How did Selena Quintanilla die? Convicted killer Yolanda Saldívar’s family member puts partial blame on the singer for her death
Singer Selena Quintanilla's convicted killer, Yolanda Saldívar, is eligible for parole on March 30. The 64-year-old is serving a life sentence in a Texas prison for murdering the singer in 1995. Ahead of her parole, a family member of Saldívar told The New York Post in an exclusive interview that Selena Quintanilla was shot because she was allegedly being aggressive.
As per the media outlet, the 23-year-old singer was fatally shot in a hotel room in Corpus Christi, Texas, on March 31, 1995. Saldívar was the president of her fan club, and Quintanilla believed she reportedly embezzled $30,000 from her. During a confrontation, Saldívar shot the singer.
Saldívar denies the embezzlement accusation and pleads innocence, claiming she wanted to kill herself. However, the bullet accidentally hit Quintanilla. According to Complex's report, Saldívar barricaded herself behind a pickup truck, leading to a nine-and-a-half-hour-long standoff with the police. She eventually surrendered, and was charged with first-degree murder.
Saldívar's family member told the media outlet that Selena Quintanilla was allegedly too aggressive during the confrontation. While Saldívar is remorseful for what happened, she was "thrown off."
"[Yolanda] knows what she did was wrong and she takes responsibility for it. But she was reacting to the way she was confronted. She says that [Selena] came at her really aggressively. She was so thrown off with how forceful Selena was being; everything happened so fast. If Selena had confronted her differently, this never would have happened," they said.
Saldívar's family member also expressed concern for her future well-being, saying nobody will give her a job after she's released.
"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?" They asked.
What did Yolanda Saldívar say about Selena Quintanilla's death?
According to Fox News, Yolanda Saldívar sat for an interview for Oxygen's docuseries Selena & Yolanda: The Secrets Between Them in February 2024. In the interview, Saldívar claimed that Selena Quintanilla was accidentally shot, and she regrets it. She said,
"It startled me. 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. My decisions were my decisions, and the consequences were also mine. 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]."
Saldívar apologized to the singer's family along with her own family. She also stated that she misses Selena as much as her fans and hopes to see her in heaven. She said,
"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. 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."
According to the media outlet, Selena Quintanilla's father, Abraham Quintanilla, bashed the docuseries after its release. He told TMZ that Saldívar's words are allegedly lies and nobody will believe her. He said,
"No one’s gonna believe what she has to say anyway. Everyone knows there’s zero truth to anything that comes out of her mouth."
Oxygen's docuseries, Selena & Yolanda: The Secrets Between Them, was released on February 17, 2024. It is available for streaming on DIRECTV, Peacock TV, Fandango at Home, Prime Video, and Apple TV.