Selena’s Murderer Yolanda Saldivar Is Seeking Parole in 2025 Following Nearly 30 Years in Prison

Yolanda Saldívar is seeking parole in 2025 after she was convicted of murdering singer Selena Quintanilla-Pérez after 30 years in prison.

Us Weekly confirmed on Monday, December 30, that Saldívar, 64, is currently in the parole review process. Her eligibility date is March 30, 2025. Saldívar is also eligible for inmate visitation, per online records viewed by Us.

The New York Post reported on Sunday, December 29, that Saldívar’s prison record is currently in good standing.

Selena was shot by Saldívar in March 1995 at a motel in Corpus Christi, Texas. While paramedics tried to revive her, Selena died of hypovolemic shock at Corpus Christi Memorial Hospital. She was 23 years old. Selena was survived by her family and her husband, Christopher Pérez, who was also the lead guitarist in her band, Selena y Los Dinos.

Saldívar, who was the Tejano singer’s former fan club president and boutique manager, was arraigned and pleaded not guilty. She previously claimed that the shooting was accidental and that she had intended to commit suicide.

“They made me out to be a monster, and I just want to say, I did not kill Selena,” Saldívar claimed in an interview with 20/20 in 1995. “It was an accident, and my conscience is clear.”

Saldívar was found guilty by a jury of first-degree murder in October 1995. She was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 30 years behind bars. Saldívar has been serving her sentence at the Patrick O’Daniel facility in Texas.

Following Selena’s tragic death, her legacy has continued to live on. Selena’s first English language album, Dreaming of You, was released posthumously just months after her passing. The record debuted on the Billboard 200 debut, making Selena the first Latin artist to do so. Dreaming of You sold more than one million copies.

Two years later, a movie was made about Selena’s life which starred Jennifer Lopez as the Grammy winner. The film launched Lopez into superstardom. In 2020, Netflix dropped a miniseries about Selena starring Walking Dead alum Christian Serratos.

In addition to her story being told through film and TV, Selena has also earned a series of accolades following her death. Selena has sold approximately 18 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling female artists in Latin music. In 2021, the “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom” singer was awarded the Lifetime Achievement award at the Grammys. Three years later, Selena was selected as one of the National Medal of Arts recipients by President Joe Biden.