Nov. 2, 2025

SELENA: THE TRIAL, PAROLE DENIAL & LEGACY OF THE QUEEN OF TEJANO - PART 2" - Dia De Los Muertos - A day to celebrate the dead

SELENA: THE TRIAL, PAROLE DENIAL & LEGACY OF THE QUEEN OF TEJANO - PART 2" - Dia De Los Muertos - A day to celebrate the dead
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Reid Carter concludes the Selena special on Dia de los Muertos with the October 1995 trial that gripped the nation. Moved from Corpus Christi to Houston, Yolanda Saldívar's defense claimed accident and suicide attempt while prosecutors proved cold-blooded murder. Bullet trajectory showed Selena running for her life. Jury deliberated less than three hours—guilty of first-degree murder. Life in prison. March 2025: parole board DENIED release—ruled she still poses threat to public safety. Next review 2030. Quintanilla family grateful for denial. Thirty years later, Selena's legacy endures through music, fashion, and Dia de los Muertos altars.

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WEBVTT

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Callaroga Shark Media. Good morning, I'm reed Carter. Sunday, November two,

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twenty twenty five, Dia de los Mortos Yesterday we covered

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March thirty first, nineteen ninety five, the shooting at the

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Day's Inn in Corpus Christi, Yolanda Saldivar putting a bullet

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in Selena's back after being confronted about stealing sixty thousand dollars,

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the nine and a half hour standoff, Selena dying in

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the hospital after naming her killer, Yolanda Saldivar, Room one

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fifty eight Today. What happened after the arrest? October nineteen

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ninety five, Houston, Texas, Harris County Courthouse, the State of

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Texas versus Yolanda Saldivar murder trial. Yolanda claimed it was

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an accident. Prosecutors said cold blooded execution to cover up embezzlement.

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The trial lasted two weeks, broadcast live. Spanish language media

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covered every moment. The Latino community watched, waited, grieved together.

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October twenty third, nineteen ninety five, After less than three

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hours of deliberation, the jury returned with a verdict guilty

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of first degree murder. Life in prison. Yolanda Saldivar served

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thirty years at the Patrick L. O'Daniel unit in Gatesville, Texas.

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Became eligible for parole March thirtieth, twenty twenty five. The

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Quintinila family mobilized, Chris Perez joined them. Thousands of fans

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wrote letters the message keep her locked up. March twenty seventh,

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twenty twenty five, seven months ago, the Texas Board of

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Pardons and Paroles announced their decision denied. Yolanda Saldivar, now

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sixty four years old, will not be released. The board

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ruled she continues to pose a threat to public safety,

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that the brutality and violence of her crime indicate a

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conscious disregard for human life. Next parole review March twenty

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thirty five more years at minimum. The Quintanilla family and

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Chris Perez released a joint statement, we are grateful that

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the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles has chosen to

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deny parole for Yolanda Saldivar. While nothing can bring Selena back,

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this decision reaffirms that justice continues to stand for the

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beautiful life that was taken from us and from millions

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of fans around the world. Far too soon. Today Dia

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delos Mortos, the Day of the Dead. Selena's face appears

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on thousands of altars, Marigold's purple jumpsuits, her music playing,

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fans singing along, celebrating her life, not just mourning her death.

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I'm read Carter. This is celebrity trials today. The trial

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of Yolanda Saldivar, the defense that fell apart, the verdict

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that brought justice, the parole denial that kept her in prison,

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and the legacy of Selena that grows stronger every year.

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Part two of two. March thirty first, nineteen ninety five,

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nine thirty pm, Corpus Christi police finally talked Yolanda Saldivar

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out of the pickup truck. Nine and a half hours,

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gun to her own head the entire time, threatening suicide.

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Negotiators convinced her to surrender. She placed the gun on

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the dashboard, opened the door, hands up. Officers swarmed, cuffed her,

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took her into custody. Arrested from murder, Yolanda was transported

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to nusa's County jail, booked, processed no bond, charged with

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first degree murder in the death of Selena Quintinila Perez.

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That night, Corpus Christi Police Chief Henry Garrett held a

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press conference confirmed Selena had died, confirmed Yolanda Saldivar was custody,

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said this was being investigated as a murder, not an accident.

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The community was devastated. Radio stations played Selena's music NonStop.

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Fans gathered outside the Day's in left flowers, candles, teddy

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Bears turned the parking lot into a memorial, but the

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evidence collection had already begun. Crime scene investigators processed Room

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one fifty eight at the Day's Inn. Found blood evidence

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on the carpet near the door, shell casing from the

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point three eight caliber revolver, fingerprints, financial documents scattered on

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the bed, the very documents Selena had come to retrieve.

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Medical examiner determined the cause of death. Gunshot wound to

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the back. Bullet entered Selena's right shoulder, blade traveled through

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her chest cavity, severed the subclavian artery. She bled out internally.

