Tejano superstar Selena’s killer Yolanda Saldivar challenges conviction and pleads for release

CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS: Yolanda Saldivar, the woman serving a life sentence for the 1995 murder of Tejano icon Selena Quintanilla-Perez, is making headlines as she challenges her conviction and fervently pleads for release.

Saldivar, now 62, is hoping for parole in March 2025 and asserts that she has already "served her time".

Yolanda Saldivar claims shooting was accidental ahead of parole

A relative close to Saldivar states, "Enough is enough. She 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," as per New York Post.

These claims are not new, as Saldivar emphasized similar sentiments in the recent documentary 'Selena and Yolanda: The Secrets Between Them,' where she argued that public opinion convicted her before her trial even began.

During a prison interview featured in the documentary, Saldivar maintained that she did not intend to kill the 23-year-old star, insisting that the shooting was accidental.

Inside Selena Quintanilla's tragic death in 1995

Saldivar, a founder of Selena’s fan club, has been incarcerated since March 31, 1995, when she fatally shot the singer during a confrontation at a Corpus Christi, Texas, hotel. The motive behind the murder was alleged embezzlement, with Selena planning to fire Saldivar.

The court rejected Saldivar's claim of accidental shooting and sentenced her to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 30 years. Now, the convict challenges the narrative, denying embezzlement accusations.

In the documentary, she admitted to writing and signing checks to herself but claimed it was at Selena’s request to purchase plane tickets for the singer to visit a plastic surgeon in Mexico, with whom she allegedly had an affair.

Selena's killer faces doubts amid plea for parole

Despite Saldivar's assertions, a spokesperson for Selena’s family has not commented on the recent developments. Selena’s father has previously dismissed many of Saldivar’s claims, labeling her a liar.

She is incarcerated at Mountain View Unit, a maximum-security women’s prison in Gatesville, Texas.

A spokesperson for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice has confirmed that Saldivar's record contains no blemishes that would hinder a parole hearing.

“She knows it’s an uphill battle,” her relative stated, “but she’s hoping that the parole board will have a heart and will parole her. She thinks she deserves it.”