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Yolanda Saldívar, the woman convicted of murdering Tejano music icon Selena Quintanilla-Pérez in 1995, has been denied parole and will continue serving her life sentence, the Texas parole board announced Thursday.
Saldívar, now 64, was eligible for parole for the first time since fatally shooting the rising star at a Texas motel.
Selena, one of the first Mexican American artists to break into mainstream music, was just 23 years old when she was killed.
She was on the brink of English-language pop superstardom at the time of her tragic death.
The singer’s family and her widower, Chris Pérez, expressed their gratitude for the parole board’s decision.
No words or actions can bring Selena back, but this ruling underscores that fairness and respect endure for the vibrant life stolen from her loved ones and countless admirers long before her time, they wrote in a message shared online.
The parole board denied Saldívar’s release, stating she remains a risk to public safety. They also noted that her crime showed a “conscious disregard for the lives, safety, or property of others.” She will be eligible for parole review again in 2030.
A Crime That Shook the Music Industry
Saldívar was the founder of Selena’s fan club and managed her boutique business, Selena Etc., before being fired in March 1995 over missing funds.
On March 31, 1995, Selena met Saldívar at a Days Inn motel in Corpus Christi, where she was shot in the back with a .38-caliber revolver. The injured singer managed to reach the lobby before collapsing. She was pronounced dead at the hospital an hour later.
During a tense nine-hour standoff with police, a sobbing Saldívar insisted, “I didn’t mean to do it. I didn’t mean to kill anybody,” claiming she had purchased the gun to take her own life.
Selena’s funeral drew over 50,000 mourners before she was laid to rest at Seaside Memorial Park on April 3, 1995—just days before her 24th birthday.
Conviction and Life Behind Bars
Saldívar’s trial was moved to Houston due to the case’s widespread publicity. She testified that the shooting was accidental, but on October 23, 1995, a jury convicted her of first-degree murder. She received a life sentence with the possibility of parole after 30 years.
While imprisoned in Gatesville, Texas, Saldívar earned a paralegal and associate degree in criminal justice.
She has also filed multiple civil rights complaints alleging mistreatment by prison officials.
Court records indicate she is held in protective custody for her safety due to the high-profile nature of her case.
Selena’s Legacy Lives On
Known as the “Queen of Tejano,” Selena won a Grammy and became a Latin music icon in the early 1990s. Her hits—like “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom,” “Como la Flor,” and “Amor Prohibido”—cemented her influence.
Her English crossover album Dreaming of You, released posthumously, topped the Billboard 200 and featured hits like “I Could Fall in Love” and “Dreaming of You.”
Jennifer Lopez portrayed Selena in the 1997 biopic Selena, introducing the singer’s story to a new generation.
In 2021, the Grammys honored Selena with a posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award, celebrating her enduring impact on music.
