Selena’s killer eligible for parole 30 years after singer’s death
The woman serving a life sentence for killing singer Selena Quintanilla-Perez is now eligible for parole, on the eve of the 30th anniversary of Selena’s death.
Yolanda Saldívar is eligible for parole on March 30. Saldívar, president of Selena’s fan club, shot and killed the American singer-songwriter on March 31, 1995.
Saldívar, now 64, is serving a life sentence at the Patrick L. O’Daniel Unit in Gatesville for killing the singer. Saldívar shot Selena in a Corpus Christi hotel room after being confronted for embezzling money from Selena’s fan club and clothing boutiques.
According to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice’s website, Saldívar is “currently in the Parole Review Process” and was initiated as early as October 2024.
The parole board will have a hearing at the end of March to decide whether Saldívar will be granted parole.
Selena Quintanilla’s musical legacy
Known as the “Reina de Tejano” or “Queen of Tejano music,” Selena rose to fame in the late 1980s among Mexican Americans and Mexicans.
Born in Lake Jackson, Texas, she began performing around the state with her family from a young age, including at Marine Park in Fort Worth and the Houston Rodeo.
Her popularity quickly grew across U.S. and international Latino markets, and she went on to sign with a major record label. Selena was the first Tejano artist to win a Grammy for “Selena Live!” in 1994.
At the time of her death, Selena was recording her first album in English and had opened several fashion boutiques. Her English language album “Dreaming of You” was released the month after her death.
Since her death, Selena’s story has been told through several television documentaries and a full-length film starring Jennifer Lopez. In Texas, there are several murals, statues and tributes in honor of the musician.