Influencer Michael Duarte’s wife speaks out after fatal police shooting

Food influencer Michael Duarte’s wife, Jessica, has issued her first public statement following his death in an encounter with law enforcement in Medina County, Texas.

Duarte, 39, was shot and killed by a sheriff’s deputy on Nov. 8 after authorities responded to a 911 call describing a man with a knife behaving erratically.

According to statements provided to media outlets by the Medina County Sheriff’s Office, Duarte allegedly threatened emergency personnel and then charged at the responding deputy with a knife after ignoring repeated commands to get on the ground.

He was transported to a San Antonio hospital, where he was pronounced dead. An investigation remains active.

Jessica shared a tribute on Duarte’s Instagram account, writing that she was still unsure how to move forward but planned to preserve her husband’s legacy.

“I feel so touched and proud to know so many people that he has inspired,” she wrote. “He gave everyone every bit of him, so it’s my turn to give it back.”

She thanked followers, friends and Duarte’s barbecue community for supporting her, adding that the “outpouring of love” had given her strength.

“I’m still struggling with the fact that he is no longer with us, but I’m starting to see his purpose was bigger,” she said. “Mike, I’m proud to be your wife and I will carry that title with honor for the rest of my life.”

She also addressed the public narratives surrounding his death, calling them “disheartening and disrespectful to the legacy of a wonderful man,” and urged media outlets and the public to avoid sharing unverified information during the active investigation.

His death was first announced by his talent agency, Alooma Media Group, which described the loss as “devastating.”

A GoFundMe created to assist the family called the incident a “horrible accident” and noted that Jessica is handling the costs of transporting Duarte’s body to California and arranging his funeral.

Duarte grew up in Calipatria, California, near the US-Mexico border, and learned to cook while working at his uncle’s small Mexican restaurant. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he publicly shared that he entered rehab after a mental health crisis.

After leaving treatment, he returned to restaurant work and began posting cooking content as a hobby, a hobby that eventually became his full-time career.

“My first video was with my daughter,” he wrote in a previous post reflecting on his success. “That’s when I realized how happy creating content made me… it could be something bigger than myself.”