SELENA QUINTANILLA-PEREZ - THE MURDER OF A BELOVED STAR BY A MALIGNANT HEART - YOLANDA SALDIVAR
SELENA QUINTANILLA - PEREZ - HER LIFE, FAMILY,
AWARDS & ACHIEVEMENTS & HER UNTIMELY DEATH
From her beginnings in Lake Jackson, Texas, Selena and her family
have always been involved in music. You could say, music is their life.
In the beginning music put food on the table and paid for necessities.
The Quintanilla family's struggle to make a better life, through music,
is a testament to their committment to each other, and to the pursuit
of their dreams.
But even dreams can come at a high price that no family wants to pay.
Selena Quintanilla Perez
Selena's nickname was "Preciosa"- which means beautiful, spirited
and wonderful.
Selena Quintanilla "I loved Lake Jackson because of the green grass, the trees.
I remember eating at the Sonic and Dairy Bar. I remember
how it would flood where I lived, and my friends and I would
play in the water. I was a little tomboy when I was growing
up. I used to like to play football with the guys and you know,
normal things like hide-and-seek, and get a hold of my brother's
bike and try to teach myself how to ride it."
"We used to get my mom's sheets, you know, the fitted sheets,
and we used to go outside and hide from the cars on the front
lawn. We would make bubbles and hide under there. And if we
got seen we had to go stand on the corner and make these ugly
faces. We had these monkey bars in the back of my house and
we used to get my mother's sheets and tie them to the bars and
make little cocoons and just hang in there all day."
The Quintanilla family are Jehovah's Witnesses and though Selena was
not an official member of the sect, she attended Bible study with others
of their faith. Selena believed strongly in her faith in God, and in her family.
Marcella, Selena and Suzette Quintanilla
Selena Quintanilla "We're a very unified family. Within the family we
have aggressive and dominating personalities, but
we believe the family is the most important thing of
all."
"We grew up with morals and also respect for everyone.
My father always treated us equal and we're not different.
We all have talent even if they are in different aspects."
"What's cool about our family is that we don't hold grudges
and I think that's sort of been the key to the success. Ya
know we have our disagreements but whether we're right
or wrong we'll just go and apologize. That's just the way
we are."
Selena - A.B. - Suzette
"I think I'm very a kindhearted person. Um, I don't like
to hurt people's feelings. If I do, it's not intentionally.
I'm sincere and very honest. And I feel that now days
lot of people have lost that, but I think that starts in
the home. My parents have taught me that. Being fair
with people."
Marcella, Selena and Abraham Quintanilla
EDUCATION
Selena achieved her high-school degree via correspondence from
Chicago's American School and was accepted to Louisiana
University, but she always encouraged others to stay in school
and to get a good education.
Selena loved to go to public middle schools and high schools to talk
to the kids about the importance of staying in school, avoiding drugs
and alcohol, remaining chaste and pursuing goals.
Selena teaches about Tejano Music
A DOWN HOME GIRL
Selena Quintanilla was a multi-talented rising star. Her talents
included dancer, model, fashion designer, actress, record
producer and singer- songwriter.
The one career Selena never got to experience, but was looking
forward to, was that of a mother of children. She wanted to have
5 children with her husband Chris Perez.
Selena was also an inspiration. Whether she was visiting schools to
talk to students about the importance of getting a good education;
or donating her time to civic organizations (D.A.R.E.); planning a
fund raising concert to assist AIDS patients; performing free
concerts for fans that couldn't go to her other concerts; being a
spokesperson for battered women; funding HIV/AIDS research;
helping out at homeless shelters; playing baseball for charity;
people looked up to Selena.
They didn't see her youth, they saw someone who cared about
them. She didn't put on airs because of fame.
Many Mexican-Americans looked up to Selena, not only because of
the star she was, but because she was an inspiration to them. She
looked like them, dark skinned, dark hair. She was Mexican-American.
She showed them that persistence, hard work, and a passion for your
dream can take you far in life, and you didn't have to be born blond haired,
blue eyed or dye your hair and change your body to achieve those dreams.
Once, Selena is late for an 8:00 P.M. concert at the Tejano Rodeo in
Dallas. Her plane was delayed by a snowstorm. After landing she
rushed to the Rodeo and although she is there late, at 10:00, she
apologizes profusely, and then sings and dances all night so her
fans won't feel shortchanged. Many stars would have cancelled,
but not Selena.
People were her fans not just because she sang beautifully
from her heart, but because she gave willingly from her heart.
Selena's smile and laugh could light up a room, a concert, a
ball field or a parking lot. She had a love and zest for life.
Selena Quintanilla is remembered by many people, in many ways.
The Quintanilla family set up in May 1995, The Selena Foundation -
donations go to charitable organizations that help children in crisis.
Through the years the Selena Foundation has been active
in the Coastal Bend by awarding scholarships and supporting
programs like Operation SOS that provides school supplies to
needy children.
The People Tribute Issue to Selena sells 1,000,000
copies on it's day of release, which leads the magazine
to create People En Espano.
Because of Selena, several large corporations realized
that they'd been neglecting a huge market, that of the
Mexican-American Hispanic purchasing public.
People Magazine created a Latin American version
magazine, and EMI created a Latin Artists Music label.
SELENA Y LOS DINOS - THE EARLY YEARS
LOS DINOS
Abraham Quintanilla, a respected Latino musician plays with a group
called Los Dinos.
1975 - Abraham Quintanilla forms his own Los Dinos band with his
children. At age 6, Selena sings with A.B. and Suzette.
1979- Selena makes her performing debut at age 8 in her father's restaurant
Papa Gayos. She's 10 when she begins signing with Los Dinos.
1983 - Maximo's in Corpus Christi -
Selena is Awarded a plaque for "Outstanding Performer
Texas Association of Spanish Announcers (TASA) Zenzontli Award -
Selena Wins "New Female Vocalist"
1984 - Movida Band Productions -
Selena receives an Appreciation Award for work with Toys For Tots
Selena (12) y Los Dinos record 'Selena Y Los Dinos' on the Freddie
Record Label
Selena Quintanilla "A lot of people say..ya know that it's hard to work with family
and what's good about our family is that we've all had the same
goal and we all have the same respect for my father."
.
The original members of Selena Y Los Dinos (1986) included Selena, Suzette, AB,
Ricky Vela, and Roger Garca
Later, their father Abraham would retire as a singer and become their manager.
Selena & Suzette's brother, A.B. Quintanilla, became their songwriter, although
Selena herself contributed to songs as well.
Selena Quintanilla
Selena Quintanilla "It was kinda hard at first, cause I knew it was uh.. a means
of putting food on the table for the whole family. You know
we did it to make a living. So the only way we could put
bread on the table was try to sing and do music professionally
and make a living off of it."
Thirteen years later, Selena y Los Dinos is a Tejano (Tex-Mex Pop)
sensation. Her star is rising and she's taking not only Latin America
by storm, but also winning fans across the United States.
Sister Suzette Quintanilla is one of the first women drummers to
play in a band, and also, the only Hispanic woman to do so.
After Selena y Los Dinos begin to earn money, the family convert an old
body shop (On Leopard Street industrial strip in Corpus Christi) into a
recording studio and office - Q Productions. It becomes their headquarters.
Selena has a passion for Faberge eggs of any kind.
She owns a collection of over 500 faberge eggs and displays them
in glass cases within her living room. The family say Selena's passion
for eggs relates to the fact that she was born on Easter Sunday. If
it looked like an egg, Selena bought it.
Suzette Quintanilla Arriaga - "Each egg tells a story. There's one that
Chris bought her a week before she died,
and then there's one Selena bought at
Universal City in Los Angeles."
Selena Museum - all of Selena's egg collection are on display in their original
glass display cases and are arranged exactly the way Selena had them in
her living room.
Selena and sister Suzette
1985 - Tejano Music Awards -
Selena Nominated for "Female Entertainer of the Year"
Selena Nominated for "Female Vocalist of the Year"
Los Dinos Nominated for "Most Promising Band"
1986 - Tejano Music Awards -
Selina Wins "Female Vocalist of the Year"
West Texas Hispanic Music Awards -
Selina Wins "Female Vocalist of the Year"
Alpha Album is Nominated "Album of the Year"
Los Dinos Nominated for "Best Showband of the Year"
Dame Un Beso is Nominated for "Hit Song of the Year"
KFLZ Awards
Selena Wins "Female Vocalist of the Year"
1987 - Tejano Music Awards -
Selena (15) Wins "Female Vocalist of the Year"
Selena Nominated and is a Finalist for "Female Entertainer of the Year."
Alpha Album Nominated for "Album of the Year"
Dame Un Beso Nominated for "Song of the Year"
Dame Un Beso Nominated for "Single of the Year"
Los Dinos Nominated and is a Finalist "Most Promising Band of the Year"
Mike Chavez Awards
Selena Wins "Female Vocalist of the Year"
Los Dinos Nominated "Most Promising Band"
Los Dinos Nominated "Keyboard Group of the Year"
Los Dinos Nominated "Keyboard Album of the Year" for 'A Million To One'
Los Dinos Nominated "Keyboard Single of the Year" for 'A Million To One'
Los Dinos Nominated "Keyboard Single of the Year" for Munequito de Trapo
KFlZ Awards
Selena Wins "Female Vocalist of the Year"
Kuno's People's Choice Awards
Selena Wins People's Choice Award
1988 - Tejano Music Awards -
Selena Wins "Best Female Vocalist of the Year"
Selena Wins "Female Entertainer of the Year"
Terco Corazon Nominated for "Single of the Year"
And the Winner is... Nominated for "Album of the Year"
Abraham B. Quintanilla III of Los Dinos Nominated for "Songwriter of the Year"
Shelly Lares (who once sang backup for Selena) invites Selena to a rehearsal
and introduces her to Chris Perez.
Chris Perez
SENSE OF HUMOR
Selena likes practical jokes. Once, to play a joke on a fellow singer,
she fills the middle of Oreo Cookie with Mint Toothpaste...but her father
eats it.
Selena finds it almost impossible to turn down a dare, in fact, Selena goes
bungee jumping on a dare.
One time, she's kept waiting by a recording executive in his office and
Selena becomes bored. She takes a sticky note pad and writes
messages and hides them all over his office. For weeks afterwards he
will find "a Selena note" hidden in an item and laugh each time he reads
them.
On a long airplane ride, Selena becomes bored so she gets up and sings
to the other passengers. She then puts on an apron and asks them if they
would like something to drink.
RECORDING CONTRACT
1989 - Tejano Music Awards -
Selena Wins "Best Female Vocalist"
Selena Wins "Female Vocalist of the Year"
Selena and Los Dinos are signed to EMI Latin Records, their first Latin
Artist(s).
Selena Quintanilla "The day we signed with EMI was when we started seeing
success. They had faith in us, 100% faith that we were
going to do something. Also, they treated us like family.
They�re good to us."
Excerpt from Walter Martinez Interview, 1995
ADVERTISING SPOKESPERSON
Throughout the years, Selena is asked to do
advertising and becomes a spokesperson
for Coca-Cola, AT&T, Southwestern Bell,
and Agree Shampoo (Dep Corp).
Selena is one of the only Tejano stars not
to endorse a brand of beer.
1990 - Tejano Music Awards -
Selena Wins "Female Entertainer of the Year"
Selena Wins "Female Vocalist of the Year"
Selena and her band release their first album with EMI Latin Records.
"Let me in pretty woman... let me in for heaven's sake,
oh, let me in pretty woman...sssssighed the snake!"
It is in this year that the Quintanilla family becomes acquainted
with Yolanda Saldivar, a nurse (older than Selena), who is an
aunt to one of Selena's childhood friends. .
Yolanda Saldivar
After approaching Shelly Lares, a prominent, young Tejano
Singer asking to be allowed to set up a Shelly Lares Fan
Club and being turned down. Yolanda sets her sights on
another prominent, young, Tejano singer, Selena Quintanilla.
Saldivar is not charismatic or attractive, but she presents
herself as a caring, amiable and helpful person who would
do anything, go to any lengths, to help the Quintanilla family.
Yolanda claims to be a fan of Selena's and approaches the
family with the idea of beginning a fan club. Abraham
Quintanilla at first says no. But later he agrees and Saldivar
becomes the newly formed Selena Fan Club's president.
Selena Quintanilla "There's a fan club and it's based out of here in San Antonio
and it carries the Mexican...for Mexico.. la gente de Mexico..
and tambien. .tambien all the United States, and what they
do is they send out a newsletter each month telling you
where we're gonna play and tambien there's also a fan club
where you can pay a fee and you get the newsletter plus
interviews with the band members and different stuff like
that. T-shirts and all that junk."
No one realizes how deeply obsessed Saldivar is with Selena.
Saldivar has lived with her mother until after meeting up with
up with the Quintanilla family. Then she rents an apartment.
and obtains a roommate, who soon moves out. Saldivar has
the entire apartment turned into a shrine of Selena and the
roommate is spooked by it.