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No chance of survival once that artery was hit. Trajectory

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analysis was critical. The bullet entered from behind and above

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Selena's back was to Yolanda when the gun fired, meaning

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Selena was moving away, not toward Yolanda running for the

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door trying to escape. That trajectory destroyed any possible self

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defense claim. Before the trial even started, investigators interviewed witnesses,

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hotel staff who heard the gun shot, guests who saw

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Selena stumble into the lobby, the front desk manager who

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called nine to one one emergency responders who treated Selena,

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Corpus Christi police officers who negotiated with Yolanda. They interviewed

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Martin Gomez, Selena's designer and friend who'd been with the

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Quintinilla family at the hospital, Susette Quintinila, Selena's sister, who

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described Yolanda's obsessive behavior. Abraham Quintinila, Selena's father, who explained

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the missing money and why Selena had gone to confront

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Yolanda alone. They subpoenaed financial records, bank statements from Selena's boutiques,

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Selena et cetera in Corpus Christi and San Antoi discovered

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Yolanda had been forging checks, stealing cash, embezzling systematically for months.

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The missing sixty thousand dollars was just what they'd discovered,

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could have been more. They analyzed Yolanda's behavior. She'd been

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fired from the fan club presidency on March ninth, nineteen

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ninety five, three weeks before the shooting. Abraham told her

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she was done, no longer managing the boutiques, no longer

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in charge of anything. But Yolanda wouldn't let go, kept calling,

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kept showing up, claimed she was being treated unfairly, claimed

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she had proof of her innocence. March thirty first was

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supposed to be the final meeting. Selena agreed to meet

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Yolanda at the day's inn to retrieve the financial documents,

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would prove what Yolanda had stolen, would close the book

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on this chapter. Instead, Yolanda brought a gun. The Taurus

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Model eighty five point three to eight Special Revolver was

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registered to Yolanda. She'd purchased it legally weeks earlier, told

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friends she needed protection, felt threatened, but threatened by who.

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The Quintinillas weren't violent, Selena wasn't dangerous. Yolando was the

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one stealing. Yolando was the one facing consequences, So why

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by a gun? Prosecutors believed Yolanda planned this, Maybe not

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premeditated for weeks, but certainly planned. That morning. She knew

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Selena was coming, knew she'd be confronted about the missing money,

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knew she couldn't explain it away, so she brought a

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gun insurance policy control. When Selena demanded the documents and

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threatened to go to the police, Yolanda made a choice,

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shot her in the back, then called nine to one

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one and started the performance. I shot myself. It was

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an accident. I love Selena. Detectives didn't believe any of it.

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The evidence told a different story. April nineteen ninety five

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through September nineteen ninety five, pre trial proceedings, Yolanda pleaded

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not guilty, hired attorneys Arnold Garcia and Fred Hagen's. They

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filed motions requested change of venue, claimed Yolanda couldn't get

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a fair trial in Corpus Christi. Too much media coverage,

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too much community grief, everybody loved Selena, Nobody would be impartial.

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Judge Mike Westergren agreed granted change of venue. Trial moved

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to Houston, Harris County October nineteen ninety five. The Quintinilla

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family was furious. They wanted the trial in Corpus Christie

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wanted Selena's community to see justice served, but the law

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required a fair trial, and in Corpus Christie that wasn't possible.

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Selena's face was on every wall, her music played everywhere.

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The grief was too raw. So Houston it was District

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Attorney Carlos Valdez would prosecute. He'd been waiting for this,

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the most high profile case in South Texas history. The

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murder that devastated the Latino community, The trial that would

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be broadcast in Spanish and English, the verdict the world

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would be watching. Make it make sense. Selena went to

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retrieve financial documents from an employee she'd trusted like family.

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Yolanda shot her in the back. Selena ran for help, died,

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naming her killer, and Yolanda's defense was it was an accident.

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The jury would decide, We'll be right back with the

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trial of Yolanda Saldivar, October nineteen ninety five, Houston. Two

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weeks of testimony, defense claims that fell apart, and a

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verdict delivered in less than three hours. October ninth, nineteen

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ninety five, Harris County Criminal Justice Center, Houston, Texas, courtroom

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of Judge Mike Westergren. The the state of Texas versus Yolanda Saldivar.

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Jury selection took days. Twelve jurors, diverse English and Spanish speakers,

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had to be impartial, difficult when Selena's face was everywhere,

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when her music played on every radio station, when the

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entire Latino community grieved together. The courtroom was packed. Selena's

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family sat in the front row. Abraham Quintinilla, Marcella Quintinilla,

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Selena's mother, Susette Quintinilla, her sister a Bee Quintinnida, her

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brother Chris Perez. Selena's husband devastated six months married, lost

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his wife in a motel parking lot. Yolanda sat at

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the defense table, forty four years old, former nurse, former

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fan club president, former friend, now accused murderer. Media everywhere, cameras, reporters.

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This was the first major trial broadcast in both English

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and Spanish simultaneously. Univision and Telemundo covered every moment. English

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life language networks sent correspondents. This wasn't just a murder trial,

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This was a cultural moment. October tenth, nineteen ninety five.

