Yolanda Saldívar
Encyclopedia
Yolanda Saldívar is a Mexican American
woman who was convicted in 1995 of the murder of Tejano music
singer Selena
at a Days Inn
motel in Corpus Christi, Texas
on March 31, 1995.
. While growing up, she was teased and occasionally bullied at school because of her weight, she rarely made any friends and isolated herself from social activities. Her father was a head waiter at Jacala, a Mexican restaurant in the West End
. She was transferred three times to different elementary schools in the Edgewood School district. Saldívar first attended Kennedy High School
, then she was transferred to Holmes, and Jay High School
, before graduating in 1979 from McCollom High School. While at McCollom, Saldívar trained for ROTC
. Few classmates could recall Saldívar, who shared classrooms with Ram Herrera, who graduated in 1978, and Emilio Navaria
who graduated in 1980.
After graduation Saldívar was accepted at the University of Texas in 1985, then to Palo Alto College
. She studied to be a registered nurse
, and on December 10, 1990, Saldívar received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing
from Texas A&M International University
. At this time she became obsessed with losing weight. Around the same time, she began working as a graduate nurse at Medical Center Hospital
, while the following March she received her license as a registered nurse from the Texas Board of Nurse Examiners. Her job at the hospital helped her make $60,000 a year. Saldívar, who has never married, had to work part time after she had adopted three children, one of them her niece.
One of Saldívar employers, Dr. Faustino Gomez, a dermatologist, sued her for $9,200 he said she stole from him starting in 1983. The lawsuit was eventually settled out of court. Within two months, Saldívar was back in court again, when the Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation obtained a Travis county
court judgement in Austin
against her for failing to repay a student loan of $7,361. At that time, Saldívar switched jobs and was working as a nurse at St. Luke's Lutheran Hospital.
, she attended a Shelly Lares concert in San Antonio, and approached the singer about starting a fan club. She was turned down by Lares' father, Fred, who only wanted family members to be part of working with the singer. Saldívar was convinced by her friends to give singer Selena
a try, although she originally disliked Selena for dominating the Tejano Music Awards
.
While at the concert, Saldívar changed her views on Selena and approached Selena's father, Abraham Quintanilla, Jr., with the idea of starting a fan club in San Antonio. Her wish was granted and she became the club's president; later she became the manager of Selena's clothing boutiques, Selena Etc.
. By 1993, the fan club had reached 1,500 members in less than four years, and eventually grew to over 5,000. The fan club then went on to be one of the largest fan clubs throughout the San Antonio-area.
community in the United States. The trial was not televised, but cameras were present outside the courthouse. The trial venue was moved to Houston, Texas, after Saldívar's lawyers successfully argued that she could not receive a fair trial in Corpus Christi, Selena's home town. Before the start of the trial, CNN
reported that prosecutors were expected to introduce a controversial police confession signed by Saldívar in which she claimed she shot Selena "during an argument over accusations from the singer's father that Saldívar stole money from Selena's accounts." The defense was expected to introduce testimony from Texas Ranger
Robert Garza that "he overheard Saldívar claim the shooting was accidental, and that she objected when police failed to include it in her statement".
Although the defense attorney argued for Saldívar's claims that the shooting was accidental, the prosecution raised the issue that Saldívar, a trained nurse, neither called 911
nor tried to help the victim after she was shot. Despite Saldivar's claim that the gun "[accidentally] went off," it was determined that the gun, a .38 caliber 5-shot revolver, requires 11 lbs of pressure to go off, which can only occur when a finger pulls the trigger. The judge presiding the case chose not to give jurors the option of the lesser charges of manslaughter
or negligent homicide
, instructing jurors that they must either convict or acquit Saldívar on the sole charge of first-degree murder
.
The jury deliberated for two hours. She was convicted and sentenced to life in prison on October 23, 1995, with parole eligibility set for thirty years; this was the maximum prison term for the state of Texas. On Wednesday November 22, 1995 she arrived at the Gatesville Unit (now Christina Crain Unit
) in Gatesville, Texas
for processing.
Saldívar is serving her life sentence at the Mountain View Unit
in Gatesville, operated by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice
. She is eligible for parole on March 30, 2025. Because of multiple internal death threats sent to Saldívar from incarcerated Selena fans, she had to be placed in isolation. Saldívar spends 23 of her 24 hours in her 9 by 6 ft (2.7 by 1.8 m) prison cell alone, without contact from other inmates. She can purchase a radio from the commissary, and she can have a two-hour visit with family or friends each week.
