Yolanda Saldívar

Last updated

Yolanda Saldívar
Born (1960-09-19) September 19, 1960 (age 64)
San Antonio, Texas, US
Occupations
  • Nurse
  • fan club president
  • retail manager
Criminal statusIncarcerated at Patrick O'Daniel Unit in Gatesville, Texas
Conviction(s) First-degree murder of Selena
Criminal penalty Life imprisonment (minimum of 30 years)
Details
Victims Selena
DateMarch 31, 1995
Location(s) Corpus Christi, Texas
Weapon Revolver

Yolanda Saldívar (Spanish pronunciation: [ɟʝoˈlandasalˈdiβaɾ] ; born September 19, 1960) [1] [2] is an American former nurse who was convicted of murdering Tejano singer Selena in 1995. [3] Born in San Antonio, Saldívar had been the president of Selena's fan club and the manager of her boutiques, but she lost both positions a short time before the murder, when the singer's family discovered that she had been embezzling money from both organizations.

Contents

Three days after the jury found her guilty of murder, they sentenced Saldívar to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after 30 years, meaning she will become eligible for parole on March 30, 2025.

Biography

Saldívar was born on September 19, 1960, in San Antonio, Texas. She is one of seven children born to Frank and Juanita Saldívar. [4]

Selena fan club

Saldívar, a former nurse, was a fan of country music. [5] After attending one of Selena's concerts, she began repeatedly calling Selena's father, Abraham Quintanilla, about starting a fan club in San Antonio. [6] Quintanilla eventually gave in to Saldívar's requests and she immediately became the club's president. [7]

Saldívar was eventually promoted as manager of Selena's clothing boutiques, Selena Etc. [7] By 1993, the fan club had reached 1,500 members in less than four years, and eventually grew to over 5,000. It became one of the largest fan clubs in the San Antonio area. [6]

Murder of Selena

In early 1995, Selena's family discovered that Saldívar had been embezzling money from both the fan club and boutiques, which led to her getting fired in the first week of March. [7] On the morning of March 31, Selena agreed to meet Saldívar at a Days Inn motel in Corpus Christi [8] to retrieve financial records Saldívar had been refusing to turn over. Saldívar delayed the handover by claiming she had been raped in Mexico. [9] Selena drove Saldívar to a local hospital, where they were told that the gynecological exam was to be done elsewhere, because the assault had allegedly happened in another country. [10]

They returned to the motel, where Selena once more demanded the records. [7] Saldívar then took a .38 Taurus Model 85 revolver from her purse and pointed it at the singer. Selena tried to flee, but Saldívar shot her once in the back, severing an artery. Critically wounded, Selena ran towards the lobby for help with Saldívar in pursuit calling her a "bitch". [11]

Selena collapsed on the floor as the clerk called 911. She later died in a hospital from blood loss at 1:05 pm. [12]

Trial and imprisonment

The Mountain View Unit, now Patrick O'Daniel Unit, where Saldivar is being held Entrance to TDCJ Mountain View Unit.jpg
The Mountain View Unit, now Patrick O'Daniel Unit, where Saldívar is being held

Saldívar's trial for the murder of Selena was followed closely by the Latino community in the United States. The trial was not televised, but cameras were permitted on the courthouse premises. The venue was moved to Houston, Texas, after Saldívar's lawyers successfully argued that she could not receive a fair trial in Selena's hometown. [3]

Before the start of the trial, CNN reported that prosecutors were expected to introduce a controversial police confession signed by Saldívar in which she said she shot Selena "during an argument over accusations from the singer's father that Saldívar stole money from Selena's accounts". The defense was expected to introduce testimony from Texas Ranger Robert Garza that "he overheard Saldívar claim the shooting was accidental, and that she objected when police failed to include it in her statement". [3]

The defense attorney argued the shooting was accidental, but the prosecution pointed out that Saldívar, a trained nurse, did not call 911 or try to help Selena after she was shot. [13]

Jurors deliberated for less than three hours on October 23, 1995, before finding Saldívar guilty of murder. [13] [14] Three days later, on October 26, she was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole in thirty years; this was the maximum prison term allowed in Texas at the time. [15] On November 22, 1995, she arrived at the Gatesville Unit (now the Christina Melton Crain Unit) in Gatesville, Texas, to be processed. [16]

