Yolanda Saldívar, the woman who tragically ended Selena Quintanilla’s life in 1995, has just been denied parole. This decision came on Thursday, March 27, 2025.
Saldívar, now 64, was convicted of murder with a deadly weapon. She was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 30 years, which brings her eligibility date to March 30, 2025.
However, the Texas Board of Pardons and Parole recently made a significant decision: they denied her parole. The next review will happen in March 2030.
In their statement, the parole board cited the “nature of the offense” as the key reason for denying her early release. The offense was described as brutal and violent, showing a “disregard for the safety of others.”
Saldívar’s crime occurred on March 31, 1995. She shot Selena in the back after a confrontation regarding embezzlement from Selena’s fan club and boutiques. The 23-year-old singer tragically passed from blood loss and cardiac arrest.
Despite Saldívar’s claims that the shooting was an accident, the parole board felt otherwise. They stated that her actions posed a continuing threat to public safety.
In a twist, Saldívar’s relatives have been vocal about her desire for freedom. They claim she has more than paid her debt to society. One family member even referred to her as a “political prisoner.”
Saldívar herself has maintained that public opinion led to her harsh conviction. She even shared this in a 2024 Oxygen documentary, Selena and Yolanda: The Secrets Between Them.
But the parole board wasn’t swayed by her arguments. They explained that her parole review included extensive information, including court documents and criminal history, all of which led to the decision.
Carlos Valdez, the former district attorney who prosecuted the case, also spoke out before the decision. He argued that granting parole would be a “serious mistake.” His concern? The safety of the public if she were released.
In the end, the parole board sided with Valdez’s warnings, keeping Saldívar behind bars for now. The wait continues, with the next review set for five years from now.
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