Yolanda Saldívar, the woman convicted of murdering Tejano icon Selena Quintanilla-Perez in 1995, is making headlines again, this time claiming the shooting was an accident and arguing for her release from prison.
Saldívar, 62, is currently serving a life sentence and becomes eligible for parole in March 2025. She’s already making waves, with a relative stating, “She feels like a political prisoner at this point. She’s ready to get out of jail, because she believes she has more than served her time.”
Saldívar also spoke out in a recent documentary, “Selena and Yolanda: The Secrets Between Them,” reiterating her claim of an accidental shooting. “I was convicted by public opinion even before my trial started,” she said, before insisting she never intended to harm Selena.
For those unfamiliar with the tragic case, Saldívar, the founder of Selena’s fan club, shot the 23-year-old singer during a heated argument at a motel in 1995. Selena, known as the “Queen of Tejano,” was believed to have confronted Saldívar about embezzling money from her fan club. The singer tragically died from blood loss at the hospital.
Saldívar’s defense at trial argued the shooting was accidental, but the jury found her guilty and sentenced her to life in prison with the possibility of parole. Now, she’s not only maintaining her innocence but also denying the embezzlement accusations.
In the documentary, Saldívar acknowledged writing checks to herself but claims she did so at Selena’s request, supposedly to purchase plane tickets for a plastic surgery trip to Mexico. Selena’s family has strongly denied these claims, calling Saldívar a liar.
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Despite the controversy surrounding her claims, Saldívar reportedly plans to use them and her alleged safety concerns at the prison as justification for parole next year. Prison officials confirmed she has a clean disciplinary record and is eligible for a hearing.
Whether the parole board will be swayed by Saldívar’s claims remains to be seen, but one thing’s certain: this case continues to spark conversation and controversy, even decades after the heartbreaking tragedy.
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