A Texas parole board has just denied Yolanda Saldívar, the killer of Grammy Award-winning songstress Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, her freedom 30 years after the Tejano icon’s 1995 murder.
As we previously shared in December 2024, Yolanda Saldívar, the woman who fatally shot 23-year-old singer Selena Quintanilla-Pérez on March 31, 1995, filed parole paperwork in an attempt to secure her release from prison. Saldívar, 64, is currently serving a life sentence for the horrific murder of the Tejano icon.
According to a Texas Department of Criminal Justice official, Saldívar — whose family says she feels like a “political prisoner” — has maintained a pristine record. She’s currently housed at the Patrick L. O’Daniel Prison Unit in Gatesville, Texas which also houses women on Death Row. Saldívar has also maintained that she did not mean to kill her former boss. She continues to claim her death was accidental. Saldívar’s family even partially blames the singer for her own death.In an exclusive interview with The New York Post, an unnamed member of Saldívar’s family defended her actions. They stated:
“[Yolanda] knows what she did was wrong and she takes responsibility for it. But she was reacting to the way she was confronted. [Selena] came at her really aggressively. She was so thrown off with how forceful Selena was being; everything happened so fast. If Selena had confronted her differently, this never would have happened.”
Despite Yolanda Saldívar and her family believing she deserves her freedom after murdering Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, the singer’s family and husband Chris Pérez urged the Texas parole board to never release her killer. Pérez spoke with the Daily Mail and said:
“I don’t want that [her release] to happen, because of what she has done and how many people she’s hurt. Selena is no longer here with us. But I’ve also gotten to see the pain that it’s caused her family and to, of course, myself. Just seeing the hurt and the ups and downs we have to still go through. It’s something that to this day really upsets me – and that’s understating it. I don’t think I’ll ever not feel this way.”
Pérez also said that his sister-in-law, Suzette Quintanilla, have talked about the possibility of Saldívar’s release. He explained the whole family is in agreement that this just must NOT happen. He added:
“I live with [knowing] all the things that me and Selena could have done together and that she could have done as an artist, as a businesswoman, and as a woman coming into her power – what she could have become. I mean, it’s just all those things combined. That’s why I don’t feel like it should ever happen.”
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Yolanda Saldívar Denied Parole, Selena Quintanilla-Pérez’s Family Is ‘Grateful’
On Thursday (March 27), the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles announced that Yolanda Saldívar has been denied parole after spending decades behind bars for fatally shooting Selena Quintanilla-Pérez. The board members voted to not release Saldívar this year. The panel further said that he case will again be eligible for parole review in 2030.
Following the news, Selena Quintanilla-Pérez’s family released a statement on Instagram. It read:
“Today, we are grateful that the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles has chosen to deny parole for Yolanda Saldívar. While nothing can bring Selena back, this decision reaffirms that justice continues to stand for the beautiful life that was taken from us and from millions of fans around the world far too soon. Selena’s legacy is one of love, music, and inspiration. She lived with joy, gave selflessly, and continues to uplift generations with her voice and her spirit.
As her family and loved ones, we remain committed to preserving her memory and ensuring that her story is honored with the dignity and respect it deserves. We thank Selena’s fans for their unwavering support throughout the years. Your love has been a source of strength and healing. We will continue to celebrate Selena’s life – not the tragedy that took her from us – and we ask that all who cherish her do the same. – The Quintanilla Family and Chris Pérez.”
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