Saldívar is currently serving a life sentence at the Patrick O'Daniel Unit in Gatesville, operated by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. She will become eligible for parole on March 30, 2025. [17] [18]

After the conviction

The revolver used to kill Selena disappeared after the trial. It was later found in a box of office supplies at the home of court reporter Sandra Oballe, who has said she did not realize she had the weapon. Despite objections from some historical groups, it was dismantled and the pieces were thrown into Corpus Christi Bay in 2002. [19] [20]

Saldívar has asked the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals to accept a petition that challenges her conviction. She claims the petition was filed in 2000 with the 214th District Court, but was never sent to the higher court. Her request was received on March 31, 2008, the 13th anniversary of Selena's death. [21]

Saldívar was portrayed by Lupe Ontiveros in the film Selena , [22] by Damayanti Quintanar in Selena's Secret , a series based on the book of the same name, [23] and by Natasha Perez in the Netflix original series, Selena: The Series . [24] In 2017, Saldívar was portrayed by E. A. Costillo in the television documentary Murder Made Me Famous. [25]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Selena</span> American singer (1971–1995)

Selena Quintanilla-Pérez was an American singer. Referred to as the "Queen of Tejano Music", her contributions to music and fashion made her one of the most celebrated Mexican-American entertainers of the late 20th century. In 2020, Billboard magazine put her in third place on their list of "Greatest Latino Artists of All Time", based on both Latin albums and Latin songs chart. Media outlets called her the "Tejano Madonna" for her clothing choices. She also ranks among the most influential Latin artists of all time and is credited for catapulting the Tejano genre into the mainstream market.

<i>Selena</i> (film) 1997 film by Gregory Nava

Selena is a 1997 American biographical musical drama film about Tejano music star Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, played by Jennifer Lopez. The film, written and directed by Gregory Nava, chronicles the star's rise to fame and death when she was murdered by Yolanda Saldívar at the age of 23. In addition to Lopez, the film also stars Edward James Olmos, Jon Seda, Constance Marie, Jacob Vargas, Lupe Ontiveros, and Jackie Guerra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Pérez</span> American guitarist (born 1969)

Christopher Gilbert Pérez is an American guitarist, best known as lead guitarist for the Tejano band Selena y Los Dinos. He married the frontwoman of the group, Selena, on April 2, 1992. Pérez grew up in San Antonio, Texas as one of two children of Gilbert Pérez and Carmen Medina. In 1986, he began his tenure by joining Shelly Lares' band. By the late 1980s, Pérez was respected among Tejano musicians for his guitar skills. This caught A.B. Quintanilla's attention; at the time, A.B. was seeking another guitarist for the band he produced, Selena y Los Dinos. Between one and two years after Pérez joined the band, he and Selena began a personal relationship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lupe Ontiveros</span> American actress (1942–2012)

Guadalupe Ontiveros was an American actress best known for portraying Rosalita in The Goonies, and Yolanda Saldívar in the film Selena. She acted in numerous films and television shows. Ontiveros was nominated for an Emmy Award for her work on Desperate Housewives and received critical acclaim for her role in Chuck & Buck, for which Ontiveros won the National Board of Review award for Best Supporting Actress, and was also nominated for an Independent Spirit Award.

<i>Ven Conmigo</i> (album) 1990 studio album by Selena

Ven Conmigo is the second studio album by American singer Selena, released on November 12, 1990, by EMI Latin. The singer's brother, A.B. Quintanilla III remained her principal record producer and songwriter after her debut album's moderate success. Selena's Los Dinos band composed and arranged seven of the album's ten tracks; local songwriter Johnny Herrera also provided songs for Selena to record. Ven Conmigo contains half cumbias and half rancheras, though the album includes other genres. Its musical compositions are varied and demonstrate an evolving maturity in Selena's basic Tejano sound. The album's structure and track organization were unconventional compared with other Tejano music albums. The songs on Ven Conmigo are mostly love songs or songs following a woman's struggles after many failed relationships.