The Quintanilla family also do not realize that Yolanda Saldivar
is a thief, fired from a previous employer for embezzlement. Nor
that she's a liar with a penchant for crying "rape."
Saldivar not only failed to pay off a $5300 student loan, and been
accused of stealing $9,200 from a dermatologist (previous employer),
but she'd also left her nursing job under suspicious circumstances.
Selena in red, (Yolanda Saldivar to the right, dressed in white)
Where ever Selena is, Saldivar can be seen tagging along.
In later hindsight, it can be seen how Yolanda Saldivar conned,
connived and manipulated herself into a position of trust with the
family, attaching herself in particular to Selena, for her own gains,
and later, to steal monies from her and from her fans, and ultimately,
to steal her life by murdering her.
Selena Quintanilla "The life of an artist isn't all glamorous. It's a lot of work.
A lot of people think it's very easy. They think you always
stay in good hotels, you buy good things, but it's not like
that. You have to work hard like everybody else."
"If you treat people good, it will come back in the end."
Susette Quintanilla Arriaga "I met Saldivar at the time that the Selena
fan club had been formed. I became real
close with Yolanda. I asked her to be a
bridesmaid. She was like part of the
family."
Suzette
Chris Perez "I met saldivar when she met Selena's fan club. She'd slowly
worked her way into Selena's circle of friends and employees
by simply taking over many of the duties that Selena couldn't
perform because she was so busy."
Eddie Quintanilla (Selena's uncle) "I don't think Selena knew how
popular she was getting. I would tell her, 'Mi hijita,
don't go to the store by yourself at night. Don't go
to the mall alone. There are people who will kill
you for no reason, just because you are famous.'"
Abraham Quintanilla "I knew Selena was old enough to make her own
decisions. She would listen, then tell me, "Dad,
you think all people are bad. I can take care of
myself."
Abraham
Detective Paul Rivera "I've seen 200 murders. That woman (Saldivar), no remorse.
None at all."
1991 - Tejano Music Awards -
Selena Wins "Female Entertainer of the Year"
Selena Wins "Best Female Vocalist of the Year"
Selena speaks to fans, young and old alike and takes time for her fans, for
photos or autographs. She is fond of saying "fans are our family."
1992 - Tejano Music Awards -
Selena Wins "Best Female Vocalist"
Selena Wins "Female Entertainer of the Year"
Billboard Music Index -BMI
Citation of Achievement presented to Five Candle Music for "Como La Flor"
in recognition of it's great national popularity as measured by broadcast
performers
Citation of Achievement presented to Five Candle for "La Carcacha"
Video of Selena performing "La Carcacha" from her last concert, Houston, TX.
Citation of Achievement presented to Five Candle Music for "Que Creias"
Citation of Achievement presented to Abraham Quintanilla lll for "Como La Flor"
in recognition of the great national popularity as measured by broadcast performers
Citation of Achievement presented to A.B. lll for "La Carcacha"
Citation of Achievement presented to A.B. lll by BMI for "Que Creias
Although Selena is becoming a well known star, she remains
down to earth. Although she purchased a black BMW (stolen
and dumped into a river) and later her favorite red Porsche
Targa, and a motorcycle, Selena didn't travel with security
personnel or a large entourage. Every day she is home
she would take a walk through her neighborhood.
Selena loves Corpus Christi and can be seen shopping at
the local malls, KMart, Walmart, Payless Shoes Source,
and dining at local restaurants. Selena's favorites are Pizza
Hut and Olive Garden, Whataburgers and Jack in the Box.
Selena mowed her own lawn, or would allow local kids
to do it and she'd fix lunch for them. She lived next door to
her parents and brother in a middle-class neighborhood in
Corpus Christi.
David Farias, (plays with Baca and the 2010 Grammy Award-winning
Los Texmaniacs) formerly of La Tropa F, shared the
stage with Selena at the Hard Rock Cafe.
"I still find pride and comfort knowing Selena loved the music of our
band. A portion of one of our songs was featured in the movie about
Selena's life."
"She was very down to earth.You know, people's people. She was very
hunble."
"LOVE IS IN THE AIR"
Selena Quintanilla and Chris Perez
Selena Quintanilla-Perez "We were friends. I never thought I'd wanna marry a
musician."
Chris Perez "We'd been friends for some time before we got serious.
Selena and Chris became good friends. They first admitted that they loved
each other at a Pizza Hut in the Rio Grande Valley. When Selena begins
to learn Spanish, Chris does too. They spend some of their free time practicing.
Selena Quintanilla "We dated for eight months. I had met him before. He
was in another band before joining our band. It was
more of a friendship. It happened gradually. I like his
personality. He was a good listener. A friend brought
it to my attention, "hey, you know, I heard you have a
crush on him and all." And I said, "What do you mean?
I don't have a crush on him." But then I started to see
him in a different way. He is kind of cute and he is a
good person. He has a good heart."
Selena's father, Abraham Quintanilla did not approve of their dating.
Eventually, Abraham fired him from the band because of their relationship.
Chris Perez rejoined Selena y Los Dinos after he and Selena were married.
Abraham Quinitanilla would later consider Chris as another son.
1992 - April 2 - Selena Quintanilla and Christopher Perez are married by a Justice
of the Peace.
Mr. & Mrs. Perez
Chris Perez "We'd been friends for some time before we got serious.
Mr. Q was hurt, but I was welcomed into the family."
Selena Quintanilla-Perez "We were friends. I never thought I'd wanna marry a
musician."
"Ever since I was a little girl, I'd dreamed of having a big, wonderful wedding, with
a long white gown and a bouquet of flowers. But my love for Chris was so strong.
I couldn't wait any longer for us to be husband and wife. I couldn't even wear my
nicest dress because that would have made my father suspicious."
Selena and Chris plan to wait for children until Selena's career settles down
a bit.. It is one of Selena's biggest dreams to be a mother of 5 children.
Selena also likes to wear her husband Chris's shirts.
Selena and Chris Perez
THE QUEEN OF TEJANO MUSIC
Selena easily surpassed the sales of both male and female Tejano artists and
is considered by many to be the "Queen of Tejano" music. She is already a
superstar among the Latinos in North and South Americas.
Selena is the fastest selling female of all time.
1993 - Selena records a Public Service Announcement for a battered woman's
shelter called "Put and End to Pain." Every time Selena's tape aired, the
phones rang off the hook with Spanish speaking callers. Towards the end
of her life Selena had been planning on visiting the women in the shelter
and organizing a fundraiser for them.
February - David Lee Garza and Selena perform before a Sunday matinee
then-record audience of 57,894 at the Houston Livestock Show
and Rodeo at the Houston Astrodome.
February 7 - Selena Live! is recorded at the Memorial Coliseum in Corpus Christi, TX
Selena y Los Dinos in concert
August - More than 20,000 people hear Selena y Los Dinos at the Pasadena
Fairgrounds.
October - Selena and Ram Herrera are featured performers at the Tejano Grand
Finale show of the Coca-Cola Road Trip at Guadalupe Plaza Park in
Houston, Texas.
November - Selena signs with EMI SBK records to begin work on her English album,
which won't be released until 1995.
Tejano Music Awards -
Selena Wins "Female Vocalist of the Year"
Selena Wins "Female Entertainer of the Year"
Entre a Mi Mundo Wins"Orchestra Album of the Year"
Univision Premio Lo Nuestro
Selena Wins "Female Artist of the Year in the "Top Regional Mexican
Latin Artists" category
Entre a Mi Mundo Wins "Album of the Year"
Como La Flor" Wins "Song of the Year"
A.B. Quintanlla lll & Pete Astudillo Win "Songwriters of the Year"
ACE Award (New York)
Selena Wins "Female Vocalist of the Year"
Billboard Awards -
Selena Wins "Number One Latin Artist"
Entre a Mi Mundo Wins "Number One Latin Album"
Citation of Achievement presented to Abraham Quintanilla III for 'Que Creias'
Grammy Awards -
Selena Live! album wins a Grammy Award for Best Mexican-American
Performance.
Selena is the only Tejano Artist to win a Grammy.
Selena accepts the Grammy & then speaks of the experience.
Selena Quintanilla-Perez "We got up and we screamed. It was the pre-telecast
part of the awards and there was maybe like 10 of us
sitting in one row towards the back of the place, showed
up kinda late. Like always, I'm always late for everything
and they announced, uh, me as the winner and I was like
"Oh my God!" and we all stood and we screamed and I
was wearing this, like crystal beaded gown, and I remember
going down, cause it's kind of on a slant, and thinking, "Gee
Selena, if you fall you are gonna be so embarrassed, don't
fall," cause it had like this fishtail in the back of it and I was
trying to be all cool walking up there, but it was great and
thinking back now...it's just an experience I will never forget."
"So you can imagine how I felt when they called out my name.
I cried in the back. It was just a great feeling."
1994 - Selena wins a second Grammy Award, this time for her album
"Live" in the "Best Mexican American Performance" category
Live! is Nominated for another Grammy Award for "Mexican-
American Album of the Year."
Tejano Music Awards -
Selena Wins "Female Entertainer of the Year"
Selena Wins "Female Vocalist of the Year"
"Selena Live!" Album Wins "Orchestra Album of the Year"
NARAS awards a certificate to A.B. Quintanilla lll recognizing him as
Producer on the Grammy Award Winning "Live" Album
To commemorate Selena's 5 years with the company, Coca-Cola
issues special Selena coke bottles that sell out rapidly. One of the
bottles is displayed in the San Antonio Hard Rock Cafe with her
signature on it, along with a vest of Selena's and a guitar.
SELENA THE BUSINESSWOMAN
Selena Quintanilla-Perez "I'm spoiled in the sense that now I get what I want,
but it's because I work for it."
SELENA ETC.
1994- January 27 - Selena turns her talents to designing and manufacturing her
own clothing line. She opens 2 boutiques under the name
Selena Etc. One is located in Corpus Christi, and the other
in San Antonio. Both boutiques are equipped with in house
beauty salons. Martin Gomez is her designer.
Since she was a child Selena loved dressing up dolls' hair and clothing.
She loved the pageantry and color of the costumes she designed for
her concerts and her own clothing. She achieved one of her dreams
by opening her own boutiques.
Selena asks Yolanda Saldivar to take a paying position and help
out with the boutiques.
Celia Soliz (Nail technician and Cosmetologist and employee of
Selena Etc. Boutique in Corpus Christi)"Although Selena owns
her businesses, Yolanda Saldivar manages and operates the clothing
boutique(s) with assistance from Lori Rothe."
Martin Gomez designs fashions for Selena... until Yolanda's obsessiveness
drives him to quit, telling everyone he can't work with Saldivar.
Martin Gomez "She (Yolanda) was possessive and controlling."
Products that have been paid for are not delivered. Accusations of
misused and missing funds are leveled.
Selena's employees at Selena Etc. feel uneasy around Yolanda Saldivar,
who acts more like Selena's protector, rather than an employee.
Saldivar begins limiting access to Selena, anyone wishing to speak to
or see Selena in person had to go through Saldivar.
Saldivar makes herself available and to her mind, indispensible. Selena
and Chris allow Yolanda to have a key to their home, put her in charge
of sending souvenir packages to Selena fans, the many thousands of
fans. As part of her job with the boutiques, she is able to access
Selena's American Express gold cards, and the authority to sign payroll
checks
February - Selena performs for a then-record Sunday crowd at the Houston
Livestock Show and Rodeo of 60,948 - of which 8,000 bought
standing-room-only tickets.
A Boy Like That" is recorded as a project to raise money for the Grammy's,
and was released on the album "The songs of the West Side Story."
March - Selena's "Selena Live album wins a Grammy award as best
Mexican-American album. She releases "Amor Prohibido"
the same month.
AMOR PROHIBIDO
May - Selena y Los Dinos perform at Guadalupe Park as part of the annual
Cinco de Mayo celebration..
July - Amor Prohibido, the title track from her album, Amor Prohibido, reaches
No. 1 on Billboard's Latin chart to become the biggest hit of her career.
Touring behind the album she performs for 20,000 at Six Flags AstroWorld's
Southern Star Amphitheater..
August - Selena, Mazz and Emilio Navaira are featured performers at the 3rd Annual
Tejano Superfest at Guadalupe Plaza.
December - Selena headlines the New Years Eve dance at the George R. Brown
Convention Center.
1995 - January - The Hard Rock Cafe, San Antonio, Texas opening.
Selena is one of the celebrities on hand. There is
a Selena star on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant.
.
SELENA AS ACTRESS
1995 - Don Juan DeMarco - Selena makes a cameo appearance as a background
Mariachi singer during the first scene of the romantic comedy.
Selena is on the TV Novella "Dos Mujeres, Un Camino"
Selena Quintanilla-Perez "I don't consider myself an actress."
"Originally, I was supposed to come out with the band singing. But it didn’t
turn out that way. They said, “your going to be doing a little acting. You’re
going to say a couple of lines. And they said, “you’ll do fine. Just put the
ear monitor on and repeat what the guy says.”