, Saldívar claimed to have in her possession a diary, a letter, and a video as evidence of Selena's infidelity to her husband Chris. She also claimed to possess a suitcase with clothes Selena had asked her to keep days before her death, claiming Selena had planned to run away with her supposed lover, Ricardo Martínez. Martínez was a chief financier of Selena's clothing business and has expressed outrage at Saldívar's claims, saying, "This woman [Saldívar] continues doing harm. I don't know how they can continue to believe a murderer."
The gun used to kill Selena had been lost for a time after the trial, but was discovered in a court reporter's home. It was later destroyed and its remains thrown into Corpus Christi Bay
.
Saldívar had requested that the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals review a petition that challenges her conviction. She claims the petition was filed in 2000 with the 214th District Court but was never sent to the higher court. Her request was received on March 31, 2008, the thirteenth anniversary of Selena's death.
by actress Lupe Ontiveros
.
Mexican American
Mexican Americans are Americans of Mexican descent. As of July 2009, Mexican Americans make up 10.3% of the United States' population with over 31,689,000 Americans listed as of Mexican ancestry. Mexican Americans comprise 66% of all Hispanics and Latinos in the United States...
woman who was convicted in 1995 of the murder of Tejano music
Tejano music
Tejano music or Tex-Mex music is the name given to various forms of folk and popular music originating among the Mexican-American populations of Central and Southern Texas...
singer Selena
Selena
Selena Quintanilla-Pérez , known simply as Selena, was a Mexican American singer-songwriter. She was named the "top Latin artist of the '90s" and "Best selling Latin artist of the decade" by Billboard for her fourteen top-ten singles in the Top Latin Songs chart, including seven number-one hits...
at a Days Inn
Days Inn
Days Inn is a motel chain headquartered in the United States. Founded in 1970, it is now a part of the Wyndham Hotel Group, based in Parsippany, New Jersey, which was formerly a part of Cendant...
motel in Corpus Christi, Texas
Corpus Christi, Texas
Corpus Christi is a coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas. The county seat of Nueces County, it also extends into Aransas, Kleberg, and San Patricio counties. The MSA population in 2008 was 416,376. The population was 305,215 at the 2010 census making it the...
on March 31, 1995.
Early life
Saldívar was the youngest of eight children born to Frank and Juanita Saldívar in San Antonio, TexasTexas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. While growing up, she was teased and occasionally bullied at school because of her weight, she rarely made any friends and isolated herself from social activities. Her father was a head waiter at Jacala, a Mexican restaurant in the West End
West End, San Antonio, Ibiza
An area made up of a few streets and one long bar strip in the popular tourist destination of San Antonio, Ibiza is referred to as "The West End". This area is based around Calle Santa Ines....
. She was transferred three times to different elementary schools in the Edgewood School district. Saldívar first attended Kennedy High School
John F. Kennedy High School (San Antonio, Texas)
John F. Kennedy High School is a comprehensive high school located in the Thompson Field area of San Antonio, Texas.-History:The school opened in 1963. Today the school is a Texas 4-A school with a population of approximately 1,400 students....
, then she was transferred to Holmes, and Jay High School
John Jay High School (San Antonio, Texas)
John Jay High School is a high school in the Northside Independent School District of San Antonio, Texaswhich serves a portion of the city of San Antonio. All high schools in the Northside Independent School District are named for US Supreme Court Chief Justices; the first Supreme Court Chief...
, before graduating in 1979 from McCollom High School. While at McCollom, Saldívar trained for ROTC
Reserve Officers' Training Corps
The Reserve Officers' Training Corps is a college-based, officer commissioning program, predominantly in the United States. It is designed as a college elective that focuses on leadership development, problem solving, strategic planning, and professional ethics.The U.S...
. Few classmates could recall Saldívar, who shared classrooms with Ram Herrera, who graduated in 1978, and Emilio Navaria
Emilio
Emilio Navaira III is an American musician of Mexican descent, who performs both Country and Tejano music. Known to most by the mononym Emilio, he has charted more than ten singles on the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks charts, in addition to six singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks...
who graduated in 1980.
After graduation Saldívar was accepted at the University of Texas in 1985, then to Palo Alto College
Palo Alto College
Palo Alto College is a community college located in the San Antonio, Texas area. It is a member of the Alamo Community College District.-History:...
. She studied to be a registered nurse
Registered nurse
A registered nurse is a nurse who has graduated from a nursing program at a university or college and has passed a national licensing exam. A registered nurse helps individuals, families, and groups to achieve health and prevent disease...
, and on December 10, 1990, Saldívar received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing is an American four year academic degree in the science and principles of nursing, granted by a tertiary education university or similarly accredited school...
from Texas A&M International University
Texas A&M International University
Texas A&M International University, often referred to as TAMIU, is a public, co-educational, state-supported university located in Laredo, Texas...