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Opening statements, District Attorney Carlos Valdez told the jury this

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was a simple case Yolanda Saldivar stole money, got caught,

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got fired, couldn't handle the consequences, so she killed the

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person who exposed her. This is about betrayal. Selena trusted

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Yolanda with everything, her fan club, her boutiques, her finances,

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and Yolanda stole from her. When Selena confronted her, Yolanda

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shot her in the back, then spent nine hours trying

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to manipulate police into believing it was an accident. It wasn't.

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It was murder. Defense attorney Douglas Tinker told a different story,

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said Yolanda loved Selena, worshiped her, would never hurt her intentionally.

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What happened in room one fifty eight was a tragic

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Accidentlanda had brought a gun because she planned to kill

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herself show Selena how much pain the accusations caused, but

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when Selena grabbed for the gun, it went off. Accident, tragedy,

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not murder. Yolanda Saldivar is guilty of many things. She

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mismanaged money, she made mistakes, but she did not murder

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Selena Quintinila Perez. This was a horrible accident that has

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destroyed both families. Two narratives, same evidence, opposite conclusions. The

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prosecution called thirty two witnesses over two weeks. Reuben de Leon,

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Corpus Christi Police investigator testified about the crime scene, described

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the blood evidence, the shell casing, the financial documents on

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the bed, Explained the nine and a half hour stand off,

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how Yolanda kept changing her story. First said she shot herself,

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then said the gun went off accidentally, then said Selena

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attacked her inconsistent suspicious. Doctor Lewis Elkins medical examiner testified

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about the autopsy. The bullet entered Selena's back, traveled through

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her chest, severed the subclavian artery, caused massive internal bleeding.

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Death was inevitable once that artery was hit. Critical testimony

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the trajectory bullet entered from behind and above, meaning Selena's

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back was to Yolanda, meaning Selena was not attacking, not

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grabbing the gun, running away, trying to escape. Defense tried

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to argue Selena could have been turning, could have been

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moving toward Yolanda, but the angle didn't support it. Physics

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didn't lie. Selena was shot in the back while fleeing.

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Norma Martinez motel manager testified about hearing the gun shot,

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seeing Selena stumble into the lobby. She was bleeding, holding

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her chest. She said, help me, I've been shot. Then

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she collapsed. Martinez called nine one one. That call was

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played for the jury. You could hear the fear, the urgency.

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There's a girl who's been shot. She's bleeding. We need

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an ambulance now. Seana Vella, emergency room nurse, testified about

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Selena's final moments, described trying to save her, the blood loss,

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the trauma. Selena was conscious when she arrived, told medical

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staff what happened. Named Yolanda said she shot her, then

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lost consciousness and never woke up. Chris Perez, Selena's husband, testified,

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broke down on the stand, described their relationship, how happy

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they were, how much she loved performing, how excited she

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was about the English language album, how she'd gone to

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meet Yolanda alone because she thought she could reason with her,

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trusted her, She didn't think Yolanda would hurt her. She

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thought they were friends. Susette Quintinila testified about Yolanda's obsessive behavior,

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how Yolanda called constantly, showed up uninvited, couldn't accept being fired,

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became increasingly erratic, sent gifts, love letters, acted like Selina

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belonged to her. Abraham Quintinilla testified about discovering the embezzlement,

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finding forged checks, missing deposits, sixty thousand dollars unaccounted for,

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confronting Yolanda, firing her, telling her it was over. She

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didn't want to let go. She kept saying she had

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documents that would prove she didn't steal, but she never

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produced them because they didn't exist. The prosecution rested two

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weeks of testimony, thirty two witnesses, physical evidence, medical evidence,

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eyewitness testimony, financial records, all pointing to the same conclusion.

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Yolanda Saldivar murdered Selena Quintinia Perez. Now the defense had

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to explain why Yolanda took the stand. Only defense witness

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Risky but Necessary had to explain what happened in Room

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one fifty eight. He testified for hours, crying, shaking, describing

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her relationship with Selena. Said she loved her, would do

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anything for her, managed the fan club for free, worked

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at the boutiques because she wanted to help, never intended

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to steal. Admitted she made mistakes with the money, said

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she wasn't good at bookkeeping. Things got confused, deposits got

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mixed up. But it wasn't theft, just poor management. Said

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she bought the gun weeks earlier, planned to kill herself.

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Show the Quintinillas how much pain their accusations caused. Show

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them she wasn't a thief. Prove her loyalty through death.

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March thirty first, nineteen ninety five, Selena came to Room one, p.

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Fifty eight. They argued. Yolanda showed her some documents. Selena

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wasn't satisfied, said she was calling the police, going to

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report Yolanda for embezzlement. Yolanda panicked, pulled out the gun,

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put it to her own head. I'm going to kill myself.

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You've ruined my life. I can't live with these accusations.

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Selena reached for the gun, tried to stop her. They struggled.

