Selena's Killer Convicted: Justice for a Latin Star
Yolanda Saldivar was convicted of first-degree murder on October 23, 1995, for shooting Tejano superstar Selena Quintanilla-Perez at a Days Inn motel in Corpus Christi, Texas. Saldivar had been president of Selena's fan club and manager of her boutiques before the family discovered she was embezzling funds. On March 31, 1995, Selena went to the motel to retrieve financial records. Saldivar shot her once in the back with a .38 revolver. Selena was 23 years old. The trial drew intense media coverage, particularly from Spanish-language outlets. The jury deliberated for two hours. Saldivar received life in prison with parole eligibility after 30 years. Selena's posthumous album Dreaming of You debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, the first predominantly Spanish-language album to do so.
October 23, 1995
31 years ago
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