It has been thirty years since the murder of Selena Quintanilla, a famous Mexican American singer who was loved by many. Recently, Yolanda Saldivar, who was convicted of Selena’s murder, has filed for parole.
According to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Online records in Texas, Yolanda, who is currently 64 years old, has filed a petition for parole. She is imprisoned in the Patrick L. O’Daniel Unit prison located at Gatesville, Texas, and she is currently doing a parole review process.
Yolanda was known as the president of Selena’s fan club and manager of two of Selena’s clothing boutiques. On March 31, 1995, she shot and killed Selena at Days Inn Motel located in Corpus Christi, Texas. She was later found guilty on October 26, 1995, of first degree murder and sentenced to life in prison with a possibility for parole after 30 years.
According to The New York Post, prisoners at Patrick L. O’Daniel Unit prison stated to the outlet that Yolanda has been in protective custody because she is a heavy target among other inmates. Marisol Lopez, who served time beside Yolanda from 2017 to 2022, stated to the outlet, “Everyone knows who Yolanda Saldivar is. There’s a bounty on her head, like everyone wants a piece of her. The guards keep her away from everyone else, because she’s hated so much. If she were out in [general population], someone would try to take her down.”
In the past Yolanda has stated she didn’t intentionally kill Selena including on an Oxygen documentary, Selena & Yolanda: The Secrets Between Them. In the documentary, Yolanda denied the claim of her embezzling money, instead saying she was covering up Selena’s extramarital affair; however, she didn’t provide evidence. The documentary resulted in receiving a slew of backlash from Selena’s fans, who didn’t want to hear what Yolanda had to say.
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice’s website stated, “The parole process begins about six months before the parole eligibility date for the first review and fourth months before the eligibility date.” Yolanda’s file is going to be reviewed, involving letters of protest and support, and a case summary will be prepared for the board voting panel. Yolanda’s parole review date is on March 30, 2025.
