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Yolanda Saldivar Trial: 1995 - A Rising Star

A Rising Star

Was Selena's death on March 31, 1995, a cold-blooded murder or was it a tragic accident? This became the consuming question not only for the Tejano (Spanish word for Texas) music world, centered largely in Corpus Christi where Selena lived and died, but ultimately in the trial of Yolanda Saldivar.

Saldivar came into Selena's life in 1991, when the mousy registered nurse approached Selena's manager/father Abraham for his blessing to organize the Selena Fan Club. He agreed.

For the next few years, Selena's career blossomed as did the unusually strong bond between Saldivar and the singer. Saldivar tended to Selena's every personal whim and many of her professional needs, eventually controlling access to Selena for everyone but family members. In 1993, Selena named Saldivar manager of her Corpus Christi fashion boutique, Selena, Etc. The shop, one of two that marketed Selena's fashion designs, was the singer's personal creative outlet, one off limits to her controlling father. Or so she thought.

Abraham Quintanilla had directed his daughter's career with a strong hand since she was nine years old. Selena first sang as part of a family band her restaurateur father created, Selena y Los Dinos. Quintanilla knocked on closed doors, dogged reluctant record companies, and took Selena out of school in eighth grade to concentrate on a music career. Selena won awards and signed a recording contract with EMI Latin. In 1992, she married a guitarist in her band, Chris Perez. Meanwhile, Saldivar's feelings for Selena progressed from adoring to obsessive. She even gave her an egg-shaped diamond ring.

Selena's talent, good looks, and hard work brought her a dedicated following, but her fame was largely limited to regional Spanish-American audiences. Quintanilla decided to change that. He just had to overcome a few obstacles, including Yolanda Saldivar.

Yolanda Saldivar Trial: 1995 - Killing Follows Embezzlement Accusations [next]

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3 months ago

what Yolanda did to Selena was completely wrong ! i hope she rots in hell one day i really do. Selena, i watched your movie 3 times yesterday & every time i watched it, i cried. if i could have, i would have taken that bullet. Selene you will always be in our hearts no matter what. R.I.P <|3

6 months ago

selena died just a few months before i was born. i would've loved to see her in a magazine, or hear her songs on the radio. I would've especially have loved to go to one of her concerts. i wish the gun had backfired and shot yolanad instead. She's going to hell for what she did. The worst day on the face of the Earth was the day Yolanda was born. She doesn't deserve her life. she was just jealous of selena, and she needs to know that just because selena is gone doesn't mean she's prettier or richer. the only thing that she is more of is hated. i don't see how she sleeps at night. R.I.P selena. I love you girl, you are my guardian angel!

7 months ago

hate is an evil thing guys, the one without sin can cast the first stone..dont hate people for doing wrong when we all do wrong everyday and just want forgiveness..all we can do is pray..selena, viviras en nuestros corazones para siempre..

10 months ago

As I Just as I finished watching the movie and wondering where the family and husband are today and how they have overcome the hurt and sorrow. I have viewed the web sites and here coming up on the 14th anniverary of her death I came across this site and I still see such hate for yolanda I want to say that I dont know Selena but I dont think she would want us to lower our standards to behave in this manner. we should never forget what she done to her but we should never give in to the devils ways. Yolanda got 30 years with the possibility of parole we need to find a way to keep her locked away. we need to put all of our positive energys to show up at any parole hearings to keep her there. and to continue to pray for the family. Selena was a yung, beautiful, bright upcoming star who could sing and uplift our hearts. let's remember that...she will continue to lift our hearts...

about 1 year ago

selena i love your music. To yolanda i hate you for what you did. Selena you will bein my heart for ever. God bless you.