<i>Selena</i> (album) 1989 studio album by Selena

Selena is the debut studio album by American Tejano singer Selena, released on October 17, 1989, by EMI Latin. Its music incorporates a range of contemporary genres with a mix of cumbia and regional styles of Mexican music. The album was released following company president Jose Behar's failed crossover request for the singer. The project was denied by the heads of EMI Records' pop division, believing the singer should first strengthen her fanbase. Selena's brother and principal record producer and songwriter, A.B. Quintanilla III fought to remain the singer's producer. The band introduced Pete Astudillo and Joe Ojeda, who contributed to the album's experimental production and songwriting. Aside from A.B., Selena worked with two Mexican songwriters, Alejandro Montealegre and Reinaldo Ornelas.

<i>Momentos Intimos</i> 2004 compilation album by Selena

Momentos Intimos is a compilation album by American singer Selena and released posthumously on March 23, 2004, through EMI Latin. The album contains 24 tracks, though the last eight are spoken liner notes provided by the singer's family, friends, and her Los Dinos band. The songs on the album range from "Como Te Quiero Yo A Ti" (1988), a re-recorded version modernized and remixed on the album, to "Puede Ser", an unreleased duet with Nando "Guero" Dominguez, recorded two weeks before Selena was shot and killed in March 1995. Following Selena's death, her father Abraham Quintanilla expressed his interest in persevering his daughter's memory through her works. Selena's family has been criticized by fans and the media for exploiting the singer and cannibalizing her murder by commercializing her repertoire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No Me Queda Más</span> 1994 single by Selena

"No Me Queda Más" is a song by American singer Selena on her fourth studio album, Amor Prohibido. It was released as the third single from the album in October 1994 by EMI Latin. "No Me Queda Más" was written by Ricky Vela, and production was handled by Selena's brother A.B. Quintanilla. A downtempo mariachi and pop ballad, "No Me Queda Más" portrays the ranchera storyline of a woman in agony after the end of a relationship. Its lyrics express an unrequited love, the singer wishing the best for her former lover and his new partner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fotos y Recuerdos</span> 1995 single by Selena

"Fotos y Recuerdos" is a song recorded by American recording artist Selena for her fourth studio album, Amor Prohibido (1994). It was released by EMI Latin in January 1995, as the fourth single. A cover version of the Pretenders' 1983 single "Back on the Chain Gang", "Fotos y Recuerdos" was written by Chrissie Hynde with Spanish-language lyrics by Ricky Vela. Lyrically, the song describes a lonely female protagonist who "kisses the photo of her [lover] each night before falling asleep."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bidi Bidi Bom Bom</span> 1994 single by Selena

"Bidi Bidi Bom Bom" is a song recorded by American Tejano singer Selena. It was released as the second single from her fourth studio album, Amor Prohibido (1994). Originally written about a cheerful fish swimming freely in the ocean, the song's title is an onomatopoeic phrase suggesting the palpitating heartbeat of a person lovestruck by the object of their affection. "Bidi Bidi Bom Bom" was written by Selena and her backup vocalist and dancer Pete Astudillo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patrick O'Daniel Unit</span> Womens prison in Gatesville, Texas, U.S.

Patrick L. O'Daniel Unit is a Texas Department of Criminal Justice prison housing female offenders in Gatesville, Texas. The unit, with about 97 acres (39 ha) of land, is located 4 miles (6.4 km) north of central Gatesville on Farm to Market Road 215. The prison is located in a 45-minute driving distance from Waco. In addition to its other functions, O'Daniel Unit houses the state's female death row inmates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Techno Cumbia</span> 1995 single by Selena

"Techno Cumbia" is a song recorded by American singer Selena for her fourth studio album, Amor Prohibido (1994). It was posthumously released as the b-side track to "Dreaming of You" through EMI Latin on August 14, 1995. Techno Cumbia would be put on her fifth and final studio album Dreaming of You (1995) and would be the fourth single for Dreaming Of You. "Techno Cumbia" was written by Pete Astudillo and co-written and produced by Selena's brother-producer A.B. Quintanilla. The song is a dance-pop and tecnocumbia recording with influences of dancehall, rap, Latin dance, and club music. Lyrically, Selena calls on people to dance her new style the "techno cumbia" and calls out those who cannot dance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amor Prohibido (song)</span> Title song of American Tejano singer Selenas fourth studio album

"Amor Prohibido" is the title song of American Tejano singer Selena's fourth studio album of the same name (1994). Released as the lead single through EMI Latin on April 13, 1994, it was written by Selena, her brother and music producer A.B. Quintanilla III, and her band's backup vocalist Pete Astudillo. A popular interpretation compares it to Romeo and Juliet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Selena Etc.</span> Boutique and beauty salon founded by the late American singer Selena (1994–2009)

Selena Etc. was a South Texas-based boutique and beauty salon, which was founded and owned by the late American singer, Selena. Selena Etc. finished its building on January 27, 1994, in Corpus Christi, Texas, which was the headquarters.