Excerpt from Walter Martinez Interview, 1995.
SELENA THE FARM GIRL
Selena dreams of having her own farm. She and Chris purchase 10 acres of
land just outside of Corpus Christi, on which they plan to build a farm, raise
horses, and build their own house. Selena has already picked out the furniture.
NOMINATIONS & AWARDS
1995 - January - Selena is Nominated for a Grammy for Best Mexican-American
Performance for Amor Prohibido (Forbidden Love)
February 11 - Tejano Music Awards -
Selena dominates the 15th annual Tejano Music Awards at the
Alamodome in San Antonio. She wins in six of 15 categories.
For an unprecedented 7th straight year -
Selena Wins wins both "Female vocalist" and "Female Entertainer
of the Year."
Amor Prohibido Wins " Album of the Year"
Amor Prohibido Wins "Album of the Year-Orchestra" "
Amor Prohibido Wins "Record of the Year"
Selena Wins "Song of the Year" for "Bidi Bidi Bom Bom"
Selena Wins "Tejano Crossover Song of the Year" for "Techno Cumbia"
Bidi Bidi Bom Bom - From Selena's last concert at the Houston
Astrodome.
Univision Premio Lo Nuestro
Selena Wins "Female Artist of the Year-Pop"
Selena Wins "Female Artist of the Year-Regional/Mexican"
Amor Prohibido Wins "Album of the Year-Regional/Mexican"
A.B. III & Pete Astudillo Win"Song (Artist/Songwriter) of the
Year - Regional/Mexican" for "Amor Prohibido"
February 26 - Selena performs a triumphant concert for a record-setting Houston
Livestock Show and Rodeo Sunday crowd of 61,041 at the Astrodome.
Also on the "Go Tejano Day" bill was Emilio Navaira, the Tejano Music
Awards' Male Vocalist of the Year."
Selena begins work on an English language pop album "Dreaming
of You. One of it's titled tracks is "I could fall in love with you."
Selena Quintanilla-Perez "The reason I'm so appreciative of everything that's
going on around me is cause I never expected it.
Never dreamed...never in my wildest dreams
thought I would come this far and I plan to keep
that attitude. We never thought we would ever
come this far but...we're here."
Despite the success, Selena's biggest fear is that no one will come to watch her
perform. After each concert, large or small, she turns to her father Abraham and
ask "How'd I do?"
Cristina Saralegui (TV talk show host) "Musically, she helped spread
the popularity of Tejano all over the U.S. and even into
Latin American countries. And as a role model, she
motivates all the kids who want to pursue their dreams,"
Forbes Chandlish "The story of Selena hits a nerve with people. She came
from a family that struggled, and she overcame a lot to
get to that crossover dream."
Selena is always writing songs. What she wrote is never put to music. She sits
around the house and jots down lyrics impulsively in notebooks and then leaves the
notebooks lying all over the house causing Chris to have to go around and collect
them.
A.B. hinted once that the most complete set of lyrics might be put to music one day as
the final Selena song.
Selena plans to record a new Spanish language album as soon as work on her
English album is finished.
A MALIGNANT HEART
Yolanda Saldivar is envious. Selena is beautiful, talented and loved by many,
something which Yolanda can never achieve. As long as Saldivar is allowed
to be close to Selena, she can bask in the glow of Selena's fame, and in the
money that Selena and her family earn. Saldivar believes herself smarter,
and mistakes their honesty and openness for gullibility.
THEFT - EMBEZZLEMENT
Secretly Saldivar slyly despises that which she openly claims to love.
But jealousy, obsession, and envy vie with naked greed inside Salidvar's
malignant heart. Saldivar begins to take what she hasn't earned.
Employees are being paid with payroll checks that begin bouncing.
Saldivar has been depositing the receivables into her own private bank
accounts. Saldivar deposited checks in various bank accounts under
fictitious names, none of which the Quintanilla family knew about.
SUSPICION
1995 - January - Fans send in their twenty-dollar membership dues to the
Selena Fan Club. They're disappointed when they never
receive their club packets. Some start writing to Abraham
Quintanilla II complaining that they'd been ripped off and
never received what they'd been promised.
Suzette Quintanilla Arriaga "When the complaints started coming in about
the fan club, I started having doubts about
Saldivar."
The employees of Selena Etc. want to give Selena a present. They choose
one of Selena's favorite items as part of the design of a ring. It is 52 diamonds
in the shape of a Faberge egg with an S in the middle and diamonds all
around. Saldivar insists on presenting it to Selena. What she does is
charge the cost of the ring, $3,000 to Selena's American Express Gold card.
Then Saldivar presents the ring to Selena, saying that it is from her. She never
tells her it's from her employees.
The employees of Selena Etc. begin raising questions
with the family about Saldivar's actions.
Chris Perez "She (Saldivar) was getting her fingers, and sometimes her whole
hand into as many pies as she could. She had gotten so involved
in running the business she was given complete access to all
checking accounts and credit cards accounts. She could write
checks whenever she wanted for whatever she wanted. There
were no checks and balances because Selena had complete trust
in Saldivar."
1995 - March 9 - The Quintanilla's like to surround themselves with people that are
hardworking and honest. So it is a grave disappointment to discover
that Yolanda Saldivar, whom they've opened their homes to, president
of Selena's fan club and manger of her boutiques, has been embezzling
a significant amount of money, $30,000 from the fan club and boutiques.
After Selena's death, Abraham Quintanilla states it was more, much more.
$100,000 that Saldivar has taken, and no trace of what she's done with it.
Abraham Quintanilla has done his own investigation and has
shown the results to Suzette.
Suzette Quintanilla Arriaga "Mr. Q first presented his findings to me before
Selena was told. When I saw the documents,
records and checks I lost all confidence in Saldivar
and started seeing her in a new light.
No longer was Saldivar this incredibly helpful friend
and employee who was willing to do anything to
keep the Quintanillas happy, but now she was an
extremely manipulative inside operator who had
access to all types of information that she could use
to her advantage.
She was using her position and access for personal
gain. She wasn' t there to help Selena, but to help
Saldivar."
Selena's father and sister show Selena the evidence and
let her know that Saldivar has been fired before by previous
employers for stealing money
Selena is upset. The friend and employee she believed in,
and trusted, is not the person she thought she was. She
is more upset about the fans being ripped off than herself.
.
Selena (1994) Photo Credit: Sung Park -
Austin -American Statesman
Abraham, Selena, and Suzette summon Yolanda to Q
Productions and demand a full accounting. Yolanda denies
the accusations and says "others are intent on making
me look bad." Saldivar says the papers aren't with her
and lies about where the papers are.
Suzette Quintanilla Arriaga "The March 9 meeting - Saldivar's reaction was
exactly what I'd expected. She had no answers
for any of the accusations. She kept repeating
"I don't know. I don't know."
I was disgusted that a woman I had trusted enough
to allow her to participate in my wedding had been
doing this to the family and to Selena.
During the meeting I had called her a thief and a liar,
but never threatened her in any way. I would never
lower myself to that level."
FIRED
Abraham Quintanilla tells Yolanda Saldivar to get off of their
property, not to step foot upon it again, anywhere, or he'd
have her arrested. He threatens to take her to court for
embezzlement.
Jimmy Gonzalez (Selena's Marketing Director) "We had a meeting with
her (Saldivar) about three weeks ago and brought these accusations to her
and I guess this triggered this woman off. Checks were made out to her
instead of the fan club. She was instructing the fans to make them out to
her name."
Chris Perez "Saldivar was fired right after the March 9 meeting. The
only reason Selena kept her around was because she
had possession of some extremely important business
records that were necessary for our income tax return.
Saldivar kept promising to turn over the documents to
Selena but kept refusing to do so. She was stringing
Selena along as long as possible so she could have
more time to try and convince Selena not to fire her.
Selena didn't want to risk losing the records that
Saldivar had in her posession before completing
severing the relationship. If she did, she might never
see those records again."
March 10 - Abraham Quintanilla receives a phone call telling him that
Yolanda Saldivar and a friend of hers are trying to gain access
to Q Productions. He drives over and tells them to leave the
premises or he'll phone the police.
Chris Perez " Selena told Saldivar over the telephone that she is fired,
but Saldivar is to continue working with Selena only to
help set up the fashion ventures in Mexico and that
Saldivar had bank records Selena wanted back.
Suzette Quintanilla Arriaga "Selena hadn't made a final decision until
March 30, the day before the shooting."
Yolanda Saldivar keeps telling Selena that she can prove her innocence and
Selena wants to believe her. Saldivar promises to give her the financial
paperwork that will prove her innocent. Selena gives her every chance,
yet Saldivar never does.
MURDER ON HER MIND
March 11 - Yolanda Saldivar drives to San Antonio to a gun range/store called
"A PLACE TO SHOOT." Mike McDonald is the manager and his
boss, Kyle Voss is the owner.
Mike McDonald "She told me that she needed a gun to protect herself. She
was a private home nurse and that some family members
of one of her pateints had threatened to harm her. She was
concerned for her safety and wanted to protect herself so
she was looking for a gun.
I thought that the explanation was pretty unique. I had never
heard of a nurse needing protection from a patients family
and that's why I remembered her."
"She told me she was a first time gun buyer and didn't know
about guns or what to look for. But she seemed to know
what she was doing. She looked at other guns, tried them
out without firing, to see about size and weight and how
difficult it would be to shoot."
"She paid and wanted to take it with her right away.
I explained about the background check etc..and
suggested that she go to the police dept. and file
the paperwork. It would be about 3 business days
for the backgroundd check to be completed. Then
she could return and pick it up. She put down a
hundred dollar down payment with a promise to pay
the balance when she picked it up."
March 13 - Yolanda Saldivar returns to A PLACE TO SHOOT in San Antonio.
and pays for, and picks up the snub-nosed .38-caliber pistol.
Saldivar has her lawyer, Richard Garza, draw up a resignation letter
to Selena.
Mike McDonald "She wanted to know about ammunition. I showed her
several types of bullets, she wanted to buy hollowpoint
that are designed to pen up fast upon impatcting the
target therefore causing more damaged and having a
better chance of stopping an aggressor.
She bought 20 bullets."
20/20 Why did you get a gun?
Yolanda Saldivar "Because of threats against my life."
20/20 Who was threatening you?
Yolanda Saldivar "Her (Selena's) father."
Abraham Quintanilla "I never threatened her."
(Under oath in court)
1995 -Mid-March -
Celia Soliz "Selena looked upset with the boutique and it was being operated,
dissatisfied about how it is performing business wise. There
was tension at the boutique because of Selena on one side,
and the other two on the other."
Saldivar begins traveling to Monterrey, Mexico, where Selena
plans to open a boutique. Saldivar has taken Selena's
business records with her.
Selena phones Saldivar and tells her to bring the records back to Corpus Christi.
Selena has been developing a "Selena perfume." Selena finds out from a Mr. Young
that a sample had already been mailed to Yolanda, but Yolanda never mentioned
it to Selena. This finally convinces Selena that what everyone is saying about Yolanda
is true.
Chris Perez "Mr. Q showed us some of the account records indicating some
serious problems. Selena began to have doubts about Saldivar's
honesty. After the March 9 meeting, Selena had lost all trust in
Saldivar. "Selena and I just didn't trust her.
A lot of things were not accounted for and we couldn't get Saldivar
to explain money that was missing from the fan club account either."
March 15 - Saldivar returns to San Antonio to the gun store.
She wants to return the gun.
Mike McDonald "She said she wanted to return the gun. She had a change of
mind, her father already bought a gun and she didn't need this
one after all. I was relucant to take it back and give a refund,
I talked to Mr. Voss (owner) who told me to do so."
February 26 - Selena performs at the Houston Astrodome Concert - it is
a televised event. There are 61,041 in attendance.
Last Concert Part 1 (Youtube) - Houston Astrodome
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Selena receives the Key Of The City of Houston, and the Mayor
proclaims that day, Selena Quintanilla Day.
March 19 - Selena performs a concert in Chicago, Illinois.
March 26 - Saldivar again returns to the gun store in San Antonio.
Mike McDonald "She says she needs the gun she purchased before. The exact
gun was still available and she purchased it."
Kyle Voss "She didn't act like someone who was threatened.
CHARITY CONCERT
Selena's last actual performance is made a few days before her death - it is
for a children's charity. Selena is organizing a benefit concert for The Boys and
Girls Clubs located in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.
PRE-MEDITATION TO MURDER
1995 -March 29 - Saldivar is angry at being fired. She'll have to go back to being
a nobody. Who'll hire her if the Quintanilla's make her embezzling
known - people will believe them. She hates Mr. Quintanilla.
Saldivar seethes with indignation.
Blanca Padilla (front desk clerk) at the Days Inn, Corpus Christi.
"Between 7:30 P.M. and 8:30 P.M. Yolanda Saldivar came into the lobby
wanting a room. She produced a Selena Etc. credit card and paid for the
room. I couldn't see her pants, but she was dressed rather sloppy and
looked tired. She was wearing a T shirt with a white design around the
neckline. She didn't exhibit any limps, or pain. or in need for medical
attention. She never asked for a doctor or medical attention."