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The gun went off accident. Yolanda never meant to shoot

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Selena never meant to hurt her. It was supposed to

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be suicide, not murder. The courtroom was silent, everyone watching, analyzing,

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deciding whether to believe her. Then came cross examination. Prosecutor

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Carlos Valdez destroyed her. Miss Saldivar, you testified the gun

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was pointed at your own head, correct, yes, But the

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bullet entered Selena's back from behind and above. How does

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that happen if you're holding the gun to your own head,

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Yolanda stammered, no answer, physics didn't work. And you testified

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Selena grabbed the gun that's when it went off. Correct, Yes,

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but there were no powder burns on Selena's hands, no residue,

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no evidence she ever touched that gun. The medical examiner

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00:18:01.119 --> 00:18:05.960
confirmed this. How do you explain that? No answer? And

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during the nine hour standoff, you told police three different stories.

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First you said you shot yourself, then you said it

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was an accident, then you said Selena attacked you. Which

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story is true? Miss Saldivar, I was confused in shock

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or you were lying, trying to figure out which story

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police would believe. Trying to avoid responsibility for murder, the

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defense tried to salvage it, argued Yolanda was traumatized, suicidal,

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not thinking clearly, but the damage was done. Her testimony

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didn't match the physical evidence, her explanations didn't make sense,

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and her changing stories proved she was lying. October twenty

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third nineteen ninety five. Closing arguments. Prosecutor Valdez Yolanda Saldivar

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murdered Selena Quintanilla Perez because she got caught stealing. That's it.

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No complicated motive, no mysterious explanation. She embezzled sixty thousand dollars,

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got fired, shot her boss in the back to avoid consequences.

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The evidence proves it, The trajectory proves it. Yolanda's own

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inconsistent testimony proves it. Find her guilty. Defense attorney Tinker,

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this was a tragedy, a horrible accident. Yolanda loved Selena.

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Made mistakes with money, yes, but murder no. She brought

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that gun to kill herself. Selena tried to stop her,

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the gun went off. Yolanda has to live with that

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guilt for the rest of her life. That's punishment enough.

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The jury deliberated how long less than three hours. When

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a jury comes back that fast, it means one thing.

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They agreed immediately, no debate, no uncertainty they knew. October

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twenty third, nineteen ninety five, four thirty pm, the jury

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returned to the courtroom. Judge Westgren Madam four person has

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the jury reached a verdict. We have your honor. Please

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read the verdict. We the jury find the defendant, Yolanda Saldivar,

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guilty of first degree murder. The courtroom erupted. Selina's family wept,

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some from relief, some from renewed grief. Chris Perez collapsed,

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Susette held him. Yolanda showed no reaction, stared straight ahead,

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stone faced, in shock or just empty. Hard to tell.

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Outside the courthouse, crowd celebrated, cheered justice for Selena. Finally,

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first degree murder in Texas carries an automatic sentence life

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in prison. Judge Westergren scheduled sentencing for October twenty sixth,

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nineteen ninety five. Yolanda Saldivar would never be free again.

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Question was would she ever get parole? Make it make sense.

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Yolanda claimed she loved Selena, that this was an accident,

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but the bullet entered Selena's back. Yolanda changed her story

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three times, embezzled sixty thousand dollars, bought a gun, and

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when confronted, shot the person who trusted her most. That's

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not love, that's not an accident, that's murder. October twenty sixth,

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nineteen ninety five sentencing day, Harris County Criminal Justice Center.

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Yolanda Saldivar stood before Judge Mike Westergren, convicted murderer facing

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life in prison. In Texas, first degree murder requires a

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life sentence, no discretion, no alternative, the only variable parole

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eligibility under Texas law at the time, Defendants convicted of

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murder committed after September first, nineteen ninety three were eligible

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for pero role after serving thirty calendar years. Selena's murder

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happened March thirty first, nineteen ninety five. After that date,

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new rules applied. Life in prison eligible for parole after

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thirty calendar years, meaning Yolanda Saldeva would become eligible for

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parole March thirtieth, twenty twenty five, exactly thirty years after

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murdering Selena. Before sentencing, the Quintinilla family gave victim impact statements.

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Abraham Quintinilla spoke first. Selena's father, the man who discovered

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00:22:32.160 --> 00:22:36.079
her talent, managed her career, watched her become a star,

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now forced to bury his daughter. Selena was more than

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a singer. She was my daughter, my baby. She trusted Yolanda,

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We all trusted Yolanda, and Yolanda betrayed that trust in

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the worst possible way. She took my daughter from me,

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from her husband, from her family, from millions of fans

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who loved her. We will never recover from this never,

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00:23:04.400 --> 00:23:09.799
he addressed Yolanda directly. You destroyed our family. You took

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00:23:09.839 --> 00:23:13.839
the most precious thing in our lives, and for what money. Pride,

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00:23:14.400 --> 00:23:17.880
you couldn't accept consequences, so you killed her. That's who

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you are, a coward and a murderer. I hope you

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never leave prison. I will fight every parole hearing to

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keep you locked up. You die in prison, or I

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die trying. Marcella Quintinilla, Selina's mother spoke next, barely able

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to get words out through tears. My daughter was twenty

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three years old. She was just starting her life, just married,

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had so many dreams, wanted to open a fashion line,

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record an English album, maybe have children some day. You

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took all of that, You took my baby. I will

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never forgive you. Never. Susette Quintinilla Selina's sister, You kill

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my best friend, my sister, the person I looked up

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to my entire life. You didn't just shoot her once,

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you destroyed all of us. Every single day we wake

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up and she's gone. That's your legacy, Yolanda. You're the

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person who killed Selena. That's all you'll ever be. Chris Perez,

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Selena's husband, couldn't speak, broke down, had to leave the courtroom.