about 1 year ago

Selena i love Dreaming of you. Yolanda

you are very stupid to take her life away from her. i do not belive it was an accendt. and i am 12

about 1 year ago

I HOPE YOLANDA ROTTS IN HELL,SELENA IM 13 YEARS OLD AND I SOOOO WOULD HAVE WISHED YOU WOULD HAVE HAD CHILDREN OF YOUR OWN.YOU SOOO DESERVED IT. IF I COULD DO SOMTHING TO YOLANDA I WOULD CUT HER TOUNG OFF,CUT HER FINGERS OFF AND CUT ONE OF HER LEGS.THE B***** DESERVES IT.YOLANDAS A MOTHER ****** B****.SORRY SELENA FOR WHAT YOLANDA DID TO YOU R.I.P

about 1 year ago

as a tejano i felt so ashamed

about 1 year ago

Hello beautiful i'm watching your movie right now as i speak and your life was wonderful, im so sad that it was taken so fast and in a tragic way, i can help but to look at the woman that killed you because of her evil ways and wish death on her but in life i rather you be in heaven then in a world that we have with evil people and murder and killings and as for your killer she knows that it was wrong and needs to stay in prison for the rest of her life i wish they would have provied a death sentance but she doesn't deserve to die she deserves to wake up every mmorining with this one her mind to suffer her the rest of her life, killing her will make it to easy!!!! Love you and RIP.

about 1 year ago

i agree with all of you here. Yolanda Saldivar deserves to stay in jail where she should rot...forever! Selena meant
alot to me and still does (crying*]. i
WISH Selena was still here. i miss her knowing that she was alive and had her whoooole life ahead of her. UGH!!! i hate this. why did Yolanda kill her?!
what was the real reason that led her to
kill such a beautiful, innocent and precious life that ALSO had another life inside of her?! Yolanda!!! i hope you die and rot forever. you don't deserve to live at all. god will take care of you and will get what you deserve. don't you worry. Selena!!! i love you sooo much. i still do. i remember when i first hear your songs around when you first came in to the music scene back in the late 80s (i was like 5 or 6*]. i still have all your cds, dvds, posters and etc. you're forever missed, mi amor. te quiero Selena. know that we all still love you (crying*]. SIEMPRE SELENA!!!

about 1 year ago

ALSO Selena was trying to get PREGNANT when she was killed, and now she'll NEVER have kids of her own!
She loved her fans and Yolanda was stealing from them and Selena confronted her about it! YOLANDA I HOPE YOU ROTT IN HELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

about 1 year ago

YOLANDA IS SUCH A B****!!!!!! SELENA THE MOVIE IS THE BEST!!!!!!!! I REALLY MISS SELENA AND I REALLY WISH I COULD OF MET HER, BUT NOT ANYMORE!! I LOVE YA SELENA AND UR SONG DREAMING OF YOU!!!!!!!!!!!

about 1 year ago

I was 6 years old when the movie about Selena was brought out, ever since then, she has been one of my all time favorites. If Selena would still be alive right now, she would have been one of the most famous singers in the world. I hate Yolanda for taking such a sweet girl's life, Yolanda deserves to die. I don't believe everyone who kills someone deserves to die, but some people do. I mean, she said it was an accident ? She shot her in the back! It was cowwardly and pathetic.

about 1 year ago

yolanda disgusts me. she can rot in the lonely cell chamber 4ever and every moment think about the beautiful life she took away. after yolanda dies i hope she rots with every otyer filthy killer in this world because somebody who kills somebody else doesnt deserve forgivness.i hope she lives with guilt and lives with the pain she caused her and her family. i hate people like you and im glad i finally get to tell you bastards how i feel about you. dont Ever expect forgiveness from anyone especially me. ROT FOREVER IN THE NAME OF SELENA PEREZ AND THE UNBORN BABY SHE HAD INSIDE HER WHEN SHE WAS SHOT. yes she was pregnant.

about 1 year ago

you disgust me. if you did get out of jail and then kill yourself i feel you deserve it. you can rot in hell for all i care. whoever would do that to another person is just sick!! and you kept telling everybody it was an accident why the hell would you have a gun on you then. you shot her in the back too, that means that she was trying to leave or get away and you STILL shot her. Accident - bull. you're a cold hearted thing that is not appropriate to call a human go to hell.

