A Texas woman serving time for the murder of Tejano singer Selena Quintanilla Perez is seeking parole, saying she has a “bounty on her head.”
Yolanda Saldívar, 64, is up for parole after completing 30 years of her life sentence at the Patrick L. O’Daniel Unit in Gatesville.
According to a spokesperson for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Saldívar has a spotless record, enabling the parole board to proceed with an assessment hearing in March.
New York Post reports that Saldivar aaid she’s a “political prisoner” in prison and argued that she has already paid her debt to society.
“Everyone knows who Yolanda Saldívar is,” Marisol Lopez, who served time with Saldivar, told the outlet.
“There’s a bounty on her head, like everyone wants a piece of her. The guards keep her away from everyone else, because she’s hated so much. If she were out [in general population], someone would try to take her down.”
Meanwhile, Yesenia Dominguez, a former inmate, noted that Saldívar often sparked discussions among prisoners.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, on March 31, 1995, Yolanda Saldivar shot and killed Latin music sensation Selena Quintanilla, who went by her first name only. Saldivar was Selena’s friend, business associate, and head of her fan club when she fatally shot the 23-year-old singer at a Days Inn hotel in Corpus Christi.
Selena allegedly learned that Saldivar was embezzling money from the singer’s clothing store business before she was murdered. Saldivar sought a gun permit two days after Selena confronted her about the thefts.
Following the killing, Saldivar sat in a pickup truck in the hotel parking lot and threatened to kill herself while negotiating with police for more than nine hours. She was later convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 30 years.
Saldivar reportedly said she plans to live with family members and find employment if she’s released.
Check back for updates.
For the latest true crime and justice news, subscribe to the ‘Crime Stories with Nancy Grace’ podcast.
[Feature Photo: A star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for the late singer Selena Quintanilla is pictured following a ceremony on Friday, Nov. 3, 2017, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)]