March 30 - Selena and her mother Marcella are eating at Olive Garden
and Selena tells her mom about one of her previous visits to
the restaurant. "I saw a little old lady eating by herself and
I felt sorry for her. I paid for the woman's meal but told the
waiter not to let her know. I want you to give her one of those
littlecakes you give people on their birthdays. Put it in a bag
so she can take it home."
Marcella Quintanilla "I felt so proud of Selena. Selena was so giving, so
generous with her love as well as her material wealth."
On their drive home, Selena is driving, singing at the top of her voice,
Marcella leans over and speaks into her ear and says "I Love You",
Selena looks at her mom, smiles and says "I Love You Too Mama."
It's the very last time Marcella Quintanilla will see or speak to her daughter.
Selena confides in her family the day before her death - she and husband
Chris are planning to start a family, she had made a doctor's appointment
to have a contraceptive device removed.
Chris Perez "Saldivar had called Selena several times in the
afternoon and evening, seeming distraught and
asking for a meeting."
"Selena had been refusing to meet with her until late that
Thursday night. After 10 Selena and I went to meet Saldivar.
The reason she agreed to go was she thought Saldivar was
going to give her the business records she'd been asking
for for weeks."
I stayed in the car and Selena went inside to get the records.
After a short time Selena returned to the car with some papers.
On the drive home, she discovered they were incomplete.
Selena was visibly upset. As we arrived home the phone was
ringing. She (Saldivar) wanted Selena to return to the hotel by
herself because she wanted to talk to her. Selena "I'm not
going back to the hotel" and asked her not to call anymore.
We didn't hear anymore from Saldvair that evening."
Abraham Quintanilla insists he has evidence he believes proves that
Saldivar had tried to kill Selena four times before the day she shot her,
THE MURDER OF SELENA QUINTANILLA-PEREZ
1995 March 31 -
Chris Perez "The next morning the phone rang early. I could tell
it was Yolanda again. I heard Selena protest about
going back to the hotel and finally agreeing to return
only to take her to the hospital.
Saldivar had said she had been assaulted and raped
in Mexico and that she needed medical attention.
She was going to take Saldivar to a hospital and she
would be back home after that. She kissed me goodbye
and that was the last time I saw her alive."
Selena meets Saldivar at room 158 at the Days Inn. Saldivar is
wearing a white colored blouse with some design around the neck.
There are two long tears on the shirt, one is on the front of the shirt,
the other is on one side.. running vertically from the bottom of the shirt
near the hem toward the chest area.
Selena drives Saldivar to the Doctor's Regional Hospital Emergency
Room.
Patricia Biggs (Registered Nurse, certified as a Sexual Assault Nurse
Examiner and Director of Nurses at Doctor's Regional
Hospital, Corpus Christi, Texas)
"Saldivar came into ER with Selena, who did most of the initial talking. Saldivar
had been raped the day before, March 30, in Mexico. At first Saldivar didn't say
anything but kept looking at the floor. It seemed that Saldivar was not happy
about whatever had happened.
I asked "Were you raped?" Saldivar responded very abruptly, still looking at the
floor "Yes, I was." I asked to explain how and where the rape had occured.
Saldivar said she was raped at about 1 o'clock in Mexico, raped by two men who
assaulted her, threw her out of her car, leaving her abandoned by the side of the
road.
She had some pain around her neck area and had some vaginal bleeding.
Selena was with Saldivar the whole time. Vital signs showed nothing unusual.
I asked "Are there any visible injuries?" Saldivar pointed to her neck. I didn't
see any evidence to indicate that she had been raped."
On their way back to the motel Selena receives a call, she is late to the
recording studio to continue work on her cross-over album.
Selena Quinitanilla-Perez "I'm finishing up some business and I'll get there
whenever I'm done."
Back at the hotel, and unwilling for anymore lies or delays by
Saldivar, Selena demands the paperwork and tells Saldivar
that she can't be trusted anymore. Saldivar doesn't hand
over any documents and the two argue.
11:49 A.M. - Selena pulls off the diamond faberge egg ring Saldivar had
given her and has it in her hand, ready to give it back to
Saldivar.
Yolanda Saldivar, seeing that she can no longer manipulate
Selena, pulls out her gun. Selena, seeing the gun,
begins to run through the doorway.
Yolanda Saldivar shoots Selena once in the back. The
bullet enters her shoulder and clips an artery. Blood
spurts everywhere, draining quickly from the wound.
Bleeding badly, Selena runs past the pool, through the
grass to the hotel lobby. As she runs, adrenalin is pumping
through her body, pumping out her life's blood, leaving a trail
of blood, 382 feet, from the room to the lobby.
Behind Selena, chasing her, is Yolanda Saldivar, with the .38
caliber gun and yelling "BITCH!" at Selena.
Upon hearing the argument and a gunshot, a maid cleaning a nearby room
looks out the window and sees Selena clutching her chest, screaming for
help as she flees from a woman clutching a gun in her right hand,
In all three separate hotel employees hear one shot and then see Saldivar
chasing Selena with a gun in her hand and screaming at her.
As Selena runs the 100 yards for help, from room 158 to
the hotel lobby for help, items belonging to her drop from
her hands, her purse, cell phone, keys, passport and
other items.
glass. As she stumbles her way inside, Selena is screaming
"She shot me! She's in room 158! Lock the door or she'll
shoot me again!"
Shawna Vela (front desk clerk Days Inn) "She was screaming, `Help me!
Help me! Call the police! She said "Lock the doors because
she'll shoot me again!"
"At first I didn't realize Selena had been shot. "She was
screaming, `Help me!' and I looked at her and I said,
Help you what? "She said, "I've been shot," and she turned
toward me and I saw enormous amounts of blood. I got sick."
Selena collapses to the floor. The hotel's Assistant Manager
Rosalinda Gonzalez & Sales Director Ruben DeLeon kneels
beside her.
Shawna Vela "I called 911 while other employees tried to help her.
We (other employees) asked Selena who had shot her, and she
answered, "Yolanda --158." "As soon as I heard 158, I knew she
was talking about a room number and I ran to get the files.
I then called 911 again to give them information on the room's
occupant."
Ruben DeLeon "I panicked when I saw her (Selena through my office window.
She hit the front door as she tried to push, rather than pull, it
open, and blood splattered on the glass. As she collapsed onto
the lobby floor, I bent down to talk to her. "I started screaming,
"Ma'am, who shot you?' and she said, "Yolanda Saldivar in Room
158. Then I saw her fingers moving like this... (lightly drumming
his fingers) and then they just stopped."
after shooting her. Instead, as the clerk calls 911 she escapes
out of the hotel lobby and runs to her vehicle and begins to drive
away towards the exit of the parking lot.
Speculation exists that she might have been trying to drive to
Q Productions to shoot Selena's father.
An ambulance and police arrive quickly on scene and Selena is
transported to the hospital.
The EMT's can't find a vein to put in an IV. There's no blood in her
veins. The doctors try to save Selena, and pump blood into her
heart. It's of no avail.
1:05 P.M. - Selena Quintanilla-Perez (23) dies from loss of blood.
It is 2 weeks until her 24th birthday.
Abraham Quintanilla receives a call and is told Selena's had an accident
and as he rushes to the hospital, he thinks that it's perhaps a car accident.
When he gets there along with other family members arriving, he is told
by the doctor that Selena had been severely shot, she'd lost a lot of blood
and he'd performed a blood transfusion.
Mr. Quintanilla informs the doctor that Selena was a 7th Day Adventist
and didn't believe in transufsions for herself. The doctor explains that
the transfusioin doesn't matter anyway, Selena didn't make it. Selena
died before the family arrived.
Selena, beloved daughter and sister, and wife, is mourned by her family.
1995 - April 3 - Selena is laid to rest at Seaside Memorial Park.
Excerpt from Walter Martinez Interview, 1995
Selena Quintanilla-Perez “I just want to make sure people notice I am a sincere
person. That I love my job.
I hope to make a lot of people happy with my music. I hope people understand that
when I sing my songs, I am not only singing them because I like to sing them, but
I am singing them because I want to touch somebody’s heart.
In our music, the words have a strong message and somewhere out there somebody’s
going through the something. And if I can touch somebody in that way, that’s the
ultimate.”
“I just want to say thank you. Because I know that without the fans and the public we
wouldn’t be where we are today. I am really conscious of that fact that they made us
what we are.”
MOURNING OF A STAR
Word spreads by news media, word of mouth, by telephone. Millions of
people across the U.S., Mexico and Latin America mourn and regret
Selena's passing.
Abraham Quintanilla "My daughter was the "trusting victim of an
obsessed, "unbalanced" fan who stole
thousands of dollars from Selena's businesses
and then killed Selena after realizing she had been
cut from her life."
Selena was shot for purely malicious reasons, not
"by accident." Saldivar likely had lured Selena to her
on three other occasions when she had the gun with
her, but for various reasons did not shoot her at those
times."
"Selena wouldn't want that (veneration). She believed worship should go only
to the Creator. Just remember her as a good person who loved people and
loved life. I don't think Selena would be pleased to be part of any form of
idolatry."
POLICE STANDOFF
1995 - March 31 -
11:49 A.M. - Yolanda Saldivar has shot Selena Quintanilla-Perez.
As Selena collapses at the front desk, Saldivar, still
carrying her .38 caliber gun, the one she used to
shoot Selena with, locks herself into a red GMC
pickup truck (borrowed from her nephew).
She begins to drive away from the hotel but just as
she does, she sees a police car and backs up the
truck and deliberately parks the vehicle.
A lone police car blocks her in. As soon as the officer
gets out of his car and makes eye contact with her,
Saldivar puts the gun to her head.
For the next 6 1/2 hours, Saldivar speaks to police
hostage negotiators. She is unaware that Selena
is dead, or that police are taping their phone exchanges
with her.
The hostage negotiator "Larry Young" talks her into giving up.
Saldivar lays the gun down on the seat in the truck and
opens the door. She gets out and then freezes. She
sees an officer in full riot gear pointing a gun at the truck,
at her. She swiftly climbs back into the truck and puts
the gun back to her head.
For the next 3 1/2 hours she keeps police at bay, speaking
with "Larry." When someone else takes over temporarily,
Saldivar wails "Where's Larry?" For almost a full half hour
she can be heard saying "Where's Larry?"
(The next day, "Where's Larry?" t-Shirts are being sold.)
Saldivar claims she shot Selena "accidentally."
and begs them to shoot her.
Yolanda Saldivar "I did something very bad. I have disgraced my family."
During her wild rants, she uses the opportunity to smear the
Quintanilla family 's reputation, in particular, Selena's father
Abraham Quintanilla.
Saldivar alleges that Abraham Quintanilla hated her, spread
rumors about her, called her a lesbian and a thief ... and had
raped her.
Saldivar claims that "It's his fault for what I did."
He made me do it. He was out to get me! This man
was so evil to me. My father even warned me about
him. My father said I should get out before I get trapped.
Saldivar also tells hostage negotiator Larry Young
"I had a problem with her and I just got to end it."
There is a bleedover with radio stations on the phone
hookup to the truck, and Saldivar hears the news of
Selena's death.
News media have picked up the story and are on scene
with tape rolling as the standoff continues.
Saldivar says that she'll give up, but only if her mother and
her lawyer, Richard Garza, will be waiting for her when she
gives up. Police lie to her and tell her they will be.
Eventually, tiring, Yolanda Saldivar wants to surrender,
but only to "Larry." He walks over to the truck and stands
back from it. He then says her name, and she exits the
truck and surrenders. Police place her in handcuffs and
take her to the station for booking.
Yolanda Saldivar under arrest
Part I - 4 The Investigation, the crime scene, the standoff and the trial.
Part 2 -
Part 3 -
Part 4 -
When prosecutors inform Abraham Quintanilla of Saldivar's allegations, in particular her
claim that he had raped her, his initial response is "Have you ever seen the woman?!"
Mr. Q denies ever threatening her, calling her a lesbian, or raping her.
SALDIVAR CONFESSION
(Note: The confession is riddled with several lies that fly in the face of witness accounts)
Excerpt from the book Selena: Como La Flor
The following is the statement typed up by a secretary from Paul Rivera's notes
from Yolanda's accountings of what happened. Yolanda was shown the two-and-a-half
page statement. She made corrections to dates and by her sister's age, then signed the
statement.
The statement reads as follows:
My name is Yolonda Saldivar. I am 34 years old, born 09-19-60. I have been
working for Selena Etc. in Corpus Christi since about July of 1994. I was hired
initially to travel with her as her chaperon.
For the first two months everything was fine, but later I started doing payroll
and keeping her books.
At first there were thirty-eight employees with the company, and in the last
few months the company was going down and it went to fourteen employees.
Selena Quintanilla told me that her business was going down and I know she
was paying a clothes designer 3,000.00 dollars a month.