about 1 year ago

I THINK YOLANDA SHOULD BE KILLED, IM 13 YEARS OLD, IV LIKED SELENA SINCE I WAS 8. EVEN THEN I HATED YOLANDA AND AS MUCH AS I LOVE HER NOW, I KNOW THAT GOD IS TAKING CARE OF HER BUT IF THEY GVE ME 5 MINUTES WITH YOLNDA, ID SLIT HER TONGUE OFF AND STAB THE B***H TO DEATH, THAT B***H SOULD DIE AND BURN IN HELL! I LIKE SELENA MORE THEN SOME OF HER FANS THAT BEEN WITH HER SINCE THE 80's, r.i.p selena, love you baby girl!

about 1 year ago

I learned about Selena when I saw the movie that was made about her life. Selena seemed to be a great and loving person who's life should not have been cut short. No one deserves to be murdered in cold blood. She had her whole life infront of her. Yolanda cut her life short. For that she should NEVER get out of prison. She needs to pay the price for what she did. She is a sinful person. A liar and should not be forgiven for what she did. Rest In Peace Selena. You will never be forgotten. God will always take care of you. God bless. I am a 21 year old woman. Selena should still be here with us today. She died way too young.

about 1 year ago

Selena was a great singer she had her whole life ahead of her, she was young and a newlywed, she wasnt just this singer we all loved she was a person also. and what yolanda did should not have happened it was cruel, visious, and heartbreaking. Selena was a great tribute to the music world, and its very sad that she was ripped from our lives without even a warning. selena is still greatly missed now sum 13 years later!!!! when i heard the verdict on what happend to yolanda i was just as happy as any of you were because probably unlike most of the people that come on this site(i didnt say all!) i knew who selena was before the death or before this movie came out. Selena Quantilla-Perez may your soul rest in peace, and as for yolanda, i pity you, this was no accident this woman was just to damn selfish for her own good!

about 1 year ago

Yolanda u say it was an accident and u

didn't kill Selena. So I guess she shot herself infront of u right?That's the biggest lie I have ever heard and I've heard plenty of people lie. How could pointing a somebody and shooting them in the back an accident? U knew exactly what u were doing and u have absolutely no excuse for killing Selena. I have only one thing 2 say 2 u die in hell and I hope u never get out of prison. I love you Selena and you will always be my girl, my angel and my idol.

about 1 year ago

actually yolanda was sentenced to life in jail and is up for parol in 2025! serves that woman right! and at the end of the movie when selena dropped a ring from out of her hand, that was the same ring that yolanda had given her.. that woman is evil and i know as a fact that she is going to burn in hell for wht she did! and i just cant wait til she does!

about 1 year ago

Yolanda i hope one day u read this. You ar ea cruel woman you gave slena that ring as a way of showing her you loved her and then when things got baad you shot. do u no how how stupid you loook. she was a star and u ruined for all of us who loved her. embezzling is one thing but you had to shoot her. stealing her money wasnt good enoguh for me. have fun in jail u cruel witch=]

about 1 year ago

HEY I WAS JUST WATCHING THAT MOVIE RIGHT NOW AND I CRY EVERY TIME I SEE THAT MOVIE WHY DID SHE HAD TO BE JEALOUS AND TAKE HER LIKE SO WHAT WHY WOULD YOU DO SOMETHING LIKE DAT I HOPE YOU ROT IN JAIL FOR DOING WHAT YOU DID AND WHY WOULD YOU KILL HER THEN TRY TO KILL YOUR SELF DUMMY YOU SHOULD HAVE NEVER SHOT HER IN THE FIRST PLACE I WILL NEVER FORGET ABOUT SELENA IF SHE WAS STILL ALIVE TODAY SHE WOULD BE MY ROLE MODEL REST IN PEACE ~SELENA PEREZ~ GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN I WISH THE BEST FOR YOUR FAMILY STILL

about 1 year ago

She needs the death penalty!!!

about 1 year ago

I hope you die. I ahte you. how could u kill selena u pig. Ur just jealous that selena was famous.

about 1 year ago

selena was ganna become a great singer but yolanda killed her i hope she stays in jail for the rest of her life i wish yolanda was never born she was raised as a relly bad person i loved selena songs they always cheered me up yolanda get out of peoples life they hate you you dont deserve to be alive go die yolanda dieeeeeeeee.........i will always remember you selena rest in peace.

