It has been 30 years since the tragic murder of Tejano music legend Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, a loss that has left an everlasting mark on the entertainment industry.
The woman who murdered Selena, Yolanda Saldívar, is now seeking parole after serving 30 years of her life sentence. The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles will soon review Saldívar’s case, with her parole eligibility around the corner.
At 64 years old, Saldívar will meet with the parole board for the first time on Sunday, March 30, one day before the anniversary of the singer’s death.
Born in Freeport, Texas, in 1971, Selena quickly became one of the most influential figures in Latin music history. As the lead singer of Selena y Los Dinos, she toured globally, playing to huge audiences. In the early ’90s, her fusion of Tejano, pop, cumbia, and other genres made her what some consider one of the first “crossover” superstars, with multiple Billboard-topping hits like “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom.”
Her influence extended beyond music, as she was a trailblazer for women in the entertainment industry, creating a cultural bridge that connected audiences across languages and borders. Tragically, just as her career was starting to skyrocket, her life was cut short. At the age of 23, she was shot by Saldívar, her fan club president and business associate, on March 31, 1995, in a Texas hotel.
According to court documents, Saldívar’s motive for shooting the pop star stemmed from a combination of mental health issues, obsessing over the singer, as well as the fact that she was confronted for stealing thousands of dollars from the artist and her team.
Saldívar had been close to Selena as her fan club president and boutique manager in the early 1990s, yet was allegedly fired by the singer’s family after embezzling money from the business.
Faced with the loss of her job and an almost stalker-like obsessive relationship with Selena, Saldívar reportedly became extremely emotionally erratic in response. During their final meeting, she confronted Selena in a Days Inn Motel Room in Corpus Christi. After a heated argument over the missing money, Saldívar shot Selena with a .38 caliber revolver.
Selena, although wounded, was able to name Saldívar as her attacker before collapsing and later dying at a nearby hospital.
After a standoff with police, Saldívar, holding a gun to her head, claimed that she had never intended to kill Selena but rather meant to harm herself, per AP News. Saldívar was found guilty of first-degree murder and received a life sentence, with the chance for parole after 30 years.
As of this month, Saldívar’s case has reached the 30-year mark, opening the door for a parole hearing. Under Texas law, inmates convicted of certain crimes, including murder, are eligible for parole after serving at least 30 years. However, the decision to grant parole lies with a multi-person panel from the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles, which will assess Saldívar’s behavior and rehabilitation during her time in prison.
In Texas, the parole process does not involve public hearings, and the parole board members make their decisions independently. They consider the inmate’s history, mental stability, and conduct in prison, as well as any statements by victims or family members.
If parole is denied, Saldívar would not be eligible for another hearing for one to five years.
If Saldívar’s parole is granted, it could come with some heavy conditions, such as regular check-ins with police or parole officers, as well as restrictions on where she can live and who she can interact with.