Selena Quintanilla-Pérez is commonly referred to as the “Queen of Tejano Music.” Her contributions to music and fashion made her one of the most celebrated Mexican-American entertainers of the late 20th century. In 2020, Billboard magazine put her in third place on their list of “Greatest Latino Artists of All Time,” based on both Latin albums and Latin songs chart. Media outlets have called her the “Tejano Madonna” for her clothing choices. She also ranks among the most influential Latin artists of all time and is credited for raising the Tejano genre into the mainstream music market.

In 1994, the Quintanilla family appointed Yolanda Saldívar as manager of Selena’s clothing boutiques, which were called Selena Etc. Eight months later, Selena signed Saldívar as her registered agent in San Antonio, Texas. After the agreement, Saldívar moved from San Antonio to Corpus Christi to be closer to Selena. In December 1994, the boutiques began to suffer after the number of staff for both stores had decreased. According to staff members, Saldívar often dismissed employees she disliked. Employees at the stores regularly complained about Saldívar’s behavior to Selena, who dismissed the claims, believing that Saldívar always had her best interests at heart. Staff members soon began informing Selena’s father about Saldívar’s behavior, which he took seriously. Selena’s father suggested to the singer that Saldívar might not be a good influence and asked her to “be careful.” However Selena also dismissed her father’s inquiries. Others in Selena’s orbit also expressed their concerns over Saldívar’s behavior and management skills. During an interview with Saldívar in 1995, reporters from The Dallas Morning News said her devotion to Selena bordered on obsession.

In January 1995, Selena’s father Abraham Quintanilla Jr. began receiving telephone calls from fans who claimed to have paid for membership in the Selena fan club and received nothing in return, and he began an investigation. He soon discovered that Saldívar had embezzled more than $30,000 via forged checks from both the fan club and the boutiques.

On the night of March 9th, Selena’s father confronted Saldívar with the inconsistencies regarding the bank records. He informed Saldívar that if she did not provide evidence disproving his accusations, he would involve local police.

Quintanilla Jr. banned Saldívar from having any contact with Selena. However, Selena was hesitant to dissolve their relationship completely, thinking Saldívar was essential to the success of her clothing line in Mexico. Selena also felt that Saldívar had bank records and financial statements that would be needed for tax preparation.

In the days before Selena’s death, Saldívar delayed handing over the financial records, claiming she had been sexually assaulted in Mexico. On March 31, 1995 Saldívar and Selena appeared at a medical clinic, in order to have Saldívar examined for an assault which she claimed occurred in Monterrey. During that visit, Saldívar was given a brief physical examination by the clinic’s doctor, but this did not include a gynecological exam.

Later that same day, Selena again met with Saldívar in her motel room at the Days Inn in Corpus Christi, Texas, where Selena demanded to see the financial documents. At 11:48 A.M., Saldívar pulled a gun from her purse and pointed it at Selena. As Selena attempted to flee, Saldívar shot her once on the right lower shoulder, severing the subclavian artery and causing a severe loss of blood. Saldívar attempted to leave in her pickup truck and was spotted by a responding police cruiser. She surrendered after a more than nine-hour standoff with police and the FBI. By that time hundreds of fans had gathered at the crime scene.

Selena was taken to the Corpus Christi Memorial Hospital at 12:00 Noon and after 50 minutes of surgery, she was pronounced dead from blood loss and cardiac arrest at 1:05 P.M.

Selena’s murder had a widespread impact. Reactions to her death were compared to those following the deaths of musicians John Lennon and Elvis Presley, as well as U.S. president John F. Kennedy. Major television networks interrupted their regular programming to break the news. Her death was front-page news in The New York Times for two days. Many vigils and memorials were held in her honor, and radio stations in Texas played her music non-stop for days. Her funeral drew 60,000 mourners, with many traveling from outside the United States. On April 12, 1995, two weeks after Selena’s death, George W. Bush, governor of Texas at the time, declared her birthday, April 16, as Selena Day in the state.

In October of 1995, a Houston jury convicted Saldívar of first-degree murder and she was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 30 years in 2025.

In January of 2025, a representative for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice announced that Saldívar, at 64 years old, is currently in the parole review process. Her eligibility date is March 30, 2025.

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