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She has been in prison for the 1995 murder and was required to serve 30 years before becoming eligible for parole.
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Parole was denied for Selena’s killer Yolanda Saldívar on Thursday afternoon.
The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles said its decision was based on the nature of the crime.
“The record indicates that the instant offense has elements of brutality, violence, assaultive behavior or conscious selection of victim’s vulnerability indicating a conscious disregard for the lives, safety or property of others, such that the offender poses a continuing threat to public safety,” the decision reads.
The parole board also said it considers the 64-year-old Saldívar a continuing threat to public safety.
Selena’s family took to Instagram on Thursday to react to the news.
“Today, we are grateful that the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles has chosen to deny parole for Yolanda Saldivar,” Selena’s sister Suzette Arriaga posted to Instagram. “While nothing can bring Selena back, this 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.”
The statement is signed on behalf of the Quintanilla family and Selena’s widower Chris Pérez, who also posted it to social media.
The parole process for Saldívar, the Tejano star’s former fan club president, began about six months ago. She was eligible to be released on March 30, one day before the 30th anniversary of Selena’s death.
Court documents, offense reports, statements of protest and support, her criminal history and statements and information provided by Saldívar were all considered in the decision, the board said.
A panel of three people decided Saldívar’s fate, and a majority was needed in order to grant parole.
Her next review is set for March 2030.
Full statement from the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles
Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles statement concerning the Parole Review/Decision of Yolanda Saldivar.
In 1995, Yolanda Saldivar was convicted of Murder with a Deadly Weapon and sentenced to life in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice-Institutional Division. She was required to serve 30 years before becoming eligible for parole consideration. Her parole eligibility date is March 30, 2025, meaning that she could be released no earlier than that date.
As with any other initial review of an offender for parole, approximately six months prior to her parole eligibility, she went into the parole review process. An Institutional Parole Officer prepared her file for submission to the parole panel responsible for rendering the discretionary decision. Within that confidential file there is a plethora of information including but not limited to: court documents, offense reports, support/protest information, criminal history, institutional adjustment and information/statements provided by the offender. The file was then sent to a parole panel of three. A simple majority was required to either grant or deny parole.
After a thorough consideration of all available information, which included any confidential interviews conducted, it was the parole panels determination to deny parole to Yolanda Saldivar and set her next parole review for March 2030. The reason provided by the panel for denial was the Nature of the Offense: The record indicates that the instant offense has elements of brutality, violence, assaultive behavior or conscious selection of victim’s vulnerability indicating a conscious disregard for the lives, safety, or property of others, such that the offender poses a continuing threat to public safety.