Her father's name is Abraham Quintanilla, and he did not agree with me working
with the company. During the first week of February of this year, 1995, her father
told Selena that I was a lesbian while we were in Miami, Florida.
Her father also told her that I was stealing money from the company. Her father,
Abraham Quintanilla, was putting a lot of pressure on Selena, and Selena
suggested that we stay away from each other so her father wouldn't get mad.
On 03/27/95, which was a Monday, I drove to Monterrey, Mexico, with my sister,
Virginia Mendoza, who is forty-five years old. I stayed there Monday, Tuesday,
and Wednesday, 03/29/95, I talked to Selena from Monterrey, Mexico, and she
told me to bring some bank statements and some other papers and a cellular
phone that she needed.
The next day, 03/30/95, I came to Corpus Christi around 7:30 pm in my nephews'
red 1994 GMC truck. My nephew's name is Charles Ruiz. I came to Corpus and
I checked into the Days Inn Motel on Navigation in room 158. I paged Selena
some time between 7:00 and 7:30, about eight times, and she returned my call
around 11:00 pm. A short time later she came into the room and talked to me for
about ten minutes. She told me that her husband, Christopher, was waiting outside
in his car.
Selena took the bank statements and files that I had brought from Monterrey.
Before she left I told her that a man had opened my car door in Monterrey and
tried to rape me, and I showed her some bruises on my arms and neck.
The next day, 03/31/95, Selena called me around 8:30 am, while I was asleep,
and told me she was coming over to the motel. A short time later, maybe
around 9:00 am, she came to my room at the Days Inn Motel and she took
me to Doctors Regional Hospital on Alameda, where I was treated by a doctor
for the bruises that I had on my body. The doctor told me he could not do much
because it had happened in Monterrey, Mexico.
As she was driving me back to the motel in her truck, she told me that her father
had told her that the papers I had brought from Monterrey were wrong and that
her father had said I was a lesbian. I got mad and told her that I did not want to
work for her anymore. We got to the motel and we both went inside the room
and we both argued because I wanted to quit working for her. I gave her
everything that I had, the cellular phone and the bank files, as we argued.
She started dumping all the files on the bed from the briefcase or handbag
that I had. I took a gun from my purse that I had bought about two weeks
ago in San Antonio for $250. I bought the pistol at a place named A Place
To Shoot, located on Morrison Blvd. in San Antonio. The gun holds five
bullets. I took the gun from my purse and Selena started walking toward
the door, which was open.
I pulled the hammer back and I shot at her as she was walking toward the door,
which was open. Selena took off running and I don't know where she went.
I got scared and I got in my truck and drove around the parking lot looking for
her. I could not find her and I parked on the other side of the parking lot.
A police officer approached my truck and I put the gun to my head.
Other police officers arrived and I continued with the pistol to my head
for the next ten or twelve hours. I then decided to come out of the truck
and give myself up.
I was placed under arrest and I was taken to the Corpus Christi police station
where I talked to Sgt. Paul Rivera and Sgt. Ray Rivera, who warned me of my
rights. I then gave them this statement, which was true and correct, of my
own free will and there was no threats or promises made to me in giving this
statement.
Yolanda Saldivar signed the statement.
FUNERAL
News Media - Funeral Reporting
People in their thousands walk through to pay their last respects to their
beloved Selena.
Rumors begin that Selena's not really in the casket. The Quintanilla family
decide to open the casket to quell any rumors.
Selena is buried in the sparkly purple outfit she wore to the 1995
Tejano Music awards just a month before she died.
Selena is buried at Seaside Memorial Park Cemetary.
Selena's husband Chris Perez
Selena's favorite rose, was the white rose.
Chris Perez "I used to sleep with pictures of her, just snapshots of her without
make-up, dusting - how I saw her. I used to carry a book of pictures
around with me, just stacks of her.
"I'd go to a friend's house, and there'd be people mingling, and I'd be
this dude in the corner somewhere with my pictures... This is 10
years later (2005) and I'm doing the best I can."
Marcella Quintanilla and A.B. Quintanilla III
Selena's Gravestone with plaque bearing
Biblical quotation.
Later, fans will pluck at the grass, the stones, leaving
the area around Selena's gravesite bare.
Seaside Cemetary places a fence around the gravesite
because of the thousands of fans trampling the grass,
stealing stones and bricks, and cutting branches from
a nearby tree.
People blame Selena's father, Abraham Quintanilla,
but they're wrong. When the Quintanillas hear about it,
they had the fence removed and in return put in place
a walkway, a place fans can stand near the grave.
Private donors pitched in together and created the Selena Memorial Pavillion in
downtown Corpus Christi, Texas.
On one side is this Memorial Plaque, topped by a large white rose (Selena's favorite)
and on the other side is this bronze statue of Selena Quintanilla-Perez.
Chris Perez "I have everything I want except for her. I'd give it all up to have her back."
PUBLIC OUTRAGE
People, fans or not, of Selena, are outraged at her murder.
Yolanda Saldivar becomes a most hated defendant.
Crowds made of hundreds of fans and onlookers wait
outside the courthouse at each hearing for news.
Many fans hold signs. One says "1000 years in prison - Parole to Hell."
PRE-TRIAL
Judge Westergren grants a change of venue and moves the trial
to Houston, Texas. He issues a gag order and banned tv cameras
in the courtroom.
Defense attorneys subpoena documents/records from Selena's
father. The records, they claim, were connected with an investigation
of financial misconduct, embezzling, against Saldivar.
Abraham Quintanilla supplies the court with copies of the records.
Judge Westergren reviews the documents and rules that the defense
is not entitled to see most of the records submitted.
TRIAL
Information regarding testimony was gleaned from local news media
and from "Justice for Selena, The state Versus Yolanda Saldivar"
written by former Prosecutor Carlos Valdez.
HOUSTON, TEXAS
1995 -October 9 - Trial Begins. Prosecutors argue that Saldivar killed
Selena Quintanilla-Perez because she was going to
be fired for embezzlement.
OPENING STATEMENTS
Defense lawyers argue that the .38-caliber revolver "went off accidentally."
"Saldivar didn't know Selena had been hit."
The defense tries another tactic and blames Abraham Quintanilla for the
shooting, saying that he was overbearing and caused the situation. Then
they allege that overzealous Corpus Christ police did sloppy police work.
The Defense- present 5 witnesses: three hotel employees; Saldivar's
seventh-grade teacher, and the policeman who took Saldivar's confession.
Prosecution "If Saldivar had shot Selena accidentally, why didn't she call
911 instead of the motel manager? Why didn't she run after
Selena and try to help her after the shooting?"
"What we have here is a straight up murder case."
Prosecutors accuse Tinker of "the squid defense," spreading ink about
anyone but the predator herself.
"She'd given one or two or more different versions of whether the door was
open or closed during the incident."
"Salidvar was just a few feet away from Selena when she fired the gun.
There was blood splattered on the floor, on the door, on the sidewalk,
on the grass... Saldivar has to walk past and step over large amounts
of Selena's blood in exiting and re-entering the room."
The prosecution presents 122 exhibits and 33 witnesses,
TESTIMONY
SELENA'S FAMILY
Abraham Quintanilla is the first witness. Quintanilla testifies about Selena's
extraordinary gift for music, he had encouraged Selena and his other children.
He formed and managed a family band with all the children involved in one
way or another. He talked about how difficult it was to get a band established
and accepted within the industry.
Abraham Quintanilla "I had never tried to dissuade her (Selena) from what
she wanted to do.
Prosecutor "Do you control your children?"
Abraham Quintanilla "I have no control over my chldren's personal lives. There
are certain areas involving the music business that I might
have control over, but I don't control their lives,they're all
adults."
Quintanilla testifies that he stayed out of Selena's boutiques and the fan club
until complaints came to him directly about money being missing.
Abraham Quintanilla "I met salidivar in 1991 when my daughters introduced her.
I was vaguely familiar with the fan club before 94 and 95.
In late 94 and early 95 I began receiving complaints from
Selena fans all saying that they had sent their money into
the fan club and had not receved their t-shirt and other
promotional material."
"I started asking Saldivar to bring the fan club records so I
could look at them. She kept putting me off saying the
people complaining were simply either disgrunteld former
fans or jealous people who wanted to harm Selena."
"I got exasperated and told her that all the records should
be moved to Corpus Christi so that the fan club could be
managed from there. I was alarmed at huge discrepancies
in some of the accounts of Selena that were being managed
by Saldivar. I told her, her presence was required at the
March 9, meeting at the Q Production recording studios."
On March 9 I asked Selena, Suzette and Yolanda to discuss
the fan club as well as boutiques. I confronted Saldivar with
financial documents showing money was missing from several
accounts. I asked about several checks written by Saldivar to
herself for varying amounts. She had no explanation other than
to ask for more time to explain what had happened."
"Suzette had already decided that Saldivar was involved in some
type of shady deal that involve siphoning money from Selena's
accounts. She (Saldivar) was up to something bad and was
victimizing Selena."
"Selena was reluctant to accept the fact that Saldiva woud be
stealing from her. At the meeting she finally seemed to accept
the truth. Her best friend had betrayed her by stealing from every
account she (Saldivar) had under her control."
"I told Saldivar I was gathering all the documents and would be
taking them to the police for an investigation. I told her I would
do whatever I could to send her to prison, ran her off Q Production
property and told her to never come back."
"The next day, my brother phoned and said Saldivar was trying to
get into the office. I went and found Saldivar and a friend of hers
trying to get into the office to "get some files that belong to me."
I once again told her to leave and never come back or she would
be arrested for trespassing."
"I considered it a warning not a threat."
Abraham Quintanilla adamantly and forcefully denies Saldivar's allegations.
"I had never raped her, had sex with her, nor accused her of being
a lesbian. I had told Selena that I thought Saldivar looked very
masculine and people might think she was a lesbian, so it might
be a good idea for Selena to stay away from her."
Mr. Quintanilla testifies to receiving the call telling him Selena had an accident, and
then finding out she was dead. It is clear that he is devastated by the loss of his
daughter.
The Defense does not question Mr. Quintanilla.
Chris Perez testifies to meeting Saldivar at the time of the fan club
being organized, and how over time she had her fingers in everything,
including the money. He testifies to Saldivar's numerous phone calls
(at least 8) trying to get Selena to go to the hotel alone on March 30th.
How Selena answered the phone the next morning and then told him
she was taking Saldivar to the hospital because she'd been raped.
That she'd be home as soon as she was done. Perez told how he
had found out Selena was dead.
Chris Perez "I was devastated. I had lost the most important thing in my life.
Everything else that I had paled in comparison to my relationship
with my wife and now she was gone."
The Defense does not question Mr. Perez.
The Quintanilla - Perez family members testify to the deteriorating
relationship between Selena and her business associate, Yolanda
Saldivar.
Suzette Quintanilla-Arriaga testifies to how Saldivar came into
contact with the family, and with Selena. She testifies to how
her father began to have suspicions and investigated once
complaints were made to him, and how she felt after finding
out Saldivar was a thief and embezzler.
Suzette Quintanilla-Ariaga "She was a extremely manipulative inside
operator who had access to all types of
information that she could use to her
advantage. She was using her position
and access for personal gain. She wasn't
there to help selena, but to help Saldivar."
The Defense does not question Mrs. Ariaga.
SELENA'S EMPLOYEES
Selena, Etc. staff, including Celia Soliz testify that Saldivar was
stealing from the business. Testimony from Selena Etc. employees
shows that the diamond ring in Selena's hand had been given to her
by Saldivar, it was really from her employees, but Saldivar had passed
it off as a gift from herself.
Selena had apparently taken the ring off her finger and was going to return
it to Saldivar at the time she was shot.
Witnesses to telephone conversations or in person conversations, testify
that Saldivar was trying desperately to keep her employment with Selena.
SELENA'S BOUTIQUE INVESTOR
Dr. Ricardo Martinez "Saldivar was Selena's assistantt, not manager.
Saldivar had records belonging to Selena, but
refused to return them. When pressured to do
something, she didn't want to do, she would
resort to the familiar story about being raped...
and in this case, a slight twist, that she had
been kidnapped."
"I received a call from Saldivar saying she had been
kidnapped, raped, and abandoned on some highway.
It was an excuse to avoid turning over the financial
records to someone other than Selena."
Prosecution "There were witnesses who saw her (Saldivar) at the hotel where she
(Saldivar) was staying in Monterrey, Mexico. Saldivar was getting
desperate and would go any lengths to stay close to Selena."
HOSPITAL STAFF
Patricia Biggs and another nurse testify that Selena realized Yolanda
was lying about being assaulted and raped.
HOTEL EMPLOYEES
Shawna Vela (Hotel Desk Clerk) testifies "Selena ran into the hotel
lobby screaming "She shot me. She's in room 158. Lock
the door or she'll shoot me again." Before she collapsed
to the floor Selena said "Yolanda." Clutched in her hand
was a diamond ring."
