Robert M. Guidetti, N.J.com reported.
An investigation was set to determine how Martinez arrived in the area of the Citi Bank on Route 17 north.
‘The investigation is ongoing, with detectives working to determine how Miss Martinez arrived in Paramus, specifically in the area of Citibank, located at 700 State Highway 17 North,’ Guidetti wrote in an email to the outlet.
Anyone with information about Martinez’s whereabouts prior to 3:30 a.m. Saturday is asked to call detectives at 201-262-3400, ext. 428.
Martinez, a social media influencer with a strong online presence, was active on YouTube, Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok. She shared content about beauty, lifestyle, travel, and her Christian faith. Under her YouTube profile, Queen Demaris (@onemaris), she highlighted her wide range of interests and causes. Recently, she had begun creating more videos with her young son, Kameron.
Martinez’s main TikTok account has nearly 15,000 subscribers and more than 737,000 likes. Her YouTube account had 3.4K subscribers.
Death mirroring content creation?
In previous video, Martinez told her followers that her life was difficult for her and her two sisters, along with saying she was a victim of racism at Pascack Valley High School in Hillsdale, where she graduated in 2015. In addition to clashing with cliques—who, according to her, ridiculed her voice, mixed Spanish heritage, frequent Facebook posts, and ties to The Bronx—she experienced outright racism.
Martinez also opened up about her fraught family and personal relationships, including alleged experiences with sexual abuse and domestic violence (including sharing images of her bruised body). She spoke about the role her faith played in helping her navigate these challenges and emerge stronger
In a video posted to YouTube seven months ago, Martinez said she was strengthening her relationship with God and working on earning a law degree. ‘I will be one of the world’s greatest lawyers one day,’ Martinez says in the video.
Martinez’s followers have been mourning her loss in the comments of her most recent social media posts, sharing memories and paying tribute to the content creator known for her daring to share real life struggles along with her dedication to her faith.