<i>Las Reinas del Pueblo</i> 1995 compilation album by Selena and Graciela Beltrán

Las Reinas del Pueblo is a compilation album by American Tejano music singer Selena and Mexican banda singer Graciela Beltrán. It was released on April 4, 1995, by EMI Latin in the wake of Selena's death on March 31, 1995. The decision to produce a compilation album featuring Beltrán emerged after her tribute to the singer at a Houston memorial. The title was inspired by Mexican newspapers that referred to Selena as "an artist of the people" during a 1992 press tour in the nation and subsequently dubbed her "La Reina del Pueblo" in the aftermath of her death. Las Reinas del Pueblo encompasses six tracks by Selena and six by Beltrán, encapsulating their respective tenures with EMI Latin. Las Reinas del Pueblo peaked at number four on the US Billboard Top Latin Albums and Regional Mexican Albums chart, both behind other Selena releases. The recording peaked at number 147 on the American Billboard 200 chart. The album peaked at number ten on the Spanish albums chart in 2010. Beltrán's participation in the album yielded substantial promotional and sales enhancements.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">El Chico del Apartamento 512</span> 1995 promotional single by Selena

"El Chico del Apartamento 512" is a song recorded by American recording artist Selena for her fourth studio album, Amor Prohibido (1994). It was released along with "Fotos y Recuerdos" in January 1995, serving as its B-side track. Written by Ricky Vela, "El Chico del Apartamento 512" is a cumbia song with influences of Colombian and South American music. Lyrically, the song describes a female protagonist who knocks on her love interest's apartment door and is heartbroken when his sister answers it. Justino Aguilar of Billboard magazine, called "El Chico del Apartamento 512" as one of Selena's "most memorable songs". The track posthumously peaked at number one on the U.S. Billboard Regional Mexican Digital Songs chart in 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christina Melton Crain Unit</span> Womens prison in Gatesville, Texas

The Christina Melton Crain Unit is a Texas Department of Criminal Justice prison for females in Gatesville, Texas. The prison is along Texas State Highway 36, 3 miles (4.8 km) north of central Gatesville. The unit, with about 1,317 acres (533 ha) of space, is co-located with the Hilltop Unit, the Dr. Lane Murray Unit, and the Linda Woodman Unit. Nearby also is the Mountain View Unit, which houses all Texas female inmates on death row. Crain Unit's regular program houses around 1,500 women, and it is one of Texas's main prisons for women. Female prison offenders of the TDCJ are released from this unit. With a capacity of 2,013 inmates, Crain is the TDCJ's largest female prison.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abraham Quintanilla</span> American singer (born 1939)

Abraham Isaac Quintanilla Jr. is an American singer, songwriter, and producer. He is the father of Tejano singer Selena and was her manager throughout her life.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Murder of Selena</span> 1995 murder in Corpus Christi, Texas, US

On the morning of March 31, 1995, American singer Selena Quintanilla-Pérez was shot and fatally wounded at the Days Inn in Corpus Christi, Texas. Although paramedics tried to revive Selena, she died of hypovolemic shock at Corpus Christi Memorial Hospital at age 23. The killer, Yolanda Saldívar, was the president of Selena's fan club who was exposed as having embezzled thousands of dollars from the singer's earnings.

State of Texas v. Yolanda Saldívar was a criminal trial held at the Harris County Criminal Courthouse in Downtown Houston, in the U.S. state of Texas. The trial began with the jury's swearing-in on October 9, 1995, through opening statements on October 12, to a verdict on October 23. Former nurse Yolanda Saldívar was tried on one count of first-degree murder after the shooting death of American Tejano music singer Selena on March 31, 1995, after which she held police and the FBI Crisis Negotiation Unit at bay for almost ten hours. The case has been described as the most important trial for the Hispanic population and was compared to the O. J. Simpson murder trial by media outlets. It was one of the most publicly followed trials in the history of the state of Texas.

