The TikTok Killer (Spanish title: El asesino de TikTok) is the new Spanish true-crime documentary series released in two parts on Netflix. It has a TV-MA rating, which means only mature audiences can stream this on the platform, as it contains serious and disturbing real-life events.
As mentioned before, the docu-series has been released in two parts with episode 1 titled “The Last Message” and episode 2 titled “The Criminal Influencer”. The first chapter begins with the real disappearance of Esther Estepa.
She was a 42-year-old woman from Seville, Spai and went missing in August 2023. The docu-series revealed that Esther has been travelling and hiking alone, and during her solo trip, she vanished.
Esther’s family started searching for her and they used social media platforms like TikTok to find more details about her trip. During this investigation, a man named José Jurado Montilla, who used the online name “Dinamita Montilla” became a key figure in Esther’s disappearance.
It was revealed that Montilla spent almost two decades in jail for murder. Investigators belived he might be responsible for Esther’s vanishing as well but since there was no proof of him killing her, he wasn’t arrested immediately.
So, should you watch The TikTok Killer? What else does it reveal? Let’s find out.
Should you watch or skip The TikTok Killer on Netflix: A viewer’s guide
If you’re someone who enjoys true-crime documentaries that involbes abig role of technology in solving cases, then tune in to The TikTok Killer on Netflix. It follows how Esther Estepa went missing in her country and videos and photos of her trip shared on social media, especially TikTok, became important clues in understanding what happened.
The entire two-part docu-series is less than two hours, so true crime enthusiasts can definately binge watch this. Many viewers may appreciate that the series highlights the people around Esther rather than solely focusing on who is responsible for her disappearance.
By showcasing the family’s and friends’ attempts to reconstruct Esther’s last days of life because they felt the police were taking too long to respond to her disappearance, the series dramatically personalizes and humanizes the story.
The determination and pain of these individuals create an emotional connection with viewers. This way, it ultimately transforms the story from one of sensational entertainment to a tragic loss of a human being.
In many ways, the content in The TikTok Killer is very dark. It involves murder, missing persons, and troubling information about a man who claimed to be a travel influencer online.
This may be difficult for some viewers to process at times, and they may want to turn off their TVs. In addition, the fact that most of it is filmed in Spanish may deter some people from watching, although subtitles are available for many international viewers.
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Was the case of Esther Estepa of The TikTok Killer, ever solved?
After exploring the haunting case of Esther Estepa in The TikTok Killer, many might wonder if the case was solved or not. The simple answer to this question is: The case of Esther Estepa from Spain has been partly solved, but legally it isn’t fully finished yet because the trial and final court decision have not happened.
She went missing in August 2023 and it was in February 2024 when hikers discovered human skeletal remains. They also found a skull near the highway in Gandía and autopsy reports confirmed in June 2024 that they belonged to Esther.
It was also revealed that Esther received a strong blow to her head after which she died. But before that, the woman was also sexually assaulted while she was still alive. Investigators began paying close attention to José Jurado Montilla because he was believed to be the last person who had contact with Esther before she disappeared.
There were photos and videos of Esther on his phone. Not only this, Montilla had previously been convicted of four murders in the 1980s and served 28 years in prison before being released.
As explained in The TikTok Killer, Montilla was arrested in May 2024 in connection with another murder case from 2022 involving a 21-year-old student, and prosecutors later charged him with Esther’s killing as well. He is currently in custody and waiting for trial, which is expected in 2026.
Montilla denies the accusations, and since the court has not yet delivered a verdict, the case is still legally unresolved.
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Edited by Alisha Khan