about 1 year ago

Selena did not deserve being killed over something like that. Everytime i hear one of her song i cry because i think of what it would have been like with her still alive.Saldivar has caused alot of pain and suffering to her family and friends, And i hope she rots behind bars were she need to be.R.I.P SELENA You will alwayz be in our hearts!! LUV YA!!!

about 1 year ago

Selena did not deserve to have her life taken away by that lowdown dirty dog bastard yolanda is now ,she had everything going for her eversince she followed her fathers footsteps into being a famouse gorgeous star all I can say is Selena was an honest women who had never done anybody wrong or made any mistakes in her life even when she married Chris I mean when I saw the movie I was scared to see what was going that was true having to hide my head from it .If selena had or would have survived to shooting she'll still be alive today and I would have told her "It wasn't your fault ."now with her gone that bastard saldivar gonna have to pay the price for what she had done to her ,her family ,and her fans ,she needs to burn for what she did to her.REST IN PEACE SELENA MY FRIEND.

about 1 year ago

i think that people like yolanda should be locked up forever...Selena did not deserve to be killed...she was such a beautiful person that had a good life...as far as im concerned yolanda is a monster...an evil person...although Selena is gone she will never be forgotten...She will be loved forever

over 2 years ago

I think that Yolanda should never see the light of day. Death is what she should get. I don't buy that she is innocent. Not another court date. Selena was so talented and because of monsters like Yolanda precious lives are cut short.

over 2 years ago

i think that yolonda should stay in jail even though in her heart she thinks she didnt do anything wrong she should stay inn jasil..

over 2 years ago

WELL i THiNK THAT YOLANDA SHOULD SPENT THE REST OF HER LiFE iN JAiL..BECAUSE i THiNK THAT SHE WAS NOT iNNOCENT AT ALL EVEN THOUGH SHE GOT CONViCTED GUiLTY i THiNK THAT SHE SHOULD NEVER HAVE ANOTHER COURT DATE JUST TO LEAVE HER iN JAiL N NOT EVEN TRY TO GET HER OUT ALL THIS LAWYERS ARE TRYING TO HELP HER i THiNK THAT THEY NEED TO STOP AN JUST LEAVE HER ALONE IN JUST LET HER STAY IN JAIL TO ROT IN HELL........THATS WHAT I THINK I ALSO I THINK THAT SHE SHOULD JUST SPENT HER LIFE IN JAIL....THAT WOMAN NEEDS TO JUST FORGET ABOUT HOW IT WAS HAVING A FRIEND THAT REALLY LOVED HER.............

over 2 years ago

I think that Yolanda Saldivar should stay in prison because of what she did. Selena Quintanilla is a very beautiful woman and Yolanda ruinded her life. Yolanda is a big muderer and deserves to stay in prison for possibly 17 more yaers as i was told. Also as i know of Selena Quintanilla was muerderd because Selena had fired Yolanda and Yolanda shot selena in the back. That is why i think Yolanda Saldivar should be in prison.here is an imige of Yolanda Saldivar.



over 2 years ago

Yolanda is the devil for killing such a beautiful woman (Selena). She doesn't deserve life in prison,She should suffer slowly for what she did!! Yolanda is a dispicable selfish old devil from hell!! I am supporting all the latinos and latinas for Selena!!!

over 2 years ago

i think dat Yolanda Saldivar should spend da rest of her life in prison. i actually hope she getz whatz comin to her in prison cuz she deservez to suffer like Selena's family and husband suffered becuz of her. i hope she rottz in hell.

over 2 years ago



I believe that Yolanda should stay in jail all of her life and never see the daylight ever again. Yolanda should be punnished for what she did to selena.

Selena was a beautiful young woman that deserved to have lived all of her life instead of having Yolanda alive.

I strongly agree that Yolanda should stay in jail and get the death sentence because of what she did to the most beautiful young rising star herself Selena!

over 2 years ago

yolanda is a coldh blooded murder dats all dea is to it da only justis well get is wen saldivarh dies and goes to hell, witch is exactly wut she deserves!!!!!!!

over 2 years ago

I hope Yolanda stays in jail for the reat of her life so there