Murder of Selena

Selena was a Grammy Award-winning Mexican American and half-Cherokee Indian singer-songwriter, dancer, model, actress, and a fashion designer, who gained world wide fame as the lead vocalist for her family-orientated band, Selena y Los Dinos and her community involvement. While on tour in San Antonio, Texas a fan Yolanda Saldivar, who once hated the singer, approached Selena's father, Abraham Quintanilla Jr about opening a fan club in the San Antonio area. Her permission to start one was granted, believing that it will help boost Selena's fan base and publicity. After boosting membership to over 400,000 and becoming one of San Antonio's largest clubs, Saldivar was chosen by Selena and her family to head her boutique Selena Etc. in 1994. Saldivar's obsession with Selena grew, as she moved to Corpus Christi in order to be closer to Selena. Employees at the boutiques began complaining that Saldivar was always friendly when Selena was around, but treated everyone terribly when Selena was not near. Selena didn't believe that her "friend" would hurt her or her business and left the situation alone. Employees then took their complains to her father, who began disliking Saldivar for overly protecting Selena from fans. He told Selena that Saldivar might be a bad influence, Selena replied stating that he "thinks everyone is a bad person". On March 9, 1995, Abraham, Suzette Quintanilla, the sister of Selena, and Selena herself held a closed-meeting at Q-Productions with Saldivar. Quintanilla Jr presented Saldivar with the inconsistencies concerning the disappearing funds. Quintanilla Jr stated that Saldivar simply stared at him and didn't answer any of his questions. The next day, Saldivar attempted to enter the Q-Productions office but was told by Quinanilla Jr that she was no longer allowed on the premises. After her argument with Selena on the same day she was banned from Q-Productions, Saldivar bought a gun at "A Place To Shoot". However, when Selena asked Saldivar to accompanied her on a Monterrey, Mexico tour, Saldivar returned the gun and telling the clerk that her father gave her a .22 pistol. When the two arrived back in Corpus Christi, Selena began pressuring Saldivar to give her the missing bank statements, Saldivar then bought the gun back.

On March 26, Saldivar had stolen perfume samples and more bank statements from Selena. Several days later, when Saldívar told Dr. Ricardo Martinez, Selena's primary care physician, that she had been raped, Dr. Martinez didn't believe her, as he was assured by Selena's family that Saldívar and Selena's relationship was beginning to deteriorate. Around midnight on March 30, 1995, Selena and her husband Chris Perez went by Saldivar's hotel room at the Days Inn. When Selena and Perez had returned home, Selena noticed that there were some back statements missing. Saldivar called Selena's cell phone multiple times urging her to return alone. Selena agreed to meet up with Saldivar secretly in the morning. On the morning of March 31, 1995, Selena arrived at the Days Inn motel room of Saldivar, she insisted that she should give her all the missing documents that she had stolen. Saldivar delayed the handover by claiming that she was raped in Mexico. Selena drove Saldivar to "Doctors Regional Hospital", where doctors found no evidence of rape. The two began arguing more when they arrived back at the hotel room. Selena removed an egg-shaped ring Saldivar had given her and clutched it in her hands, she then told Saldivar that she couldn't be trusted anymore before attempting to leave. Saldivar drew a gun from her purse, pointing it at Selena.

As the singer turned and left the room, Saldívar shot her once on the right lower shoulder, severing a major artery which led from Selena's heart, resulting in a massive loss of blood. Critically wounded, Selena ran towards the lobby to get help, leaving behind her a trail of blood measuring three-hundred and ninety-two feet. She collapsed on the floor as the clerk called 911, with Saldívar chasing after her, calling her a "bitch". Selena began holding her chest and screaming "Help me! Help me! I've been shot!" Before collapsing to the floor, Selena named Saldívar as her assailant and gave the room number where she had been shot. Meanwhile, Saldivar got into her pick-up truck and attempted to leave the parking lot of the hotel. However, a police cruiser saw the vehicle. Saldivar then backed up and parked herself adjacent to two cars. The police blocked Saldivar's truck and told Saldivar to come out. Saldivar then picked up the pistol and pointed it to her right temple, threatening to commit suicide. The SWAT and the FBI Crisis Negotiation Unit were brought in. The gun shot pierced Selena's artery and after fifty minutes, doctors found out that the damaged done was irreparable. She was pronounced dead at 1:05 p.m. During the third hour of the shooting, an autopsy was performed due to the overwhelming media interest. It had also revealed that Selena's heart, which was fueled by adrenaline, literality pumped her blood out of her chest. Doctors also found that if the bullet had been only a millimeter higher or lower, the wound wouldn't have been as severe.

The news of Selena's death wasn't authorized to be released to the media. Within thirty minutes, the news of Selena's death hit the Hispanic community extremely hard, many of whom traveled thousands of miles to Selena's house, boutiques, and the crime scene. However, in the White community, many people and celebrities mocked Selena's death and funeral. George W. Bush, declared April 16 as "Selena Day" in Texas, the event triggered negative comments from White Americans. In the week following her death, seven out of every hundred newborns in Santa Clara County, California were named after Selena. People released a commemorative issue within a week when the legacy of Selena was only growing, while news of Selena became apparent on national television. The commemorative issue was only done before by Princess Diana, Jackie Kennedy and most recently, Elizabeth Taylor. Dreaming of You, a posthumous album by Selena, made its debut at number-one on Billboard 200 in the United States for 49 weeks, selling 175,000 copies on the first day, a record for a female pop singer. Eventually, Selena became the first recording artist to place five Spanish-language albums simultaneously on Billboard 200. Selena was inducted into the "Latin Music Hall of Fame" in 1995. Saldivar was sentenced to life in prison, the maximum sentence in the history in the state of Texas. Many candlelight vigils were done throughout the United States, her life inspired a movie which starred Jennifer Lopez, which became Lopez's break. Numerous television specials in America has aired, an usual event which occurs every March 31 in Spanish-language television channels such as Univision and Telemundo.