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Yolanda sat through all of it emotionless, staring at the table,

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didn't look at the family, didn't apologize, didn't show remorse.

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Judge Westergrenn gave her a chance to speak. She declined.

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No statement, no apology, nothing. Judge Westergrenn sentenced her to

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life in prison, with eligibility for parole after thirty years.

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March thirtieth, twenty twenty five, Yolanda would be sixty four

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years old. Miss Saldivar, you have been found guilty by

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a jury of your peers of the murder of Selena

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Quintini Perez. This crime was a betrayal of trust, a

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calculated act of violence, and it has caused immeasurable pain

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to a family and a community. You will spend the

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rest of your life in prison. Whether you ever leave

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is up to the parole board. But that's thirty years

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from now. Take her away. Yolanda was transported to the

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Patrick L. O'Daniel unit in Gatesville, Texas Maximum Security Women's Prison.

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She's been there ever since thirty years past. For the

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00:25:29.599 --> 00:25:33.839
first year, Yolanda was held in solitary confinement, her choice.

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Prison officials were concerned for her safety. Child killers rank

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at the bottom of the prison hierarchy, and Yolanda killed

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the Queen of Tajano, the beloved icon of the Latino community. Eventually,

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she moved to general population model prisoner no disciplinary issues,

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worked in the prison library, obtained her paralegal and associate

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00:25:55.039 --> 00:25:59.759
degree in criminal justice, attended religious services, stayed out of trouble.

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But did she show remorse. No. In interviews from prison

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over the years, Yolanda maintained her innocence, said the shooting

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was an accident, said she never meant to hurt Selena,

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said she's been wrongly imprisoned. That's not remorse, that's denial.

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March twenty twenty five, the thirty year mark arrived, Yolanda

351
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Saldivar became eligible for parole. The Quintinia family mobilized, submitted

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written statements opposing release. Abraham Quintinia, now in his eighties,

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prepared to fight. Chris Perez joined them. Selena's siblings added

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their voices. Thousands of fans wrote to the parole board.

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Latino advocacy groups submitted briefs. The message was unanimous, keep

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her in prison. The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles

357
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reviewed her case. A three member panel examined her prison record,

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her rehabilitation efforts, her degrees, her lack of disciplinary issues,

359
00:26:57.119 --> 00:27:00.720
but they also examined the nature of the crime, brutality,

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the betrayal, the impact on the victim's family and community.

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March twenty seventh, twenty twenty five, seven months ago, the

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Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles announced their decision denied

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the official statement after a thorough consideration of all available information,

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which included any confidential interviews conducted. It was the parole

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00:27:23.799 --> 00:27:27.640
panel's determination to deny parole to Yolanda Saldivar and set

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her next parole review from March twenty thirty. The reason

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provided the nature of the offense. The record indicates that

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the instant offense has elements of brutality, violence, assaultive behavior,

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or conscious selection of victim's vulnerability indicating a conscious disregard

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for the lives, safety, or property of others such that

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the offender poses a continuing threat to public safety. Translation,

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Yolanda Saldivar shot Selina in the back, showed no mercy,

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showed no remorse, still doesn't take responsibility, and the parole

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board believes she's still dangerous. Next parole review March twenty,

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thirty five years from now, Yolanda will be sixty nine

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years old. She can apply again and the board will

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review her case again and likely deny her again. The

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Quintinilla family and Chris Perez released a joint statement on

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social media today. We are grateful that the Texas Board

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00:28:29.440 --> 00:28:32.720
of Pardons and Paroles has chosen to deny parole for

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Yolanda Saldivar. While nothing can bring Selena back, this decision

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00:28:37.680 --> 00:28:41.720
reaffirms that justice continues to stand for the beautiful life

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that was taken from us and from millions of fans

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around the world far too soon. We will continue to

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celebrate Selena's life, not the tragedy that took her from us,

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and we ask that all who cherish her do the same.

