Nearly three decades after the heinous act that stole the life of the Grammy Award-winning icon Selena Quintanilla, the woman convicted of her murder, Yolanda Saldívar, has submitted a request for parole.
Saldívar, who was once a close associate of the burgeoning star and president of her fan club, fatally shot Quintanilla on March 31, 1995, in Corpus Christi, Texas.
Convicted in October of that same year, Saldívar was sentenced to a life term, with the prospect of parole after serving thirty years.
As reported by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice’s online records, Saldívar has filed for parole, becoming eligible for consideration on March 30.
In Texas, the parole review process is activated six months before the date of eligibility. Remarkably, Saldívar’s forthcoming review coincides with the eve of the 30th anniversary of Selena’s tragic murder.
Allegations have emerged in media reports that Saldívar believes she is at risk, claiming a bounty has been placed on her head while incarcerated, as noted by ABC 13.
During Saldívar’s trial, Quintanilla’s widower, Chris Pérez, testified that the pop sensation had terminated Saldívar’s services earlier that year upon discovering alleged embezzlement activities perpetrated by her.
Following this confrontation, Saldívar obtained a license to purchase a firearm in San Antonio. It was on that fateful day, March 31, when the two met in a hotel room to discuss various matters, that Saldívar shot Quintanilla in the back.
Pleading not guilty to the charge of murder, Saldívar’s defense team contended that the shooting was an unintended act, with Saldívar allegedly attempting to harm herself rather than Quintanilla.
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At the time of her tragic demise, Quintanilla was at the pinnacle of her career, having achieved unprecedented success, including a historic performance at the Houston Astrodome Livestock Show & Rodeo, which attracted a staggering audience of nearly 67,000 spectators.
Vocabulary List:
- heinous /ˈheɪ.nəs/ (adjective): Utterly odious or wicked; shocking.
- convicted /kənˈvɪk.tɪd/ (verb): Declared guilty of a criminal offense by the verdict of a jury or the decision of a judge.
- prospect /ˈprɒs.pɛkt/ (noun): The likelihood or possibility of a future event occurring.
- allegations /ˌæl.ɪˈɡeɪ.ʃənz/ (noun): Claims or assertions that someone has done something illegal or wrong typically without proof.
- unintended /ˌʌn.ɪnˈtɛn.dɪd/ (adjective): Not planned or meant; occurring without intention.
- spectators /spɛkˈteɪ.tərs/ (noun): People who watch an event especially a sports event.
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