Nearly 30 years to the day after the tragic death of Tejano star Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, her murderer, Yolanda Saldívar, has been denied parole.
Saldívar, now 64-years-old, has been serving out a life sentence at a prison in Gatesville, Texas since the 1995 killing, which occurred just weeks before what would have been the singer’s 24th birthday. This March marked the first time that Saldívar has become eligible for parole, but the state’s parole board announced Thursday that it would be denied.
According to the Associated Press, the parole board concluded that Saldívar still poses a threat to public safety, and displayed “a conscious disregard for the lives, safety, or property of others” when she fatally shot Selena during a confrontation at a Days Inn in Corpus Christi, Texas on March 31st, 1995. She won’t be eligible to be reviewed for parole again until 2030.
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In a statement, Selena’s family and widower, Chris Pérez, said they are “grateful” that Saldívar’s parole was denied. “While nothing can bring Selena back, this decision reaffirms that justice continues to stand for the beautiful life that was taken from us and from millions of fans around the world far too soon,” they said.
“Selena’s legacy is one of love, music, and inspiration,” the statement continued. “She lived with joy, gave selflessly, and continues to uplift generations with her voice and her spirit… We will continue to celebrate Selena’s life — not the tragedy that took her from us — and we ask that all who cherish her do the same.” Read the full statement below.
Saldívar was a friend and employee of Selena, as well as the president of Selena’s fan club and manager of her Selena Etc. boutique, but the two had a falling out after the former was caught embezzling money from both organizations. Selena’s death then occurred when the two were meeting for Saldívar to hand over remaining financial records that she was in possession of.
In other Selena news, a new documentary, Selena y Los Dinos, recently premiered at Sundance and South by Southwest, featuring never-before-seen home footage of the star. At the SXSW screening, many of her collaborators reunited to celebrate her trailblazing legacy.
Content shared from consequence.net.