Selena's Killer Yolanda Saldivar to Get Another Shot at Freedom

Yolanda Saldivar, the killer of Latina superstar Selena Quintanilla, is currently serving a life sentence for the murder of the singer. However, she is eligible for parole on March 20, 2025.

Yolanda Saldivar is currently in Mountain View Prison in Texas, which is a maximum-security women's prison. She was reportedly handed a prison job responsible for passing out food trays from a cart to other offenders in her cell area, The Sun reported.

In March 2019, Selena's killer was reported requesting a new trial. She said the prosecutor on the case held exculpatory material evidence, which is favorable to the defendant. But her request for a new trial was dismissed by the court.

Who is Yolanda Saldivar?

Yolanda Saldivar was born in Texas and was 11 years older than Selena Quintanilla. In 1991, she became a registered nurse. However, her life changed when she saw Selena performed, according to a Parade report.

Saldivar allegedly bothered Selena's father and manager, Abraham Quintanilla Jr., into letting her start a Selena fan club. The Quintanilla family had also allowed her to be in charge of Selena's boutiques in South Texas.

Yolanda Saldivar once said that Selena was like a daughter to her and would call her mom. Selena's killer was found guilty in October 1995, and she was sentenced to a maximum of life in prison for first-degree murder.

The Latina superstar's father said they do not care if they release Selena's killer today. He noted that even Saldivar could be free, nothing can bring back his daughter, according to an Oprah Daily report.

Selena Quintanilla's Death

The well-known singer-songwriter died on March 31, 1995. She was only 23 years old. At the time, Yolanda Saldivar had been relieved of her duties as president of Selena's fan club and manager of her boutique after the Latina superstar, and her father suspected her of embezzling money, according to a Women's Health Mag article.

Fans started calling and sending letters to the Quintanilla family to report that they had not received merchandise that they had ordered and paid for.

Selena's father had noticed that Saldivar had taken more than $60,000 from Selena's fan club and stores. Selena's killer had continued to do the paperwork for the stores after she was fired.

Selena had been reported to set up a meeting with Yolanda Saldivar at the Days Inn Motel in Texas to confront her about the issue and collect the documents.

Other reports stated that Selena's killer set up the meeting, claiming that she had been raped to seek comfort. As Selena walked out of the motel room, Yolanda Saldivar pulled out what witnesses described as a "cowboy gun" and shot her once in the back.

Selena had managed to make her way to the lobby before collapsing while Saldivar locked herself in her pickup truck in the hotel's parking lot with the gun, threatening to kill herself. She held police at bay for almost 10 hours until finally giving up, Houston Chronicle reported.

The Chronicle also reported that on April 2, 1995, the suspect had deposited checks in various bank accounts under false names. Selena's marketing director, Jimmy Gonzales, said they had a meeting with her and brought these accusations to her.

Gonzales noted that this might have triggered Saldivar off. The marketing director added that checks were made out to her instead of the fan club, saying that Selena's killer instructed fans to make them out to her name.

Netflix had earlier released a series about Selena's legacy. The show's first part showed Selena's childhood when she was the centerpiece of her family band.

Oprah Daily earlier reported that the second part would show more of Saldivar's prominent role as the series closes its conclusion. Up to this day, Yolanda Saldivar, 60, maintains that she shot Selena Quintanilla by accident.

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