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The Latino community celebrated justice continued. Yolanda would remain in

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prison at least for five more years, maybe forever. My prediction,

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she'll be denied again in twenty thirty and again in

390
00:29:10.960 --> 00:29:14.279
twenty thirty five if she lives that long. First parole

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00:29:14.359 --> 00:29:19.039
is almost always denied for murder convictions, especially high profile cases,

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especially when the victim's family opposes, especially when there's no

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00:29:23.359 --> 00:29:28.599
remorse Yolanda Saldivar will likely die in prison, not because

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00:29:28.640 --> 00:29:32.359
the system is vindictive, but because she murdered an icon,

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00:29:33.200 --> 00:29:37.319
betrayed someone who trusted her, and never took responsibility for

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00:29:37.400 --> 00:29:46.680
what she did. That's justice. Selena Quintania Perez died March

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thirty first, nineteen ninety five, twenty three years old, thirteen

398
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days before her twenty fourth birthday, but her legacy didn't

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00:29:55.319 --> 00:29:58.480
die with her. Within days of her death, her album

400
00:29:58.559 --> 00:30:00.480
Dreaming of You shot to number one one on the

401
00:30:00.480 --> 00:30:04.240
Billboard two hundred, first Latin artist to debut at number one.

402
00:30:04.720 --> 00:30:10.079
The album went platinum, then double platinum, eventually six times platinum.

403
00:30:10.319 --> 00:30:13.079
I Could Fall in Love and Dreaming of You became

404
00:30:13.200 --> 00:30:17.440
massive crossover hits, played on top forty radio pop stations.

405
00:30:17.720 --> 00:30:21.119
The English language breakthrough she'd been working toward finally happened

406
00:30:21.440 --> 00:30:24.880
too late for her to see it. April nineteen ninety five,

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Selena's funeral in Corpus Christi. Fifty thousand people lined the streets,

408
00:30:30.839 --> 00:30:34.240
more than could fit in the church. The procession stretched

409
00:30:34.240 --> 00:30:40.279
for miles. Businesses closed, schools closed, the entire city mourned.

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00:30:40.960 --> 00:30:44.119
Her body was placed in a coffin surrounded by white roses,

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her favorite, the same flowers Chris Perez had bought her

412
00:30:47.599 --> 00:30:50.759
every chance he got. The funeral was private, but the

413
00:30:50.799 --> 00:30:55.880
grief was public. Everyone felt it. Latino community, music industry

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00:30:56.119 --> 00:30:59.559
fans across the world. People magazine put Selena on the

415
00:30:59.599 --> 00:31:04.839
cover Selena, Her Life and Tragic Death. The issue became

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00:31:04.880 --> 00:31:08.759
one of the best selling People magazines in history. Commemorative

417
00:31:08.880 --> 00:31:14.200
editions followed. Billboard created the regional Mexican Album's chart in

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00:31:14.240 --> 00:31:19.160
response to Selena's crossover success, recognizing that Latin music needed

419
00:31:19.200 --> 00:31:23.400
its own platform. Selena's death changed how the industry tracked

420
00:31:23.440 --> 00:31:28.599
and celebrated Latino artists. Selena the movie premiered, directed by

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00:31:28.640 --> 00:31:34.119
Gregory Nova. Jennifer Lopez starred as Selena. Edward James almost

422
00:31:34.200 --> 00:31:40.559
played Abraham Quintinila. The film showed Selena's rise, her family's sacrifices,

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00:31:40.880 --> 00:31:44.759
her dreams, her marriage to Chris Perez, and the tragedy

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00:31:44.759 --> 00:31:48.000
of her death. The film ended with real footage of

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00:31:48.039 --> 00:31:52.880
the candlelight vigil after Selena died, fifty thousand people holding candles,

426
00:31:53.400 --> 00:31:59.480
singing her songs, remembering Selena. The movie made Jennifer Lopez

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00:31:59.519 --> 00:32:04.359
a star, launched her acting career, proved that stories about

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00:32:04.400 --> 00:32:10.000
Latino families told authentically could succeed in Hollywood. The film

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00:32:10.160 --> 00:32:15.000
grossed over thirty five million dollars became a cultural touchstone,

430
00:32:15.039 --> 00:32:18.359
but more importantly, it introduced Selena to people who'd never

431
00:32:18.400 --> 00:32:21.559
heard of Tahano music, kids who were too young to

432
00:32:21.599 --> 00:32:26.319
remember nineteen ninety five, international audiences who didn't know who

433
00:32:26.359 --> 00:32:32.880
she was. The movie made Selena immortal. Mac Cosmetics released

434
00:32:32.880 --> 00:32:37.000
a Selena themed makeup collection, sold out in hours, crashed

435
00:32:37.039 --> 00:32:41.200
the website they had to restock multiple times. The collection

436
00:32:41.359 --> 00:32:46.480
honored Selena's signature look, red lips, bold colors, confidence. The

437
00:32:46.559 --> 00:32:51.240
Quintinilla family saw it as perfect. Selena loved fashion and makeup,

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00:32:51.599 --> 00:32:55.759
designed her own stage costumes, dreamed of launching a fashion line.

439
00:32:56.279 --> 00:33:02.400
This was that dream realized. Posthumously, Netflix released Selena the Series.

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00:33:03.000 --> 00:33:08.000
Two part biographical series showed her early years, her family's struggles,

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00:33:08.319 --> 00:33:11.480
her rise to fame, the challenges of being a Mexican

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00:33:11.480 --> 00:33:17.279
American artist. Christian Seratos starred as Selena. The series was controversial.

