Selena Quintanilla-Pérez’s family members showed sincere appreciation to officials because of the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles decision to reject parole for Selena’s killer, Yolanda Saldívar, in 1995. Saldívar faces a lifetime imprisonment following the March 27, 2025, decision by authorities because her next review for parole will occur in March 2030.
In a statement put up on Selena’s official Instagram account, her family was grateful for the parole board’s judgment:
Today we are grateful that the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles has voted to deny parole for Yolanda Saldívar. While nothing can bring back Selena, this decision again reinforces that justice remains.
The family likewise honored the constant love and support of Selena’s fan base, while also affirming that her legacy of love, music, and inspiration is alive and well. Yolanda Saldívar stands at 64 years old today, while she served as Selena’s fan club president and clothing boutique manager until she was convicted for first-degree murder during her assault on Selena with a gun at a Corpus Christi, Texas motel on March 31, 1995. Selena’s family complained about Saldívar’s monetary theft only seconds before this incident occurred.
According to the official order, Saldívar remains behind bars indefinitely since her sentence carries a potential for parole after thirty years of imprisonment. This allows Saldívar to qualify for parole release beginning in March 2025. Saldívar could not obtain parole because the board evaluated her crime as brutal and showed willful disregard toward human existence, stating she poses an ongoing threat to public security.
While in prison, Saldívar has maintained that the shooting was an accident and has called herself a “political prisoner.” She has asserted that her trial was influenced by Selena’s popularity and that she was convicted in the court of public opinion before the trial even started.
Despite all these accusations, the parole board considered her case in depth, conducting confidential interviews with her as well as considering her while she was in jail. The panel decided that releasing Saldívar was not in the interest of the public and therefore turned down her request for parole.
Carlos Valdez, the former Nueces County district attorney who prosecuted Saldívar, claimed it was the right decision for the board of pardons and paroles to deny the parole hearing based on the risk of release. Valdez said, “From what I’ve seen thus far, I believe it would be, it is, a serious error for her to be placed on parole.”
The decision to deny Yolanda Saldívar’s parole has brought some comfort to the family and supporters of Selena Quintanilla-Perez by affirming their long-held belief in the justice system. The next parole hearing will be in 2030. In the meantime, the Quintanilla family will continue to work to honor Selena’s legacy and is thankful for the continued love and support from fans everywhere.