Rosalinda Gonzalez (Hotel's Assistant Manager) testifies that Selena
told them that she had been shot by Yolanda Saldivar in Room 158.
"When police turned the room back over to them after their investigation,
they discovered the safe in Room 158 was locked and the key was missing.
Using a master key, they unlocked it and found a black purse. The purse,
which contained, among other things, $1,900 in cash, had been overlooked
by police. The employees testified that when they saw the purse, they
immediately relocked the safe and called police, who came to collect the
evidence."
Ruben DeLeon (Hotel's Sales Director) testifies "I panicked when I saw
Selena through my office window. She hit the front door as she tried to
push, rather than pull, it open, and blood splattered on the glass. As she
collapsed onto the lobby floor, I bent down to talk to her. "I started screaming,
`Ma'am, who shot you?' and she said, `Yolanda Saldivar in Room 158."
"Then I saw her fingers moving like this," he lightly drums his fingers on
the witness stand. "And then they just stopped."
Trinidad Espinoza testifys to Selena's last moments.
Selena's mother, Marcella Quintanilla has to leave the courtroom.
The next day, she is admitted to the coronary unit of St. Joseph's
Hospital for overnight observation.
Attorney Tinker complains about Marcella Quintanilla's leaving the
courtroom the day before and calls it "calculated" and intended
to gain sympathy from the jury."
State District Judge Mike Westergren
"Saldivar's mother, Juanita Saldivar, also left the courtroom overcome
by emotion. The two women did the right thing by removing themselves.
I watched the jury and am convinced the panel did not notice."
Blanca Padilla, front desk clerk testifies to working the desk at the hotel
when Saldivar checked in March 30. She testifies to the shirt Saldivar was
wearing. When she is shown the shirt, there are two long tears on the shirt,
one is on the front of the shirt, the other is on one side.. running vertically
from the bottom of the shirt near the hem toward the chest area.
Padilla testifies that the shirt did not have those tears on them when
Saldivar checked into the hotel. She didn't limp or look like she was
in need of medical attention. She did not ask to see a doctor or for
medical help.
Prosecutor Valdez "The tears looked like they'd been made by a sharp knife
like instrument in perfectly straight lines. The cuts were
made straight up and in a seemingly uninterrupted manner
almost as if someone wanted to convince someone else
that she was raped, had done it intentionally."
Norma Martinez (Days Inn Housekeeper) testifies "Selena, bloody, was
fleeing the hotel room with Saldivar running after her, pointing
the gun at Selena and yelling "BITCH!"
The Defense attacks Martinez's testimony, noting that she embellished
her story with the accusation that Saldivar yelled "bitch."
Martinez "I didn't want to use a curse word when giving police my statement."
Although the defense tries to discredit the witnesses, every witness on the
scene testifies to Saldviar chasing Selena with gun in hand, yelling.
The defense puts on two witnesses who say that Selena did not fear
Saldivar would shoot her again.
EMT - PARAMEDIC
Richard Fredrickson (Paramedic) testifies. "When I and my partner
arrived at the motel, Selena already had stopped bleeding from the chest,
was not breathing and had no pulse. After covering the bullet hole with
gauze, we decided to "load and go" to get her to the hospital faster.
"There was no blood in either the arteries or veins. There was a twitching.
Her hands were moving a little bit ... we never felt a pulse."
During the four-minute trip to Memorial Medical Center, I and my partner
partner put her on a cardiac monitor but she showed only weak electrical
activity in the heart. I tried several times to start an IV in her arms but
could not get a vein. When you lose a lot of blood, the body sucks up
all the blood from the legs and arms and keeps it in the upper part of the
body to keep the brain and heart and kidneys alive.
She had no blood in her arms or legs and her veins were flat. I then tried
her neck. It wa sa last ditch attempt. It did not work. The monitor
was straight line, no electrical activity at all.
Prosecutor Mark Skurka "Please clarify your testimony for the jury."
"I was covered in blood, and when I pulled her arm over to start an IV
Mike McDonald and his boss, Kyle Voss of "A PLACE TO SHOOT" in
San Antonio testify to Saldivar's actions in purchasing, returning, and then
re-purchasing the snub nosed .38 caliber gun.
Ed McKinstry (Firearms Expert) testifies that he doubts Saldivar's gun could
be fired accidentally.
POLICE
Sgt. John Betz (Corpus Christi Police) testifies
My friend and I, plainclothes officer Sgt. Bernardo Torres,
were eating lunch about two blocks from the Days Inn when
we learned of the shooting. We responded to the call in
separate vehicles. I briefly gave chase to a red truck I
erroneously thought had been involved in the crime.
Saldivar's truck from the rear seconds before she put the
revolver and stuck it to her temple. I backed up and sought
Saldivar seemed "in control of the situation," growing excited
only when officers attempted to approach her truck.
The initial confrontation with police grew into a standoff
that lasted 91/2 hours."
Sgt. Bernardo Torres (Corpus Christi Police)
Torres is the first officer to confront Saldivar at the Days Inn.
"I continued to the motel, where I was given a better description
of the vehicle. As I walked through the parking lot, I spotted the
truck slowly driving toward me, then backing up and parking.
I sought cover behind a nearby vehicle, then kicked the tailgate
of Saldivar's truck to attract her attention. She looked back at
me. I showed her my badge and told her to roll down the window.
She rolled it halfway down. I asked her to present her hands
and she reached up and stuck one hand out of the window. The
other hand stayed down.
I then asked Saldivar if she was involved in the reported shooting.
"She said, "No. I'm not. I have to call San Antonio." A second time I
ordered Saldivar, who seemed calm and lucid, to display both hands.
THen she reaches down and brings this gun to her temple. That was
the first time I saw the gun. I pointed my weapon at her and told her
to drop the gun. At that point she said "I want to kill myself!"
She was yelling it."
Sgt. Joe Claire (Corpus Christi Police) one of the officers who spoke to
Saldivar during her standoff.
"Saldivar said she didn't mean to hurt Selena, and I believed that Saldivar
wanted to go see Selena at the hospital."
LEAD INVESTIGATOR
Detective Paul Rivera testifies regarding the confession Saldivar gave police.
"Saldivar told police that she and Selena had been arguing about several things
and that when Selena turned to walk out of the room, Saldivor, who already had
the gun in her hand, lifted it, pointed it at Selena and pulled the trigger."
A Defense attorney asks investigator Paul Rivera "Why didn't you consider
audiotapes made between police and Yolanda when
she held them at bay in her nephew's truck after the
shooting?"
Detective Paul Rivera "I didn't know about them.
Defense "The tapes prove Saldivar's confession was coerced."
Yolanda Saldivar told the truth when she told police
that the shooting was an accident. She said several
times that she did not mean to shoot Selena."
Prosecutor Carlos Valdez "The tapes only prove that Saldivar was an unstable
person and a pathological liar."
Detective Paul Rivera was allowed by the Judge to read into evidence the
entire confession of Yolanda Saldivar.
"I took the gun from my purse and Selena started walking toward the door,
which was opened. I pulled the hammer back, and I shot her as she was walking. .
Selena took off running and I don't know where she went."
Robert Garza (Texas Ranger) "She hesitated to sign the statement because it didn't
have the word 'accident' or 'accidental. It didn't reflect what she had stated, according
to her. (Through the one way glass) "I heard Saldivar say she "pulled a gun out of her
purse, held it to her own head. She said she had the hammer back. She said that in
a gesture to Selena, she told her to close the door and the gun went off. I filed a
supplemental report because it looked to me as if Saldivar wavered before signing."
From "Justice for Selena by Carlos Valdez
(Former) Prosecutor Valdez "The defense couldn't or wouldn't attack Selena, but
they did go after Mr. Quintanilla. It was obvious to
the prosecution that Attorney Tink had not spoken
directly with Mr. Quintanilla, his allegations came
directly from Saldivar. An extremely manipulative,
lying con artist who would say anything necessary
to get out of a jam."
When she fled afterwards, where was she going? To finish
Selena off? She had the gun."
Detective Rivera testifies to the 390 foot trail of blood down the corridor from the
room, across the grass, past the swimming pool, to the lobby, and to the
condition of the hotel room.
Forensic experts testify to the blood splatter in the room, on the wall, the door,
and the floor.
Whenever a witness was asked to identify her, Saldivar stood up and tossed her
head back with an air of pride.
STAND OFF TAPES
Yolanda Saldivar does not testify in person before the jury.
But the tapes made during her stand off with police are played in court.
On the tapes Saldivar comes across as panicky. Between her wails, Saldivar
would say over and over, "I didn't mean to do it." "I didn't mean to do it."
Saldivar blames Abraham Quintanilla "He made me do it. He was out to get me!
This man was so evil to me. My father even
warned me about him. My father said I should
get out before I get trapped!
Saldivar also claims that Mr. Quintanilla had "assaulted her, raped her, and
stuck a knife in her vagina."
Prosecutor Carlos Valdez establishes that Saldivar never said the shooting was
accidental until negotiator Larry Young suggests it as a "hook" to get Saldivar to talk.
NO LESSER OFFENSE
Both the prosecution and defense tell Judge Westergren they don't want the
jury to consider a lesser offense than murder, such as manslaughter or criminally
negligent homicide.
CLOSING ARGUMENTS
The prosecution, which has the right to go first in closing arguments, and to follow
up after defense closing arguments, chose to allow the defense to go first.
DEFENSE CLOSING ARGUMENTS
Doug Tinker "I didn't ask for a lesser charge because I didn't think the prosecution
had proved that Saldivar knowingly and intentionally killed Selena - a
legal requirement for a murder conviction.
Our client was a suicidal victim who had been threatened by Selena's
father, Abraham Quintanilla Jr.
I want you to buy Selena's last album, which has a song called ``God's Child."
The song has two lines: ``Who has sent me on this treacherous path, this little
girl who ought to be in school." (Tinker was referring to testimony from Selena's
former teacher who said Selena was withdrawn from school by her father.)
"Im scared. But I'm comforted by your attention. `I am convinced that (you) folks are
going to do what is right. And what is right is a not-guilty verdict. `If that is not your
verdict, I believe in juries, and I'm not going to criticize you for it. Your job is to decide
what you believe beyond a reasonable doubt."
Much of the public has demanded vengeance for Selena's death. In the Old West,
Yolanda Saldivar long ago would have been lynched.
A not-guilty verdict is the only possibility. The evidence shows clearly this was an
accident And if jurors aren't sure, then they have to vote not guilty.
.
"If Iwere to take the gun and wave it around, people would duck. That's because
accidents happen all the time. It's not how little pressure it takes but how short
the pull is. You can just touch it a little . . . and it's over."
I was initially wary of representing Saldivar, but now I'm proud. `My prayer is I get
to drive Yolanda Saldivar home. You are the only protection a human being has in
this country. . Now that the case is out in the open, a not-guilty verdict may not
be as unpopular as you once thought."
"I have kept my promise not to smear Selena's name or reputation. "Nothing you
can do will bring Selena back. Contrary to what everyone believes, probation is
not a slap on the wrist."
"What benefit there is there to sending my client to prison for a long time? If that
happened, nobody would be served by such an outcome."
He reminds them of Fernando's (Saldivar's brother) testimony "That his sister
would be an asset to the community." The greater benefit is to allow her to return
to society.
You know she is terribly remorselful over what happened.
Tinker places his hand gently on Saldivar's shoulder.
Attorney Hagans "I believe that eyes are the windows to the soul. We saw one thing
that all of you share . . . courage. Because this is a high-profile case, you could return
a not-guilty verdict without regard to social pressure.
``Yolanda Saldivar is not guilty of murder. She is charged by the prosecution with being
a murderer in the first degree. She is not guilty. As the case against Saldivar developed,
the prosecution ran into some key problems. One was a Texas Ranger who said he heard
Saldivar tell police interrogators that the shooting was accidental, but noticed that the
statement signed by her omitted that detail. Also, the hostage negotiation tapes, in
which Saldivar was heard saying that the shooting was accidental, supported our case.
The tapes ``were kept from Doug Tinker until . . . he finally dug them out in August.
(Prosecutors) knew those were bad pieces of evidence. The prosecution tried to
diminish the tapes' impact by presenting them during its side of the trial. But the
tapes benefited the defense more.
``Mr. Tinker, in his opening statement, told you we'd bring evidence through the
prosecution's witnesses. They gave extremely helpful testimony on behalf of
Yolanda Saldivar and extremely dangerous testimony on behalf of the prosecution."
Corpus Christi police Sgt. Joe Claire, one of the first officers to speak with Saldivar
during her standoff with police. Claire told jurors that Saldivar said she didn't mean
to hurt Selena, Claire also said that he believed that Saldivar wanted to go see
Selena at the hospital. How many murderers want to go see the victim at the hospital?
Is that consistent with murder or is that consistent with the story Yolanda Saldivar has
consistently told?"
I ask you to remember the testimony of gun dealer Mike McDonald, who said Saldivar
did not have a criminal record and was not knowledgeable about guns.