. At this time she became obsessed with losing weight. Around the same time, she began working as a graduate nurse at Medical Center Hospital
Memorial Hermann–Texas Medical Center
Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center is the first hospital founded in the Texas Medical Center in Houston, Texas. Founded in 1925, it is the primary teaching hospital for The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, and the flagship location of 11 hospitals in the Memorial Hermann Healthcare...
, while the following March she received her license as a registered nurse from the Texas Board of Nurse Examiners. Her job at the hospital helped her make $60,000 a year. Saldívar, who has never married, had to work part time after she had adopted three children, one of them her niece.
One of Saldívar employers, Dr. Faustino Gomez, a dermatologist, sued her for $9,200 he said she stole from him starting in 1983. The lawsuit was eventually settled out of court. Within two months, Saldívar was back in court again, when the Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation obtained a Travis county
Travis County, Texas
As of 2009, the U.S. census estimates there were 1,026,158 people, 320,766 households, and 183,798 families residing in the county. The population density was 821 people per square mile . There were 335,881 housing units at an average density of 340 per square mile...
court judgement in Austin
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
against her for failing to repay a student loan of $7,361. At that time, Saldívar switched jobs and was working as a nurse at St. Luke's Lutheran Hospital.
Involvement with Selena
Within four years, Saldívar worked at two other hospitals; however, she began losing interest in her career in health care. Having become a fan of Tejano musicTejano music
Tejano music or Tex-Mex music is the name given to various forms of folk and popular music originating among the Mexican-American populations of Central and Southern Texas...
, she attended a Shelly Lares concert in San Antonio, and approached the singer about starting a fan club. She was turned down by Lares' father, Fred, who only wanted family members to be part of working with the singer. Saldívar was convinced by her friends to give singer Selena
Selena
Selena Quintanilla-Pérez , known simply as Selena, was a Mexican American singer-songwriter. She was named the "top Latin artist of the '90s" and "Best selling Latin artist of the decade" by Billboard for her fourteen top-ten singles in the Top Latin Songs chart, including seven number-one hits...
a try, although she originally disliked Selena for dominating the Tejano Music Awards
Tejano Music Awards
The Tejano Music Awards had been launched in 1980 by former art teacher and music veteran Rudy Trevino and the leader of the Latin Breed Band, Gilbert Escobedo. Only 1,500 fans turned out for the first Tejano Music Awards. Over the years, San Antonio evolved into the Nashville of Tejano music...
.
While at the concert, Saldívar changed her views on Selena and approached Selena's father, Abraham Quintanilla, Jr., with the idea of starting a fan club in San Antonio. Her wish was granted and she became the club's president; later she became the manager of Selena's clothing boutiques, Selena Etc.
Selena Etc.
Selena Etc. was a South Texas-based boutique, salon, and clothing store, which was built by Latin Superstar, Selena. Selena Etc. was built and finished on January 27, 1993 in Corpus Christi, Texas which was the headquarters building...
. By 1993, the fan club had reached 1,500 members in less than four years, and eventually grew to over 5,000. The fan club then went on to be one of the largest fan clubs throughout the San Antonio-area.
Trial and imprisonment
Saldívar's trial for the murder of Selena was followed closely by the LatinoLatino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
community in the United States. The trial was not televised, but cameras were present outside the courthouse. The trial venue was moved to Houston, Texas, after Saldívar's lawyers successfully argued that she could not receive a fair trial in Corpus Christi, Selena's home town. Before the start of the trial, CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
reported that prosecutors were expected to introduce a controversial police confession signed by Saldívar in which she claimed she shot Selena "during an argument over accusations from the singer's father that Saldívar stole money from Selena's accounts." The defense was expected to introduce testimony from Texas Ranger
Texas Ranger Division
The Texas Ranger Division, commonly called the Texas Rangers, is a law enforcement agency with statewide jurisdiction in Texas, and is based in Austin, Texas...
Robert Garza that "he overheard Saldívar claim the shooting was accidental, and that she objected when police failed to include it in her statement".
