Monday Marks 30th Anniversary of Selena’s Death

CORPUS CHRISTI, TX — It has now been 30 years since Selena Quintanilla-Perez was fatally shot, bringing a shocking and tragic end to the life of the Tejano star.

Selena, who was only 23 years old at the time of her death, had just won a Grammy award the previous year as her career was taking off.

On the verge of superstardom, she was murdered by the president of her fan club, Yolanda Saldivar, on March 31, 1995, at a Days Inn in Corpus Christi.

Saldivar reportedly shot Selena after she was confronted with suspicions she had embezzled $30,000 from the singer.

Salidvar, who was sentenced to life in prison, was denied parole for the first time last week.

Just months after Selena’s death, her album, “Dreaming of You,” was released and soared to No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart. She was the first Latina artist to have a predominantly Spanish-language album accomplish the feat.

George W. Bush, then-governor of Texas, also declared April 16, which was Selena’s birthday, as Selena Day in Texas. 

Selena’s music and legacy have endured the last 30 years as she has remained remarkably popular. In 2020, Billboard magazine ranked her third on their list of "Greatest Latino Artists of All Time.”