The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles rejected Yolanda Saldívar’s first bid for freedom Thursday, ensuring the murderer of Tejano legend Selena Quintanilla-Pérez will remain behind bars until at least 2030. The decision comes just days before the three-decade mark since the shocking March 31, 1995 killing that cut short the 23-year-old rising star’s career.
Saldívar, now 63, had served as president of Selena’s fan club before fatally shooting the singer during a confrontation at a Corpus Christi motel. Convicted of first-degree murder later that year, she received a life sentence with eligibility for parole after 30 years – a milestone that would have been reached this Sunday.
In a statement, parole officials confirmed they began reviewing Saldívar’s case six months early but ultimately determined she should serve additional time. “After thorough consideration… it was the parole panel’s determination to deny parole to Yolanda Saldivar and set her next parole review for March 2030,” the board announced.
The murder permanently altered the Latin music landscape, cutting down Selena just as her crossover album “Dreaming of You” was poised to break mainstream barriers. What began as a financial dispute over Saldívar’s embezzlement from the singer’s businesses ended with gunfire that reverberated across generations of fans.
Saldívar’s failed parole attempt brings partial closure to devotees who maintain vigil at Selena’s grave in Corpus Christi and pilgrimage to the museum at her former home. The Quintanilla family has long opposed any early release, with Selena’s father Abraham telling reporters in 2022: “She took away my daughter. She doesn’t deserve to walk free.”
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice confirmed Saldívar remains incarcerated at Mountain View Unit in Gatesville, where she’s been held since 1995. Her next parole eligibility date – March 30, 2030 – will mark exactly 35 years since the murder that transformed Selena into a cultural martyr.
