Yolanda Saldívar who shot and killed singer Selena Quintanilla-Perez, 23, in 1995 has her fate decided by court, nearly three decades after committing this gruesome murder.
She had been already behind bars ever since she committed the murder, having been convicted of first-degree murder. However, she stood in a parole hearing on Thursday, March 27, where her fate was decided once and for all.
RELATED STORIES
What happened to Quintanilla-Perez
On March 31, 1995, Saldívar shot Quintanilla-Perez in the back with a .38 special revolver at a Days Inn hotel in Corpus Christi, Texas.
What led to this fatal confrontation was a conversation between them about Saldívar embezzling $60,000 from the fan club dedicated to the singer.
She rose to fame before her death
Selena hit the prime of her fame before her death singing in both Spanish and English, so much so she was dubbed the “Queen of Tejano Music.”
Her Mexican and US influences shone through her work and were a big part of why she rose to fame.
How Saldívar knew Selena
Quintanilla Pérez’s father and manager, Abraham Quintanilla Jr, appointed Saldívar to her fan club in 1991 and she was later promoted to manager of Selena’s boutiques in January 1994.
Unfortunately for Saldívar, complaints rolled in about her management style. That’s when Quintanilla Jr. learned about her $60,000 embezzlement from the club which led to the tragic murder of Selena.
Saldívar’s parole hearing
Saldívar is currently serving a life sentence at the Patrick L. O’Daniel Unit in Gatesville, and she submitted a petition for parole. Her parole hearing, which took place last Thursday, was denied due to the gruesome nature of her crime.
Her crime was “violent”
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice documents stated that her crime had “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.”
However, she is eligible for parole again
Saldívar’s case is eligible for reconsideration in 2030 when she can re-apply for parole. In addition, Saldívar’s safety is jeopardized in prison, having faced and is still facing countless threats for killing the singer.
Not only this but she also has a bounty on her head, which is a reason why she is held in protective custody and is mostly alone in her cell.
