Yolanda Saldivar, the Killer of Selena, Pursues Parole in 2025
Yolanda Saldívar is set to apply for parole in 2025 after serving 30 years in prison for the murder of singer Selena Quintanilla-Pérez.
Us Weekly reported on Monday, December 30, that Saldívar, now 64, is undergoing the parole review process. She becomes eligible for parole on March 30, 2025, and is also permitted for inmate visitation, according to online records accessed by Us.
The New York Post mentioned on December 29 that Saldívar maintains a good standing in her prison record.
Selena was fatally shot by Saldívar in March 1995 at a motel in Corpus Christi, Texas. Despite paramedics’ efforts to revive her, Selena succumbed to hypovolemic shock at Corpus Christi Memorial Hospital. She was just 23 years old at her death, leaving behind her family and her husband, Christopher Pérez, who was also the lead guitarist in her band, Selena y Los Dinos.
Saldívar, who had previously served as the Tejano singer’s fan club president and boutique manager, was charged and pleaded not guilty, asserting that the shooting was accidental and that her intention was to commit suicide.
“They portrayed me as a monster, and I just want to clarify that I did not kill Selena,” Saldívar stated during a 20/20 interview in 1995. “It was an accident, and I am at peace with my conscience.”
Saldívar was convicted of first-degree murder by a jury in October 1995 and sentenced to life imprisonment, becoming eligible for parole after 30 years. She is currently serving her sentence at the Patrick O’Daniel facility in Texas.
Since Selena’s untimely passing, her legacy has thrived. Her first English-language album, Dreaming of You, was released posthumously only months after her death and debuted on the Billboard 200, making Selena the first Latin artist to achieve this milestone. The album sold over one million copies.
Two years later, a biopic about Selena’s life was released, featuring Jennifer Lopez in the title role, which propelled Lopez to stardom. In 2020, Netflix premiered a miniseries about Selena starring Walking Dead actress Christian Serratos.
Beyond film and television, Selena has received numerous accolades following her death. She has sold nearly 18 million records globally, solidifying her position as one of the best-selling female artists in Latin music. In 2021, she was honored with the Lifetime Achievement award at the Grammys, and three years later, she was among the National Medal of Arts recipients recognized by President Joe Biden.
