Woman Who Killed Tejano Music Star Selena, Is Up For Parole in Texas

In 1995 Tejano music superstar Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, known more popularly as just Selena, was shot and killed at the height of her career. The woman who was convicted of that murder, Yolanda Saldivar, was sentenced to life in prison. But after spending 30 years behind bars, she is now hoping to win her freedom.

Yolanda Saldivar is under parole review for the first time in Texas according to the Washington Post. Her hearing is set for March 30. According to the Washington Post, prosecutors claimed in 1995 that Saldivar killed Selena because she was about to be fired by Selena's family for embezzling money. During her trial and also during a recent documentary, Saldivar claims that her revolver, a .38 caliber, accidently went off when she met Selena at a hotel in Corpus Christi. The Washington Post reported that police later found Saldivar sitting in the parking lot of the hot inside a truck threatening to kill herself.

Will Selena's Killer Be Released?

According to the Washington Post, Texas's parole approval rate back in 2023 was around 34%.

Common reasons for approval are if an offender’s record does not have a repeated history of violent convictions, if the offender is not deemed a threat to public safety and if the sentence served so far suffices the severity of the crime, according to the board.

The revie process takes into account the offender's file, letters of support and protest, along with an interview with the offender. Then the panel votes.

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Parole for Selena's killer is likely to met with fierce opposition from both fans and family of the late super star.