Selena’s killer Yolanda Saldívar eligible for parole on eve of the 30th anniversary of the singer’s death

The woman serving a life sentence for killing singer Selena Quintanilla-Perez is eligible for parole, on the eve of the 30th anniversary of Selena’s death.

Yolanda Saldívar, president of Selena’s fan club, shot and killed the American singer-songwriter on March 31, 1995.

Saldívar, now 64, is serving a life sentence at the Patrick L. O’Daniel Unit in Gatesville for killing the singer. Saldívar shot Selena in a Corpus Christi hotel room after being confronted for embezzling money from Selena’s fan club and clothing boutiques.

According to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice’s website, Saldívar’s Parole Review Process was initiated as early as October 2024. 

The parole panel ultimately denied Saldívar parole on Thursday, March 27, 2025. According to a statement posted to the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles website, her next parole review is set for March 2030. 

Selena Quintanilla’s musical legacy

Known as the “Reina de Tejano” or “Queen of Tejano music,” Selena rose to fame in the late 1980s among Mexican Americans and Mexicans. 

Born in Lake Jackson, Texas, she began performing around the state with her family from a young age, including at Marine Park in Fort Worth and the Houston Rodeo.

Her popularity quickly grew across U.S. and international Latino markets, and she went on to sign with a major record label. Selena was the first Tejano artist to win a Grammy for “Selena Live!” in 1994. 

At the time of her death, Selena was recording her first album in English and had opened several fashion boutiques. Her English language album “Dreaming of You” was released the month after her death. 

Since her death, Selena’s story has been told through several television documentaries and a full-length film starring Jennifer Lopez. In Texas, there are several murals, statues and tributes in honor of the musician.