By Christina Fernández-Morrow
In 1995, the music world was shaken by the tragic death of the talented “Queen of Tejano Music,” Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, who was fatally shot by Yolanda Saldívar. Saldívar has since served nearly thirty years in a Texas prison for the murder. However, on March 30, 2025, the eve of the 30-year anniversary of Quintanilla-Pérez’s death, Saldívar hoped to change that. Texas court records show Saldívar was up for parole and set to go in front of the parole board to plead for her freedom.
Saldívar, who was the president of the Selena Fan Club and managed the singer’s clothing boutiques, shot Quintanilla-Perez in the back after the performer confronted her over missing money. Saldívar held off police for nine hours after the killing, pointing the .38-caliber revolver she used in the murder to her own head, claiming that she didn’t mean to kill Quintanilla Perez. Seven months later, Saldívar was sentenced to life in prison, with the possibility of parole after serving 30 years. After unsuccessful attempts at appeals and retrials, the 64-year-old filed for parole in October 2024.
In Texas, the parole process begins six months before an inmate’s initial parole eligibility, with the Department of Criminal Justice pulling the case file for review. An institutional parole officer interviews the inmate and prepares a summary for the Board of Pardons and Paroles, while victims or their families can submit written statements or appear before board members. A three-person panel independently reviews the file and votes on the case just before the parole eligibility date, requiring a majority of two votes for a final decision, with no public hearings conducted.
On March 27 Saldívar’s bid for release from prison was denied by a three-member panel of the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles. The board’s statement emphasized that she continues to pose a threat to public safety. Moreover, they cited the nature of her original crime as demonstrating a “conscious disregard for the lives, safety, or property of others.” Saldívar will be eligible to reapply in five years, the maximum time allowed for parole reapplication. Had she been granted parole, she would have faced strict post-release regulations, including supervision by a parole officer and been freed within two to six weeks. That would have been an unexpected conclusion to one of the most notorious murders in Latin music history.
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