Although the defense attorney argued for Saldívar's claims that the shooting was accidental, the prosecution raised the issue that Saldívar, a trained nurse, neither called 911
9-1-1
9-1-1 is the emergency telephone number for the North American Numbering Plan .It is one of eight N11 codes.The use of this number is for emergency circumstances only, and to use it for any other purpose can be a crime.-History:In the earliest days of telephone technology, prior to the...
nor tried to help the victim after she was shot. Despite Saldivar's claim that the gun "[accidentally] went off," it was determined that the gun, a .38 caliber 5-shot revolver, requires 11 lbs of pressure to go off, which can only occur when a finger pulls the trigger. The judge presiding the case chose not to give jurors the option of the lesser charges of manslaughter
Manslaughter
Manslaughter is a legal term for the killing of a human being, in a manner considered by law as less culpable than murder. The distinction between murder and manslaughter is said to have first been made by the Ancient Athenian lawmaker Dracon in the 7th century BC.The law generally differentiates...
or negligent homicide
Negligent homicide
Negligent homicide is a criminal charge brought against people who, through criminal negligence, allow others to die.Negligent Homicide is a lesser included offense to first and second degree murder, in the sense that someone guilty of this offense can expect a more lenient sentence, often with...
, instructing jurors that they must either convict or acquit Saldívar on the sole charge of first-degree murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
.
The jury deliberated for two hours. She was convicted and sentenced to life in prison on October 23, 1995, with parole eligibility set for thirty years; this was the maximum prison term for the state of Texas. On Wednesday November 22, 1995 she arrived at the Gatesville Unit (now Christina Crain Unit
Christina Crain Unit
The Christina Melton Crain Unit is a Texas Department of Criminal Justice prison for females in Gatesville, Texas. The prison is along Texas State Highway 36, north of central Gatesville. The unit, with about of space, is co-located with the Hilltop Unit, the Dr. Lane Murray Unit, and the Linda...
) in Gatesville, Texas
Gatesville, Texas
Gatesville is a city in and the county seat of Coryell County in Central Texas, United States of America. The population was 15,591 at the 2000 census...
for processing.
Saldívar is serving her life sentence at the Mountain View Unit
Mountain View Unit
Mountain View Unit is a Texas Department of Criminal Justice prison housing female offenders in Gatesville, Texas. The unit, with about of land, is located north of central Gatesville on Farm to Market Road 215. The prison is located in a 45 minute driving distance from Waco...
in Gatesville, operated by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice
Texas Department of Criminal Justice
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice is a department of the government of the state of Texas. The TDCJ is responsible for statewide criminal justice for adult offenders, including managing offenders in state prisons, state jails and private correctional facilities, funding and certain...
. She is eligible for parole on March 30, 2025. Because of multiple internal death threats sent to Saldívar from incarcerated Selena fans, she had to be placed in isolation. Saldívar spends 23 of her 24 hours in her 9 by 6 ft (2.7 by 1.8 m) prison cell alone, without contact from other inmates. She can purchase a radio from the commissary, and she can have a two-hour visit with family or friends each week.
After the conviction
Saldívar has never offered a motive for the murder, claiming instead that it was an accident. In later years, she stated that she had been the protector of the singer's private life. When interviewed by journalist María Celeste ArrarásMaría Celeste Arrarás
Maria Celeste Arrarás is a Puerto Rican journalist and actress and the host and producer of Spanish language news program Al Rojo Vivo Con Maria Celeste.- Biography :...
, Saldívar claimed to have in her possession a diary, a letter, and a video as evidence of Selena's infidelity to her husband Chris. She also claimed to possess a suitcase with clothes Selena had asked her to keep days before her death, claiming Selena had planned to run away with her supposed lover, Ricardo Martínez. Martínez was a chief financier of Selena's clothing business and has expressed outrage at Saldívar's claims, saying, "This woman [Saldívar] continues doing harm. I don't know how they can continue to believe a murderer."
The gun used to kill Selena had been lost for a time after the trial, but was discovered in a court reporter's home. It was later destroyed and its remains thrown into Corpus Christi Bay
Corpus Christi Bay
Corpus Christi Bay is a scenic semi-tropical bay on the Texas coast found in San Patricio and Nueces counties, next to the major city of Corpus Christi. It is separated from the Gulf of Mexico by Mustang Island, and is fed by the Nueces River and Oso Creek from its western and southern extensions,...
.
Saldívar had requested that the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals review a petition that challenges her conviction. She claims the petition was filed in 2000 with the 214th District Court but was never sent to the higher court. Her request was received on March 31, 2008, the thirteenth anniversary of Selena's death.
In popular culture
Saldívar was portrayed in the movie SelenaSelena (film)
Selena is a 1997 American biographical drama film about the life and career of the late Tejano music star Selena, a recording artist who was well known in the Mexican-American and Hispanic communities in the United States and Mexico before she was shot to death at the age of twenty-three.The movie...
by actress Lupe Ontiveros
Lupe Ontiveros
Lupe Ontiveros is an American film and television actress. Ontiveros has acted in numerous films and television shows, most often playing a maid or, more recently, an all-knowing grandmother; she estimates she has played a maid between 150 and 300 times on screen.-Early life:Ontiveros was born...
.