Hagans stood in front of the jury, held Saldivar's gun to his head and repeatedly waved
the gun around, pulling the trigger. "It takes virtually no pressure to fire that way."
You can fire it with your little finger without putting any serious pressure on it."
McDonald also testified that accidental discharges are common, even with
experienced shooters.
I urge you to think of a verdict that would satisfy Selena. ``What would Selena want?
She was a kind, caring, loving person." She was close to Saldivar and nicknamed her
``Buffy." ``We're not here to satisfy the vengeance of an angry father."
PROSECUTION CLOSING
Prosecutor Skurka walks over to the wall next to the jury box and tapes and 8 by 10
color picture of Selena on the wall.
"Selena wanted to fire Saldivar, and Saldivar knew she was on
her way out. Selena left her mark on the world through her music.
The defendant leaves her mark on Selena with a bullet hole, a bullet hole in her back,"
``She's reduced to a mere picture, thanks to the actions of the defendant on March 31
(his voice rising and echoing through the courtroom) ``All we have is her memory. All
we have is her picture...Thanks to that woman over there. (Points at Saldivar)
Skurka shouts ``Yolanda Saldivar on March 31, 1995, killed Selena Quintanilla-Perez!"
Selena was shot in a cowardly matter.
He holds up an autopsy photo in his right hand. ``The defendant had reduced her to this,
"a picture of Selena on a cold slab in the morgue." He sets the autopsy photo on the
jury box in front of a juror. Then he turns and points at Saldivar. "I want you to take
note of all of the rights that Saldivar had been given - the right to a trial by a jury of
her peers, the right to confront witnesses and the right to be represented by a team
of fine lawyers.
``Where's Selena's jury? Did she deserve to die? What made her (Saldivar) judge,
jury and finally, executioner?"
Common sense dictates that the shooting was intentional. Tinker's defense is
a ``squid defense. The defense has released this inky cloud into the courtroom,
hoping to cloud the truth."
Saldivar's first reaction after the shooting was to blame everybody else for what
happened. ``What does that defense do? It takes your mind off her and puts it
somewhere else. . . . Please don't fall for it. Please don't fall for it."
The defense claims that Saldivar had been raped three times before the shooting.
``How many times does this woman cry rape? `Remember the little boy who cried
`wolf'? She cried rape."
"The red truck where Saldivar held a gun to her head for more than nine hours, the
cell phone she used during the standoff and the loaded and cocked gun she left on
the front seat after she exited the truck were shown in detail. She held the gun
against her head with the hammer back for eight or nine hours without it going off.
"Yet in the hotel room, it goes off as the friend who's about to fire her walks by in
the hotel. Clearly it was no accident."
Skurka (using sarcasm) "What was the last word that Selena ever heard from her "friend"?
Skurka roars "BITCH!"
How much mercy had she shown to Selena? Both sides are seeking justice. She should
be punished with the maximum sentence you can give her, that would be justice.
Nueces County District Attorney Carlos Valdez
``I am afraid of that door over there. (Points to the door to the jury room)
Sometimes when people go through that door they leave their common sense.
I want you to use your common sense.
``If Selena could walk into this courtroom, we wouldn't be here. But the reason
she can't walk into the courtroom is Yolanda Saldivar. Yolanda Saldivar killed her.
Yolanda Saldivar killed her in cold blood. Yolanda Saldivar killed her intentionally."
"Saldivar had to step over Selena's blood to exit the hotel, then climbed into her
borrowed truck to try to find the singer to finish killing her.The bullet that passed
through Selena never has been recovered. And, if she'd been shot a little higher
or lower, an artery would not have been severed and she might not have bled to
death."
As Selena walked out of the door after the March 31 meeting at the Days Inn hotel,
everything Saldivar had in her life was also walking out that door. If she's going down,
everyone is going down with her. `Her whole world was ending."
Selena would want justice. I wish there was something I could do. I would do
anything if those doors would open in the back and she would walk in. Her
smile would light up this room. ``You can do the next best thing: Make sure
this doesn't happen again. The way to do that is find the defendant guilty.
``I want you to go in there and make a verdict you can be proud of. Return a
verdict that will send a message - not just to Houston, not just to Texas, not
just to the United States, but to the whole world. I want that message to say
you can find justice in Houston, Texas."
Would probation be appropriate in this case? No! Not just no but NO WAY!
This was not just a murder, this was an execution. "She" shot her in the back.
She killed her. She killed her. She killed her !
What do you do with murderers here in Houston? I ask you to send a message
not just to the people of Houston, not just to the people in the state, but to the
entire world, that someone convicted of murder in Houston, Texas would be
punished to the maximum extent allowed under the law.
I'm asking you for life in prison. I'm asking on behalf of the beautiful voice, the
golden voice that brought joy to millions of people. A voice that was silenced
on March 31."
JURY DELIBERATION
During the jury's deliberation, several people approach Yolanda Saldivar and obtain
her autograph. She appears to revel in doing so. To be fair, some approached the
attorneys and prosecutors for their autographs too.
From Justice for Selena -The People versus Yolanda Saldivar by Carlos
Valdez
" People were getting autographs - Saldivar autographed whatever items were
passed to her, much like a rock star who had just been involved in the
performance of her life. She seemed to enjoy and relish the attention that was
being showered on her."
VERDICT
The jury renders a verdict of Guilty. Stunned, in disbelief, Saldivars sobs and cries
as Judge Westergren reads the verdict. Saldivar says "I want to kill myself"
to Defense Investigator Tina Valenzuela, who tries to comfort her.
Judge Westergren asks "Do you have anything to say?"
Saldivar shakes her head "No."
Saldivar's reaction seems to indicate that she did think she would be
acquitted and liberated.
Selena's family solemnly embraces prosecutors. They are escorted back to speak
to the jury and afterwards leave the courthouse without comment.
Outside the courthouse, in the streets, fans in their hundreds cheer amid
tears. Drivers honk their horns, and Selena tunes can be heard playing
loudly from cars, boom boxes and personal radios.
MOTIVES
Hate, anger, revenge and greed.
(Former) Prosectuor Carlos Valdez from "Justice for Selena"
The state Versus Yolanda Saldivar
"When Saldivar first met Selena she was an unknown nurse. She
became someone special, controlling access to Selena.
While with Selena, she had the best of everything. She could hobnob
with the stars backstage.
Abraham Quintanilla accused her of stealing money. Saldivar hated him.
She was losing the fantasy world where she controlled the person that
everybody loved. She would go back to being nobody.
She was angry because she couldn't control or manipulate Selena.
She was used to getting Selena to do things by convincing her that
it had to be done.That control was slowly being reduced.
When Saldivar realized that she had totally lost her control over Selena,
it angered Saldivar to the point that she resorted to the ultimate act that
is typical in these types of cases: homicide.
She killed Selena because Saldivar was angry that she had lost everything
that was important in her life, including her control of Selena. It was a crime
of anger carried out to the extreme degree and consequences.
There were also elements of revenge in the killing. Mr. Quintanilla has
accused her of theft and had threatened to send Saldivar to prison.
Nobody in the Quintanilla family had defended her when the accusations
were made against her.
She paid them all back, by taking away a beloved member of the family.
During the standoff after the shooting, she would say that Mr. Quintanilla '
"had made her do what she had done."
The ring was more than just a friendship ring to Saldivar. Saldivar was
obsessed with Selena and wanted to control her. The ring symbolized
one of Yolanda's motives, it symbolized control They argued over the
financial papers Selena had been trying to get ahold of for weeks, and
Selena had had enough.
"When Selena took the ring off her finger to return it to Yolanda, the
representation of the bond between them, Yolanda wasn't going to take it,"
Valdez said. "Yolanda had lost control of Selena, and that'ss when she knew
she had to kill her.
"It's always the last act of a manipulator. If you can't control them, you kill
them."
SENTENCING
Defense Attorney "My client has paid a heavy enough penalty with her
murder conviction and should get probation."
Frank Saldivar, recently retired from the position of headwaiter at Jacala
Restaurant (San Antonio) after 40 years, spent his 69th birthday on the
stand fighting back tears and imploring jurors to have mercy on “our baby girl."
Juanita Saldivar is the only Saldivar to attend the entire trial, although
usually accompanied by one of her six other children or various nieces
and nephews. (On several occasions, she had to be escorted out of the
courtroom, overwhelmed with emotion)
Nursing home manager and friend of family and known Yolanda for several years
testifies that she is well acquainted with Saldiva. She is shocked by the act Saldivar
had been accused of and now found guilty of committing. "An act like this was
completely out of character for the Yolanda Saldivar she knew. A compassionate,
caring, concerned person, at times more interested in the welfare of others than she
was for her own well being."
Friend and co-worker Nursing profession for several years. She considers Saldivar
"to be loyal trustworthy and reliable. Had a difficult time believing that Yolanda
Saldivar could have killed Selena in cold blood."
Two neices testify. One of the neices "Yolanda is like my second motherI,
I've considered my aunt to be a law abiding citizen always! She had been the
perfect aunt and a substitute mother."
Family friend of Yolanda's brother Fernando testifies "Saldivar is caring and respectful.
Cross exam reveals he had seen Yolanda Saldivar once or twice a month during the
time he had known her. He didn't know much about her other than she seemed to be
caring and respectful. He was more familiar with Fernando.
Fernando Saldivar (a painter, former Marine Sgt.) "My sister is a hardworking person,
always interested in helping others. She had been very involved in helping a little
league baseball team in San Antonio. She always seemed more interested in the
welfare of others even if it meant having to make a personal sacrifice. He characterized
his sister "as an asset to the community."
REBUTTAL
Prosecutors present only one witness during the sentencing phase.
Dr. Faustino Gomez.
Dr. Faustino Gomez is from San Antonio, practicing in the medical
field of Dermatology for 30 years. He knew Yolanda Saldivar
or several years. He was her former employer. During the time she
worked for him he noticed that funds were missing from his business
account. He accused Saldivar of embezzling funds ($9,000) and filed a
complaint with the police. Charges were filed, but were later dismissed
pursuant to an agreement. In his opinion, Yolanda Saldivar is not a law
abiding citizen.
LIFE IN PRISON
1995 - October 23 - Yolanda Saldivar (35) is sentenced to Life in Prison
Parole Eligibility - October 2025
Charles Arnold (Juror) "I changed my mind because of one fact.''The more
I got to thinking about Selena being shot in the back,
and Yolanda not doing anything about it - well, it
changed my mind. If it was an accident, as Yolanda
claimed, she should have gone to help Selena.
That's what a friend would do in an accident.
"I was the lone holdout (against life in prison).
I was responsible for the lengthy deliberations.
Life in prison is too harsh for Saldivar. I just
wanted her to have a chance after 20 years to
come out on parole and have a chance in life.
I don't think she is a menace to society.
society."
Just before she's lead away in handcuffs, Saldivar flings herself into her
mother's arms. Both are weeping. Juanita and Frank cross the rail, they
hug and kiss Yolanda good-bye. She is led away to begin her sentence.
Douglas Tinker (Saldivar's Attorney) "My client is "suffering mightily
and scared to death she will be harmed wherever she goes."
He vows to appeal the verdict.
Prosecutor Carlos Valdez "I think it's a very strong message that people who
are convicted of murder in Harris County face the
most serious possible punishment under the law,"
LIFE BEHIND BARS
Yolanda Saldivar serves life, incarcerated at the Murray Unit, Gatesville, Texas.
Saldivar lives her life in the isolation unit. She spends 23 of 24 hours inside
the 9x9 cell. She has no cellmate. She can purchase a radio from the
commissary, order books, have visits of 2 hours with family or friends each
week.
Saldivar is hated both inside and outside of prison. She has received death
threats from prison fans of Selena.
Larry Todd (Spokesman for the Texas Dept. of Criminal Justice)
"She's in a single cell in administrative segregation. It's not punitive but for her
safety since she is still considered a high-profile case. She is not a problem
inmate."
"Saldivar still receives interview requests but refuses all of them."
That is a state of affairs that seems to have changed over the years.
20/20 News Interview Part 1
20/20 News Interview Part 2
APPEALS
1997 - January 29 - State District Judge Mike Westergren rules -No New Trial
for Saldivar.
Yolanda Saldivar claims that "a safe deposit box contains financial documents
that contain evidence that should get her a new trial.
Judge Westergren ``All exhibits which were properly marked, offered and
admitted into the record are accounted for and are in
the custody of the 14th Court of Appeals. `Whatever
it is that (Saldivar) contends is lost or destroyed...
was never properly marked for identification or
admitted into evidence."
1998 - October 2 - Appeal DENIED - The 14th Court of Appeals in Houston upholds
Yolanda Saldivar's conviction and life sentence. The court rules
she had received a fair trial.
Yoldanda Saldivar is interviewed in a 1998 VH1 documentary program "Behind
the Music" When asked questions... Yolanda answers most questions with
"I just did not like that woman."
Saldivar insists that she can direct Jim Forbes (interviewer) to a bank where a
safe-deposit box is that contains items that "could have harmed Selena's reputation."