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Some fans felt it didn't capture Selena's essence. Others appreciated

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00:33:22.119 --> 00:33:25.559
the deeper dive into her family's story, but it proved

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00:33:25.559 --> 00:33:29.960
one thing. Thirty years after her death, people still wanted

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00:33:29.960 --> 00:33:34.240
to know about Selena. Earlier this year, Selena ILOs Dinos,

447
00:33:34.440 --> 00:33:37.519
a new documentary about her life, premiered at the south

448
00:33:37.599 --> 00:33:41.000
By Southwest Festival in Austin and the Sun Dance Film Festival,

449
00:33:41.519 --> 00:33:45.599
won the US Documentary Special Jury Award for Archival Storytelling.

450
00:33:46.119 --> 00:33:51.640
Selena's family attended, her sister Susette, her bandmates, celebrating her legacy,

451
00:33:52.079 --> 00:33:57.200
keeping her memory alive. Today, November two, twenty twenty five,

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00:33:57.640 --> 00:34:01.519
Dia de los Muertos across the the United States and Mexico,

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00:34:01.839 --> 00:34:07.720
Selena appears on a frenda's alters honoring the dead Marigold flowers,

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00:34:07.960 --> 00:34:12.840
chempasuchel guide spirits home photographs of Selena in her iconic

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00:34:12.880 --> 00:34:18.079
purple jumpsuit, her favorite foods pizza, Mexican food, anything her

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00:34:18.079 --> 00:34:23.199
family would make, candles, her albums playing softly. Fans singing along.

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00:34:23.559 --> 00:34:27.960
This isn't morning, this is celebration. This is remembering someone

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00:34:27.960 --> 00:34:32.239
who brought joy, who represented her community with pride, who

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00:34:32.280 --> 00:34:36.599
showed young Latinas they could dream big. Selena's legacy isn't

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00:34:36.679 --> 00:34:41.559
just her music, its representation. Before Selena, there weren't many

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00:34:41.639 --> 00:34:46.440
Mexican American women in mainstream music. She opened doors, showed

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00:34:46.480 --> 00:34:49.960
it was possible, proved that Latino artists didn't have to

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00:34:50.000 --> 00:34:53.800
abandon their culture to succeed. Her fashion line never launched

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00:34:53.800 --> 00:34:58.440
while she was alive, but her style influenced generations. The boustiers,

465
00:34:58.599 --> 00:35:02.039
the bell bottoms, the con ffidence. Young women still dressed

466
00:35:02.119 --> 00:35:06.320
like Selena for Halloween, for Dia de los Mortos, for concerts.

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00:35:06.639 --> 00:35:10.559
Channeling that energy, Corpus Christi built the Selena Museum, run

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00:35:10.599 --> 00:35:15.559
by the Quintinilia family, displays her costumes, her awards, her car,

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00:35:15.920 --> 00:35:19.800
the red Porsche she bought after Amor Prohibido went platinum.

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00:35:20.079 --> 00:35:23.800
Fans visit from around the world, pay their respects, share

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00:35:23.840 --> 00:35:27.800
their stories of how Selena's music changed their lives. Fiesta

472
00:35:27.840 --> 00:35:31.760
de la Flor, annual music festival in Corpus Christi celebrating

473
00:35:31.800 --> 00:35:36.840
Selena's legacy, started in twenty fifteen, twenty years after her death,

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00:35:37.400 --> 00:35:42.639
features Tehano music, Latin artists, food and tributes. Thousands attend.

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00:35:42.800 --> 00:35:47.199
The city shuts down, everyone remembers. Chris Perez remarried, eventually

476
00:35:47.719 --> 00:35:51.239
moved on with his life, but he's never stopped honoring Selena.

477
00:35:51.880 --> 00:35:56.760
Published a memoir to Selena with Love, described their relationship,

478
00:35:57.239 --> 00:36:01.719
their dreams, what it was like losing her. He's participated

479
00:36:01.760 --> 00:36:05.639
in tributes, defended her legacy, made sure people know who

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00:36:05.639 --> 00:36:08.880
she really was, not just the celebrity, but the person.

481
00:36:09.719 --> 00:36:14.360
Abraham Quintinilla, now in his eighties, still manages Selena's estate,

482
00:36:14.840 --> 00:36:19.679
protects her image, approves projects, says no to things that

483
00:36:19.760 --> 00:36:23.320
don't honor her properly. He's devoted his life to making

484
00:36:23.400 --> 00:36:28.000
sure Selena's legacy remains pure, remains true to who she was.

485
00:36:28.719 --> 00:36:32.000
Selena Quintinilla Perez would be fifty four years old today,

486
00:36:32.360 --> 00:36:36.639
born April sixteenth, nineteen seventy one. Should have grandchildren by now.

