Yolanda Saldivar, the woman who was sentenced to life in prison for shooting Tejano superstar Selena Quintanilla in 1995, is eligible for her first parole hearing on March 30, 2025.
New Documentary on Selena Quintanilla and her killer, Yolanda Saldivar
A new documentary on Oxygen True Crime explores the complex relationship between Tejano superstar Selena Quintanilla and her killer, Yolanda Saldivar, who was the president of the singer’s fan club.
The three-part documentary, Selena & Yolanda: The Secrets Between Them, will premiere with back-to-back episodes on February 17 at 8 p.m. On oxygen. ET/PT and will end on February 18 at 7 p.m. Jail interviews with Saldivar will be presented.
In a three-part documentary titled “Selena & Yolanda: The Secrets Between Them” on Oxygen True Crime, Saldivar talks about her crime and her time with Selena.
“I knew her secrets,” Saldívar says in the trailer, which can be seen below. “And I think people deserve to know the truth.”
How did Yolanda Saldivar meet Selena?
Saldivar who used to be a nurse, was originally a fan of country music. After attending one of Selena’s concerts, she began repeatedly calling Selena’s father, Abraham Quintanilla, about starting a fan club in San Antonio. Quintanilla eventually acceded to Saldívar’s requests and she immediately became president of the club. Also read – House of Ninjas (Netflix)- Cast, Plot, Release Date: Everything you Need to know…
What was the cause of Selena Quintanilla’s death?
Selena, 23, was shot in 1995 just two weeks before her 24th birthday by Saldívar, who was also her close friend and business associate. (Selena was murdered before the completion of her highly anticipated English album Dreaming of You. The album debuted posthumously at number 1 on the Billboard 200 chart on August 4, 1995.)
How did Saldívar get a gun?
Saldívar allegedly murdered Selena after the singer discovered that Saldívar was embezzling money from Selena’s clothing boutique. According to the Associated Press, two days after confronting Selena, Saldívar applied for a permit to purchase a gun from a gun store in San Antonio, as witnesses testified during his trial.
At the time, Saldivar told gun store employees that family members of mentally ill people for whom she worked had made threats against her. She was shot at a Days Inn in Corpus Christi, Texas.
After the murder, Saldívar confronted police while she was sitting in her pickup in a motel parking lot and threatening to kill herself. She later surrendered and was arrested.
Court Decision on Selena Quintanilla Murder Case
Yolanda Saldivar was charged with first-degree murder. During his trial, prosecutors described the icon’s murder as a “senseless and cowardly act of violence.”
However, Saldívar’s defense attorneys argued that the fatal shooting was a tragic accident and that Saldívar, not Selena, was trying to kill himself.
Saldívar was sentenced to Life in Prison in October 1995.
What happened to Selena Quintanilla’s clothing line?
After her death, Selena’s widower Chris Perez took over the business. The San Antonio boutique was closed sometime after 1999. The store was officially closed on July 1, 2009, following the 16th anniversary of the Corpus Christi boutique’s opening.