Jim Forbes conducts an exhaustive investigation and even travels to Mexico to
see if he can validate Saldivar's claims.
Jim Forbes "There was no safe-deposit box, nor tapes, nor diary, nor evidence."
Defendiendo Crimen Part 1 - Interview with Yolanda Saldivar - In Spanish
(If anyone who speaks Spanish would be kind enough to provide
a translation of what Saldivar says in the videos, I would sincerely
appreciate it.)
Defendiendo Crimen Part 2 - In Spanish
2000- THE MONITOR RECEIVES A LETTER FROM YOLANDA SALDIVAR
Dear Reporter,
Received your late arrival unwelcomed letter.
You people don't seemed to recognize the hunger you exhibit when asking for
any interview. You have had many opportunities to make your own views, why
do you want mine?
You, your editors and your frivolous profession can reconstruct any exploitation
of me or anyone else but let it be known that it is to my satisfaction that you
will never obtain the whole truth. It's obvious that the strife that drives your
desires to dissimulate tragedies as a profit only shows how impound your
profession really is. I stress to you to go to the source of the manipulations
that constructed a false story to you as a means to gain support and empathy
from the public.
The public supports me as evident of the fan mail I receive by the bundles.
What is there for you to embarrass me about? NONE. You've done damage
enough, now live with it. Your well wishes to my family are not sincere,
all too evident by your persistence in obtaining an interview.
My present life is none of your business. My chance to speak with the public
will come when reporters like yourself are eliminated and her fans never loved
her, for it is viewed that prior to her death, her fans avoided what she most
admired and cared for and that is now being enjoyed and abused by
her well, what shall I say, perpetrators!
One credit I do give you. Yes. She died five years ago, a true fact. BUT, if
you would have done your lay work appropriately, you would have a tremendous
story that would not only increase your ratings but a true exploration of the
truth. Shortly, you will see what I am talking about. If you are interested,
study the evidence, the clue to a breaking story.
Don' t wish me well. I am well, very well in fact, and soon will find justice
that will rise me above the monster you all created me. A small favor, don't
address me as Yolanda but Ms. Saldivar. I'm not your friend.
About the book you mention that you heard I wrote, I advise you to keep asking
and wondering, you'll find the answer. Thank you very much for making me feel
privileged that you spent $11.75 to mail a simple letter when a 33 cent stamp
would have done.
P.S. Don't respond back. I've put you and your frivolous company on my negative
mailing list. And NO you didn't offend me. I've told you the truth.
2002 - June - After the trial, the .38 caliber gun Saldivar used to kill Selena
was lost. It was then discovered in a court reporter's home.
The weapon is destroyed and its remains thrown into Corpus
Christi Bay into 16 feet of choppy water.
Some wanted the gun placed into a museum.
Selena's father, Abraham Quintanilla and sister, Suzette, asked that
the weapon be destroyed. Jose Longoria, a Texas district court judge,
ordered the demolition. The surviving Quintanillas watched as the gun
was shredded through a saw mechanism. Afterward they shook hands
with Longoria and spoke out against those who wanted the weapon
preserved.
Abraham Quintanilla "Why would you want to keep an instrument that was
used to kill a loved one? I just wonder if some of those
people that don't want the gun destroyed, I wonder if they
would feel the same way if their child was killed with this
gun."
2004 - Yolanda Saldivar petitions the court, trying to regain control of 1800 dollars
she had left in the motel room, money which was turned over to the police.
More than likely the money belonged to Selena. Her petition is DENIED.
2008 - Yolanda Saldivar petitions Texas Court of Criminal Appeals with a writ of
habeas corpus, challenging her conviction. Saldivar claims the petition
was filed in 2000 with the 214th District Court but was never sent to the
higher court. Her request is received on March 31, 2008, the 13th
anniversary of Selena's death.
DENIED
Detective Rivera explains the crime scene - In Spanish
ENGLISH TRANSLATION of the video:
Narrator: It was Friday march 31, 1995. Selena left her home at 9am; she had
an appointment at 10am with her father and brother at the Q Production studios
to record her new album. But Selena drove to this hotel, where Yolanda Saldivar
was waiting for her to supposively give her the proper paperwork that proved
Yolanda was stealing from Selena while managing her boutiques and fan club.
Yolanda was accused of stealing just a few days before. It was 11 am at Q
productions, but no one was surprised by Selena's tardiness. But at the hotel,
in this room, Yolanda and Selena were arguing. At 11:50, the unimaginable
happened. Paul Rivera, the detective of the case, returns to the place of the
tragedy, 10 years later.
Detective Rivera "Selena was standing there, Yolanda here. We think that when
Selena was trying to give her the ring back, Yolanda pulled out her gun. Selena
turned to walk out, and from about this distance, Yolanda shot at Selena.
Shooting just one shot, right here. The bullet, flew in that direction, we never
found it. The door was spattered with blood. Selena ran in that direction. 392 feet."
Woman "And she opened the door?
Detective Rivera "She opened the door, walked in and collapsed right here."
Narrator: While Selena collapsed, bleeding to death, her father and brother at Q
productions had returned there from lunch. And a tragic telephone call informed
them she had been shot. Immediately they rushed to Memorial Hospital where
they felt the life of their daughter was ending.
But for Paul Rivera, the investigation had just begun when he saw that the one who
had shot her was inside a suv threatening to kill themselves.Saldivar was 9 and a
half hours inside the suv, listening to the new on the radio, she learned that her
friend Selena had died. And she gave her reasoning for her actions.
Detective Rivera "A lot of people cry, they cry and say I didn't mean to do it, but she
said nothing."
Narrator: at the trial, it was found that she had planned it and that the shot was
intentional, not an accident.This is the room where Yolanda Saldivar shot at
Selena. Here, little has changed. The same bed, the same lamps are in their
place, but the number of the room changed from 158 to 150. Many went to
place their thoughts outside the room, many who stayed in the room, and
maybe because of rage, were destructive because they were hoping Selena
would have never gone there.
Whenever Selena y Los Dinos played San Antonio or nearby communities,
Yolanda was at Selena's side."
A MALIGNANT HEART NEVER RESTS
Throughout the years since her incarceration began, Yolanda Saldivar
has made various allegations impugning Selena's, and her father's
reputation.
Her jealousy, hatred, and obsession is still strong.
Saldivar has claimed "I was the protector of Selena's private life."
Saldivar has also claimed that she has in her possession a diary, a letter,
and a video as evidence of Selena's infidelity to her husband Chris Perez.
Saldivar has claimed that days before she died, Selena asked Saldivar
to keep a suitcase filled with Selena's clothes. Selena had planned to
"run away with her lover." Saldivar named Ricardo Martinez as the
alleged lover. Her siblings help her in her efforts by claiming they believe
their sister 100 % that she didn't kill Selena. She was only holding the
gun that went off. They also help perpetuate the lies Saldivar is telling.
Ricardo Martinez was a chief financier of Selena's clothing business.
Ricardo Martinez "This woman [Saldivar] continues doing harm. I don't
know how they can continue to believe a murderer."
Saldivar knows that what she says is hurtful to the Quintanilla and Perez
families. That's why she does it, to have what little revenge she can
obtain from behind cell bars. None of her embellished allegations have
been proven fact, nor has any evidence come to light to prove them
factual.
Saldivar has taken from them a most precious gift, Selena. Now she
seeks to smear Selena and her family's reputation. She has little enough
to do behind bars, other than her studying law to represent herself.
Yolanda Saldivar "I didn't kill Selena. It was an accident. My conscience is clear."
Saldivar can have a "special, exclusive" relationship with Selena, at
least in her own mind, by claiming that she, and she alone, has
knowledge that no one else, not even Selena's nearest and dearest
family, know.
They are lies, soley spun from the vicious mouth and mind of Yolanda
Saldivar, convicted murderess, who revels in her infamous notoriety.
Yolanda Saldivar.... A liar, a thief, and a murderer.
SELENA POSTHUMOUSLY WINS AWARDS & RECOGNITION
1996 - Tejano Music Awards -
Selena Wins "Female Entertainer of the Year"
Selena Wins "Female Vocalist of the Year "
Dreaming of You Album Wins "Album of the Year"
(Selena never performed the song on stage - Video has Jennifer Lopez on stage
from the movie Selena)
Selena Y Los Dinos Wins "Show Band of the Year"
Single "I could fall in Love" Wins "Tejano Crossover"
Single Amor Prohibido Wins "Single of the Year"
Official Video
Tu, Solo, Tu Wins "Song of the Year"
Abraham Quintanilla files a wrongful death and gross negligence lawsuit on behalf of
his wife and Selena's husband, Chris Perez, against Yolanda Saldivar.
The lawsuit accuses Yolanda Saldivar of "gross negligence" in the March 31, 1995,
shooting of 23-year-old Selena Quintanilla Perez in a Corpus Christi hotel and asks
for legal costs and other monetary relief from Yoland Saldivar.
Attorney Patrick McGuire, (handling Saldivar's appeal) "My client has no money and
that I do not know what Selena's father, Abraham Quintanilla, is seeking.
An attorney close to the case who asked not to be identified, said "Quintanilla may be
trying to prevent Saldivar from making any money off any books or movies."
1996 - November 8- Yolanda Saldivar's family is claiming that Selena was not shot
by Yolanda. They are saying that Yolanda's hand gun had
hollow point bullets, which means that if Selena was shot by it,
it would have completely torn her up. They are also saying that
the hospital records don't show what kind of bullet was used.
1997 - Tejano Music Awards -
Selena Wins "Female Vocalist of the Year"
Siempre Hace Frio Wins "Song of the Year"
No Quiero Saber Wins "Tejano Crossover"
2001 - Tejano Music Awards - Starting with the 21st Tejano Music Awards,
a NEW Award is added to the ceremony in memory of Selena called
"The Selena Lifetime Achievement Award".
Selena's brother, A.B. Quintanilla is the first recipient.
This Award is presented to him by Texas Governor Rick Perry.
"Selena" Lifetime Achievement - Abraham Quintanilla III
Senate of Texas declared Selena's birthday as a holiday, the date when she would've
turned 24.
Selena Quintanilla-Perez "We never thought we would ever come this far but...we're here."
A.B. Quintanilla III from 'Selena Remembered'
"The things she would want from her fans would be for her to never, to never go
away and the way that would be possible is through her music and the work she
has done; and letting the next generation know all about Selena and what a lovely
and wonderful person she was."
Selena Quintanilla-Perez "It's the most greatest feeling in the world, these people
singing your songs it's the coolest in the world, especially
seeing little kids singing them."
Since the death of Selena, both her husband Chris Perez, and her brother A.B. Quintanilla
have gone on to critical acclaim in music.
Chris Perez sought solace in songwriting while holed up at home in Corpus Christi.
He converted an empty bedroom into a studio and with John Garza, Joe Ojeda, (formerly
of Los Dinos), Adriel Ramirez, Alex Tamez, Rudy Martinez (formerly of Los Dinos) and Jesse Esquivel, formed the Chris
Perez Band.
1999 - The Chris Perez Band released a bi-lingual album "Resurrection."
A contemporary rock album, there are 16 songs, 9 in Spanish
and 6 in English.
The first Spanish single is a ballad “Por Qué Te Fuiste?”
(Why Did You Leave?)
2000 - Chris Perez Band Wins a Grammy Award for Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album
for Resurrection.
The song "Best I Can Do" is dedicated to Selena.
2001 - The Chris Perez Band releases their final album "Una Noche Mas."
2005 - April 7 - Los Dinos performs together at the Selena ¡VIVE! Tribute Concert
2006 - 11 years after Selena's death, Chris Perez remarried, to Vanessa Villanueva,
and they have two children, Cassie and Noah.
2008 - Vanessa Villanueva Perez files for divorce from Chris Perez.
Some say it was because he was hardly ever home or partied
too much. Others say it was because she couldn't compete
with the ghost of Selena in his heart.
2009 - After the Chris Pérez Band disbanded, Chris Pérez joined his
brother-in-law, A. B. Quintanilla in a band called Kumbia Kings.
A. B. Quintanilla had conflicts with several band members and left
the Kumbia Kings, as did Chris Perez.
A. B. Quintanilla began a new band called "Kumbia All Starz"
and Chris Perez as guitarist.
Quintanilla family can be sent to their place of business: Q Productions, Inc.
5410 Leopard St. Corpus Christi, TX 78408 They get mail from Selena fans
at that address. They also display some of the mail sent to them from fans
in the Selena Museum.
Suzette Quintanilla Arriaga managed Selena's Boutiques until their
closing due to a slow economy. She also manages Selena merchandising.
Abraham Quintanilla still operates Q-Productions http://www.q-productions.com
and Marcella Quintanilla does interior decorating as a hobby.
A.B. Quintanilla "On behalf of my family I thank you for all your support and for
celebrating the life of Selena …That’s why I’m asking all of you
to get on your feet, and to keep singing and dancing her legacy."
"Thanks to all of you, today her memory shines brighter than ever."
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