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Yolanda Saldívar, Killer of Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, Denied Parole Three Decades After Murder
Yolanda Saldívar, the woman convicted of murdering Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, has been refused parole three decades after the Tejano music icon’s death. The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles announced their decision on Thursday, March 27, in a statement obtained by Us Weekly. Saldívar’s parole eligibility date was Sunday, March 30, and her case was reviewed by a “parole panel of three” days prior.
Parole Board’s Decision
The board stated that after a thorough evaluation, the panel reached its determination. The review process encompassed “court documents, offense reports, support/protest information, criminal history, institutional adjustment, and information/statements provided by the offender,” as outlined by the institution.
“It was the parole panels determination to deny parole to Yolanda Saldívar and set her next parole review for March 2030,” the board communicated. The rationale for the denial, the statement clarified, was “the nature of the offense.”
The board’s statement further elaborated, “The record indicates that the instant offense has elements of brutality, violence, assaultive behavior or conscious selection of victim’s vulnerability indicating a conscious disregard for the lives, safety, or property of others, such that the offender poses a continuing threat to public safety.”
First Parole Hearing
This parole hearing marked the initial opportunity for release for Saldívar, now 64, since she began serving her life sentence in 1995.
Selena’s Rise to Stardom and Tragic Death
Selena Quintanilla achieved prominence in the early 1990s, popularizing Tejano music with hits such as “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom” and “Como la Flor.” Saldívar established and presided over the singer’s fan club and managed Selena’s clothing boutiques. However, Saldívar was terminated from her roles in 1995 following the discovery of missing funds.
The 1995 Motel Confrontation
In March 1995, Selena and Saldívar engaged in a confrontation at a motel in Corpus Christi, Texas, where Saldívar was staying. During the encounter, Selena was shot in the back. She fled from the room and collapsed in the motel lobby. Despite being urgently transported to a nearby medical facility, Selena Quintanilla was pronounced dead at the age of 23. Saldívar, who initially claimed the shooting was a suicide attempt rather than an intentional act against Selena, was apprehended after a protracted nine-hour standoff with law enforcement.
Trial and Sentencing
Prosecutors at Saldívar’s trial contended that she murdered Selena due to suspicions of embezzling $30,000. Saldívar’s legal representatives argued that the firearm discharged unintentionally. In October 1995, Saldívar was found guilty of first-degree murder and received a life sentence, with the possibility of parole after 30 years. She is currently incarcerated at the Patrick L. O’Daniel Unit in Gatesville, Texas.
Advocacy for Release and Public Opinion
Leading up to Saldívar’s first parole consideration, she and a relative publicly advocated for her release.
An unnamed family member of Saldívar asserted to The New York Post in March 2024, “Enough is enough. She feels like she’s a political prisoner at this point. She’s ready to get out of jail because she believes she has more than served her time.”
Since her conviction, Saldívar has consistently maintained her innocence, claiming the shooting was accidental and suggesting Selena’s fame influenced the severity of her sentence.
Saldívar’s Documentary and Prosecutor’s Warning
“I was convicted by public opinion even before my trial started,” she stated in the 2024 documentary, Selena and Yolanda: The Secrets Between Them.
Despite Saldívar’s appeals for freedom, Carlos Valdez, the former Nueces County District Attorney who prosecuted the original case, cautioned against her release.
“Lord knows what will happen if she is released,” Valdez told KHOU. “Based on what I’ve seen so far, I think it would be a serious mistake to grant her parole. I believe, I really believe, that the safest place for Yolanda would probably be where she is.”