References

  1. ↑ "Texas Department of Criminal Justice Inmate Search".
  2. ↑ Krajicek, David J. (July 19, 2011). Death by Rock 'n' Roll: Sex, Drugs and Violence Among America's Idols. RosettaBooks. ISBN   9780795319167 – via Google Books.[ permanent dead link ]
  3. 1 2 3 Candiotti, Susan (October 9, 1995). "Trial of Selena's accused murderer begins Monday". CNN.
  4. ↑ Patoski, Joe Nick (December 1995). "The Sweet Song of Justice". Texas Monthly.
  5. ↑ Arrarás, María Celeste (March 5, 1997). Selena's Secret: The Revealing Story Behind Her Tragic Death. Simon and Schuster. p. 72. ISBN   978-0-684-83193-0.
  6. 1 2 Patoski, Joe Nick (1997). Selena : como la flor. New York: Berkley Boulevard Books. pp. 132–134. ISBN   978-0425171240.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Verhovek, Sam Howe (April 1, 1995). "Grammy Winning Singer Selena Killed in Shooting at Texas Motel". The New York Times . p. 1. Retrieved August 25, 2010.
  8. ↑ "Testimony of Richard Fredrickson". Houston Chronicle . October 13, 1995. Archived from the original on April 5, 2007. Retrieved February 1, 2008.
  9. ↑ Mitchell, Claudia A.; Reid-Walsh, Jacqueline, eds. (2008). Girl culture an encyclopedia. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. ISBN   978-0-313-08444-7.
  10. ↑ "October 12, 1995 testimony of Carla Anthony". Houston Chronicle . October 12, 1995. Archived from the original on April 6, 2007. Retrieved May 21, 2008.
  11. ↑ "October 12, 1995, the testimony of Norma Martinez". Houston Chronicle . October 12, 1995. Archived from the original on July 15, 2007. Retrieved February 1, 2008.
  12. ↑ Villafranca, Armando; Reinert, Patty (April 1, 1995). "Singer Selena shot to death". Houston Chronicle . Archived from the original on June 21, 2007. Retrieved February 1, 2008.
  13. 1 2 "Yolanda Saldivar found guilty of Selena's murder". CNN. October 23, 1995. Retrieved August 17, 2015.
  14. ↑ "Saldivar v. State, 980 S.W.2d 475 | Casetext Search + Citator". casetext.com. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
  15. ↑ "Selena's killer receives life sentence". CNN. October 26, 1995. Retrieved August 17, 2015.
  16. ↑ Bennett, David (November 23, 1995). "Somber Saldivar delivered to prison – Convicted murderer of Tejano star Selena keeps head down during processing". San Antonio Express-News . Retrieved August 21, 2019.
  17. ↑ "Offender Information Detail Saldivar, Yolanda". Texas Department of Criminal Justice. October 26, 1995. Archived from the original on December 25, 2015.
  18. ↑ Perez, Nicole (August 17, 2015). "NO, Yolanda Saldivar did not die in prison". KSAT-TV . Retrieved December 25, 2015. Saldivar is serving a life sentence at the state's Mountain View Facility in Gatesville for the 1995 murder of Selena
  19. ↑ "Gun That Killed Singer Is To Be Destroyed". The New York Times . June 8, 2002. Retrieved April 27, 2016.
  20. ↑ Brezosky, Lynn (June 10, 2002). "Group Opposes Plans to Destroy Gun". AP News . Archived from the original on June 23, 2020. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
  21. ↑ Cavazos, Mary Ann (April 1, 2008). "Selena's Killer Ask s Court to Review Writ". Caller-Times . Archived from the original on July 26, 2008. Retrieved April 6, 2008.
  22. ↑ "Actress Lupe Ontiveros dies of cancer at 69". CBS News. July 27, 2012. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  23. ↑ "Damayanti Quintanar Gives a Bit of an Insight in the Upcoming Telemundo Series "El Secreto de Selena" and her role as Yolanda Saldivar". Viva Phoenix. Retrieved June 2, 2021.
  24. ↑ "Natasha Perez on playing Yolanda Saldivar in Selena: The Series — 'I'm not her!'". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved May 22, 2021.
  25. ↑ "E.A. Castillo". IMDb .
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.