Music icon Selena Quintanilla-Pérez’s killer, Yolanda Saldívar, was denied parole by Texas’ parole board Thursday.
Saldívar has been serving a life sentence in Texas for the past three decades. This was the first time she was up for parole since her sentencing.
Selena’s widower, Chris Pérez, shared a lengthy statement to Instagram after the ruling, saying he was “grateful” the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles denied Saldívar parole and is committed to preserving Selena’s legacy.
Chris said the 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.
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“Selena’s legacy is one of love, music, and inspiration. She lived with joy, gave selflessly, and continues to uplift generations with her voice and her spirit. As her family and loved ones, we remain committed to preserving her memory and ensuring that her story is honored with the dignity and respect it deserves,” Chris added.
“We thank Selena’s fans for their unwavering support throughout the years. Your love has been a source of strength and healing. 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.”
Saldívar would have become eligible for parole March 30.
A family member of Saldívar’s told the Post, “She has a place to live. We have never forsaken her. But I don’t know where she’s going to get a job. Who will hire her?”
The outlet also previously spoke with inmates at the Patrick L. O’Daniel Unit in Gatesville, Texas, where Saldívar is being held, who said she has been housed in protective custody due to being a heavy target among inmates.
“Everyone knows who Yolanda Saldívar is,” Marisol Lopez, who served time alongside her from 2017 to 2022, told the outlet. “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.”
Saldívar fatally shot Quintanilla-Pérez, known simply as Selena, March 31, 1995, after the Latin pop star discovered Saldívar had embezzled a reported $30,000 from her clothing boutiques. Saldívar still denies ever stealing from the pop star.
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In February 2024, Saldívar sat down for a new prison interview featured in an Oxygen docuseries, “Selena & Yolanda: The Secrets Between Them.”
During the docuseries, Saldívar claimed she had no intention of killing Quintanilla-Pérez. Instead, she insisted she wanted to end her own life. However, in a series of unfortunate events, the gun allegedly went off and hit the 23-year-old instead.
“It startled me,” Saldívar said. “I did not know my gun went off. I did not know that it hit her. It scared her, it scared me. There was never ever any intention to do her any harm.
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“My decisions were my decisions, and the consequences were also mine,” she said. “I’m regretful for all of that. If I could turn back time, if I could turn the clock, I think a lot of things wouldn’t be as they [are]. And I want the people to know I miss Selena just like they do. So much. But I know I will see her again in heaven. I know I will. She didn’t deserve to die.
“I am so sorry that she’s gone,” said Saldívar. “I’m so sorry that her family is hurting. And I’m so sorry that my family is hurt. At no point did I mean to hurt anyone.”
Saldívar was convicted of first-degree murder Oct. 23, 1995.
Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Stanton contributed to this report.