487
00:36:36.920 --> 00:36:40.960
Definitely would have that fashion line, maybe acting roles. Definitely

488
00:36:41.039 --> 00:36:45.280
more albums English and Spanish, maybe a Las Vegas residency,

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00:36:45.519 --> 00:36:49.239
maybe collaborations with artists who grew up idolizing her. She'd

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00:36:49.239 --> 00:36:55.880
be a legend in her own lifetime, not just remembered, celebrated, active, creating, inspiring,

491
00:36:56.440 --> 00:37:00.880
but instead she's frozen at twenty three, forever young, forever

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00:37:00.960 --> 00:37:05.079
in that purple jumpsuit, Forever the Queen of Tahano, And

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00:37:05.079 --> 00:37:08.480
on Dia de los Mortos she comes home, returns through

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00:37:08.519 --> 00:37:12.480
the marigolds, through the music, through the memories of millions

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00:37:12.519 --> 00:37:15.239
who never met her but feel like they knew her.

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00:37:15.760 --> 00:37:19.239
That's what Yolanda Saldivar can never take away, the love,

497
00:37:19.800 --> 00:37:23.480
the legacy, the joy Selena brought to the world. Make

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00:37:23.559 --> 00:37:27.599
it make sense. One person with a gun destroyed a life,

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00:37:28.039 --> 00:37:31.840
but she couldn't destroy what that life meant, what it represented,

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00:37:32.199 --> 00:37:36.400
what it inspired. Thirty years later, Selena lives on, not

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00:37:36.519 --> 00:37:39.159
just in music, in the hearts of everyone who sees

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00:37:39.199 --> 00:37:42.360
themselves in her story, who dares to dream because she did.

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00:37:42.840 --> 00:37:45.920
Rest in peace, Selena. Someone has to say your name,

504
00:37:46.400 --> 00:37:54.119
and on Dia de los Mortos millions do. That's part

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00:37:54.159 --> 00:37:58.480
two of Our Selena Special. October twenty third, nineteen ninety five.

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00:37:59.079 --> 00:38:02.840
Yolanda Saldivaar found guilty of first degree murder. Life in

507
00:38:02.880 --> 00:38:08.000
prison March twenty twenty five, denied parole Board rule she

508
00:38:08.119 --> 00:38:11.760
still poses a threat to public safety. Next review March

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00:38:11.800 --> 00:38:15.840
twenty thirty. The Quintanila family and Chris Perez are grateful,

510
00:38:16.199 --> 00:38:20.119
said the decision reaffirms that justice continues to stand for

511
00:38:20.199 --> 00:38:23.440
the beautiful life that was taken from us far too soon.

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00:38:24.440 --> 00:38:28.599
But this weekend isn't about Yolanda Saldivar. These two days

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00:38:28.639 --> 00:38:32.360
are Dia de los Mortos, a time to celebrate the dead,

514
00:38:33.079 --> 00:38:37.280
to honor lives that were cut short, to remember with joy,

515
00:38:37.679 --> 00:38:41.800
not just grief. And Selena deserves that, deserves to be

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00:38:41.840 --> 00:38:46.039
remembered for her music, her fashion, her representation, her joy,

517
00:38:46.400 --> 00:38:49.639
the doors she opened, the dreams she inspired. She was

518
00:38:49.679 --> 00:38:53.480
twenty three years old, would be fifty four today. Born

519
00:38:53.519 --> 00:38:57.880
April sixteenth, nineteen seventy one, died March thirty first, nineteen

520
00:38:57.960 --> 00:39:03.360
ninety five. Should be performed creating inspiring the next generation

521
00:39:03.480 --> 00:39:08.280
directly instead of through her legacy. But Yolanda Saldivar took that,

522
00:39:08.760 --> 00:39:12.239
took her life, took her future for sixty thousand dollars

523
00:39:12.320 --> 00:39:16.559
in wounded pride, thirty years in prison, denied parole, will

524
00:39:16.599 --> 00:39:19.920
serve at least five more years, maybe will die in prison.

525
00:39:20.320 --> 00:39:23.800
That's what the law allows. Whether Yolanda serves thirty five

526
00:39:23.880 --> 00:39:27.320
years or dies behind bars, it won't bring Selena back.

527
00:39:27.719 --> 00:39:31.119
What brings Selena back is this her music playing on

528
00:39:31.199 --> 00:39:35.599
Dia delos Muertos, Her face on altars across two countries,

529
00:39:36.079 --> 00:39:40.199
young girls seeing themselves in her story. Latino artists following

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00:39:40.280 --> 00:39:44.960
the path she cleared. That's legacy. That's immortality. That's what

531
00:39:45.000 --> 00:39:48.480
it means when we say someone never really dies. Selena

532
00:39:48.559 --> 00:39:54.039
Quintanilla Perez March thirty first, nineteen ninety five, twenty three

533
00:39:54.159 --> 00:39:59.320
years old, the Queen of Tejano, gone but never forgotten.

534
00:40:00.159 --> 00:40:04.199
Someone has to say her name today on Dia delos Mortos.

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00:40:04.440 --> 00:40:08.159
We all do. I'm read Carter. This is celebrity trials.

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00:40:08.599 --> 00:40:10.360
Rest in peace, Selena Hasteluego