The TikToker Who Mur𝗗𝗘r𝗘𝗗 Her Own Mom & Became Famous

TikTok has a strange power to resurrect dark stories from the past, turning them into memes and viral trends. One such story is the haunting case of Isabella Guzman—the 18-year-old who Mur𝗗𝗘r𝗘𝗗 her mother in cold blood, only to become an internet sensation years later.

She Seemed So Normal…

Isabella Guzman grew up in Aurora, Colorado, living with her mother, Yunmi Hoy, and her stepfather, Ryan Hoy. Her parents divorced when she was young, but they remained civil, even co-owning a photography studio. Yunmi often worked 12-hour days to support Isabella, who, despite her mother’s sacrifices, was never grateful.

People who knew the family described Isabella as troubled and rebellious. She hated school, and although her grades were average, she dropped out just weeks before graduation—disappointing her parents deeply.

Resentment and Family Tension

Things only got worse after Yunmi remarried Ryan Hoy. Isabella resented her mother for “replacing” her father. Her behavior became so toxic that she was sent to live with her biological dad, Robert Guzman. But even after returning to Yunmi and Ryan’s home, the relationship remained volatile.

In the weeks leading up to the murder, Isabella’s disrespect escalated. She screamed at her mother, spat in her face, and sent a chilling email: “You will pay with everything.” Ryan recalls Yunmi was terrified of her daughter, and after that fight, the couple called the police. Officers warned Isabella that now she was 18, her parents could legally throw her out of the house.

Isabella barely responded and retreated to her room for the night.

The Nightmare Unfolds

The next evening, Yunmi returned home from work, told Ryan she was going to shower, and went upstairs. Ryan stayed in the living room. Suddenly, he heard thumping and Yunmi screaming his name. He rushed upstairs to find Isabella in the bathroom with her mother, who slammed the door in his face.

Desperate, Ryan tried to break in, but Isabella had locked the door. He called 911. By the time he got back upstairs, blood was pooling beneath the door. Yunmi’s screams faded, and her last word was “Jehovah”—her name for God.

What happened next was straight out of a horror movie. Isabella opened the door, covered in blood and holding a knife. She calmly walked past Ryan and exited the house. Yunmi was dead—stabbed 79 times in the face and neck. A baseball bat was also found in the bathroom, suggesting Isabella had beaten her mother before or after the stabbing.

Isabella fled the scene with the murder weapon. Police tracked her down the next day in a parking garage, and she was arrested.

Trial and the Shocking Verdict

Isabella was charged with first-degree murder and tried as an adult—facing the possibility of the death penalty. But the case took a bizarre turn. During her trial, Isabella was diagnosed with schizophrenia. She claimed she wasn’t killing her mother, but a woman named Cecilia—believing she had to do so to save the world.

The court accepted her plea of not guilty by reason of insanity, and Isabella was sent to a psychiatric hospital for treatment. The verdict was rare and controversial.

From Tragedy to TikTok Fame

Years later, Isabella’s trial footage resurfaced on TikTok. Users began posting clips of her in court—her strange facial expressions, her direct stares at the camera—often overlaying the viral song “Sweet but Psycho” by Ava Max.

Some found the meme trend harmless, even admiring Isabella’s looks while condemning her actions. But most were disturbed, criticizing the trend for glamorizing a brutal murder and mocking mental illness. The videos sparked heated debates about internet culture, beauty privilege, and the stigma of mental health. Eventually, the trend faded, but not before leaving a sour taste in the public’s mouth.

Mental Health, Abuse, and the Aftermath

Isabella later claimed she suffered abuse from her mother and stepfather—both Jehovah’s Witnesses, a strict Christian sect that forbids holidays and birthdays. She said the abuse worsened after she left the faith at 14. However, no evidence was ever confirmed.

Since her transfer to the state hospital, Isabella remained out of the spotlight until November 2020, when she gave her first interview. She claimed she was no longer mentally ill after years of treatment and medication, and said, “That wasn’t me,” referring to the murder. She also revealed she had been assaulted three times by a hospital employee and was seeking justice.

As of now, there’s no update on her release or the prosecution of the hospital staff.

A Case That Divided the Internet

The Isabella Guzman case is heavy and disturbing. It highlights the dangers of viral trends that trivialize real-life trauma, the complexities of mental illness, and the need for responsible content creation. Making jokes about someone in a mental health crisis is deeply harmful, and excusing violence because of appearance is never acceptable.

Have you seen the Isabella Guzman TikTok videos? What did you think? Let’s talk in the comments below. Thanks for reading—don’t forget to like and subscribe for more true crime stories.