The Texas parole board made a unanimous decision on Thursday that Yolanda Saldívar should spend the rest of her life in prison at Gatesville for killing Tejano music star Selena Quintanilla-Pérez thirty years ago. This parole decision has caused an uproar among people because it shows how much Selena’s legacy is still valued by the society.
“These photos show Yolanda Saldívar (left), currently serving a life sentence at the Patrick L. O’Daniel Unit prison in Gatesville, Texas, and Tejano music star Selena posing in Corpus Christi, Texas, on March 7, 1995.”
The three-member panel of the parole board was absolutely clear in its explanations. The board members pointed out that Saldívar has never shown any sign of remorse for her actions, and the nature of the crime she committed indicated that she was still dangerous to the society. Those who have been following this case should mark their calendars because Saldívar will not be eligible for parole again until 2030.
Those who do not know who Selena was should know that she was a path finder. A Mexican-American diva, she was ready to conquer the English-language pop market when she was brutally murdered at the age of 23. Saldívar was once a trusted friend and the president of Selena’s fan club and the manager of her Selena Etc. boutiques but her luck changed when she was fired in early 1995 on the allegations of embezzlement.
The incident occurred on March 31, 1995 at a Days Inn hotel in Corpus Christi. Selena received a.38-caliber bullet to the back and died one hour later after running to the lobby. The witnesses heard the cry of “Yolanda” from “room 158” before the killer ran away. In a nine hour, tear-stained police interview, Saldívar said that the shooting was an accident and that she had meant to shoot herself and not kill Selena. But the 50,000 people who attended Selena’s funeral on April 3, 1995, at Seaside Memorial Park, just a few days before her 24th birthday knew the truth.
The trial that followed was moved to Houston to avoid bias and it became a media sensation. Saldívar claimed that the gun went off by accident in an attempt to kill herself but the jury did not believe her. She was found guilty of first degree murder on October 23, 1995 and sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after thirty years.
Saldívar has been in jail, a former nurse, who has not been idle. She has also been able to gain an associate degree in criminal justice, paralegal, and also help other inmates with their legal issues. She has been in the protective custody since 2016 due to her popularity and has filed numerous civil rights violations regarding the prison conditions. However, all her efforts to be released have been refused.
Selena who is often called the ‘Queen of Tejano’ made a big influence in music and society. She had several hits in the early 90s such as “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom,” “Como la Flor,” and “Amor Prohibido” that earned her a Grammy, and also her album Dreaming of You was released after her death and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with songs like “I Could Fall in Love.” Her story was revived in the new generations by Jennifer Lopez’s film Selena in 1997, and in 2021 she was given a lifetime achievement award at the Grammys.
For now, Saldívar is behind bars, and Selena’s soul is still dancing. And so, it seems that justice still has a song in it, at least in Texas.