Yolanda Saldívar, Selena’s convicted killer, reportedly believes the singer is partly responsible for her own death.
The 64-year-old prisoner, who is serving a life sentence for the 1995 murder of the 23-year-old Tejano superstar in 1995, maintains her innocence but her family members claim that Selena’s “aggressive” confrontation contributed to the tragic outcome.
“[Yolanda] knows what she did was wrong and she takes responsibility for it. But she was reacting to the way she was confronted,” said one of Saldívar’s family members to the New York Post.
“She says that [Selena] came at her really aggressively,” they continued. “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.”
The relatives of the convicted killer previously told the Post that Saldívar “feels like she’s a political prisoner at this point.”
“She’s ready to get out of jail, because she believes she has more than served her time,” they added.
In the 30 years since Selena’s death, Saldívar has insisted the shooting was accidental, that she intended to take her own life, while claiming she did not receive a fair trial.
Saldívar, who began Selena’s official fan club in 1991, was accused of embezzling funds upwards of $30,000, according to the Washington Post. The “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom” singer agreed to meet with Saldívar alone at a motel in Corpus Christi, Texas to retrieve missing tax documents on the morning she was killed.
During the murder trial, the prosecutor argued that Saldívar, a former nurse, did not call 911 nor make any attempts to come to Selena’s aid, per E News. The prosecution also pointed out that the .37 revolver used to kill Selena required 11 pounds of pressure on the trigger to fire.
Saldívar was found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison and is currently awaiting a parole decision set to be made on March 30. She reportedly plans to live with relatives and find work upon her release, although her family questions whether she will be able to secure employment.
Per the Post, the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles began reviewing her case in October 2023, months ahead of her parole eligibility. The process includes reviewing her case file, conducting interviews, and considering letters from Selena’s family.
The parole board is set to hold a hearing at the end of the month before making its final decision.
A new documentary about the singer’s life, Selena Y Los Dinos, recently premiered at Sundance and was screened at this year’s SXSW.
View news Source: https://www.complex.com/music/a/alex-ocho/yolanda-saldivar-family-selena-aggression-led-to-her-death