On January 27, 1994, Selena opened her boutiques Selena Etc.; she hired Yolanda Saldivar as manager of her clothing boutiques in Corpus Christi, while signing Yolanda, eight months later, as the registered agent in San Antonio, Texas.^[1] The Quintanilla family believed Saldivar was the best choice, due to her excellent job in boosting membership in the Selena Fan Club to over 400,000, organizing special events, and helping Selena deal with admirers at public events.^[1] After being hired for the boutiques, Saldivar moved from South San Antonio to Corpus Christi, in order to be closer to Selena.^[1] Saldivar's room was covered with Selena posters and pictures, burning votive candles, and a library of Selena videos, which she entertained guests with.^[1] During her interview for the Dallas Morning News in 1995, interviewers believed that the devotion to Selena that Saldivar was implying was unfailing, bordering on the obsessive.^[1] Within a short amount of time, Saldivar, an ex-ROTC, began telling the staff that she wanted to "be like Selena".^[2] Around this same time, Selena gave Saldivar her American Express card, to conduct company business.^[2] With it, Saldivar rented Lincoln Town Cars, traveled to and from Mexico, entertained associates in fancy restaurants, and purchased the two cellular phones she carried.^[2] She also altered Ellen Tracy designer jackets made for the boutiques, backing up her authority to do with her possesion of the card.^[2] When Saldivar became a business associate in addition to being a friend, her relationship with Selena began to fall apart.^[3] Staff members at Selena Etc., complained that Saldivar was always "nice" when Selena was around, but when Selena left, Saldivar treated everyone terribly.^[3] In January 1995, Debra Ramirez, Selena's cousin, was hired to work in the boutiques and to help Selena expand the fashion venture into Mexico.^[4] Ramirez quit within a week, stating to Saldivar that she wasn't happy and was unsatisfied with how staff members didn't report their sales.^[4] Saldivar then replied that it wasn't any of Ramirez's business and that she'd take care of it.^[4]

Martin Gomez, a fashion designer for Selena, and Saldivar constantly clashed during their work together.^[4] Gomez complained that Saldivar was mismanaging affairs from the start.^[4] Animosity between Saldivar and Gomez grew especially hostile during Selena's fashion shows.^[4] Gomez accused Saldivar of mutilating or destroying some of his original creations, while also stating that Saldivar never paid any bills.^[4] When Saldivar visited the design house in Mexico, she intimidated the seamstresses by telling them to either leave or side with her.^[4] Gomez tried to convince Selena that Saldivar was "bad news" but Saldivar refuted this to Selena claiming that Gomez was exaggerating. A few weeks later Saldivar asked employees to help fund a gift for Selena.^[4] Philip Randolph, who helped design the diamond-encrusted-egg ring, noticed that not only did Saldivar not want Selena to know that she had bought anything but also didn't want Selena to know the cost of anything she had bought.^[5] In December 1994, the boutiques began to suffer. Staff at both stores had been reduced from thirty-eight to fourteen employees, largely because Saldivar fired anyone she didn't like personally.^[6] The employees began complaining to Selena about Saldivar, but Selena didn't believe that her "friend" would do anything to hurt her or her business.^[6] The employees then began to state their concerns to Selena's father, Abraham Quintanilla Jr, who cautioned Selena that Saldivar might be a bad influence.^[6] Selena replied "Dad, you think all people are bad". Selena didn't suspect that Saldivar had turned on her. Instead she believed it more likely that her father always distrusted people.^[6]

On March 9, 1995, Abraham, Suzette Quintanilla, the sister of Selena, and Selena herself held a closed-meeting at Q-Productions with Yolanda Saldivar.^[7] Abraham presented Saldivar with the inconsistencies concerning the disappearing funds. Abraham stated that Saldivar simply stared at him and didn't answer any of his questions.^[7] He told Saldivar that he was going to pursue the matter legally.^[7] Again Saldivar gave them no response and Suzette got up to Saldivar's face, accusing her of being a liar and a thief.^[7] The next morning, Eddie Quintanilla, Abraham's brother, called him stating that Saldivar had shown up at Q-Productions with Laurie Rothe, another employee from Selena Etc. Abraham drove to Q-Productions and informed Saldivar that she was no longer welcomed on the premises.^[7] The same day, Selena and Saldivar engaged in an intense argument over the phone; Selena hung up and told her husband, Chris Pérez, that she couldn't trust Saldivar any more. Perez agreed.^[7] However, Selena didn't want to lose her friendship with Saldivar. She also felt that if the clothing line was going to take off in Mexico, she needed Saldivar.^[7] Selena also wanted to keep Saldivar close due to the fact that Saldivar possessed bank records, statements, and financial records necessary for tax preparation relating to the boutiques.^[7] The day after Saldivar was banned from Q-Productions, she went to "A Place To Shoot", a full-service gun shop and range house, in south-San Antonio and bought a Taurus 45 snub-nosed .38-caliber revolver.^[7]

Saldívar told the clerk that she needed protection for her job as an in-house nurse care for terminally ill patients due to the fact that one of the patient's family members had threatened her.^[8] Two days later, Selena asked Saldívar to accompany her to a Monterrey, Mexico tour. Saldívar then returned the hand-gun back to the shop, claiming that her father had given her a .22 pistol.^[8] During the trip, Selena began pressuring Saldívar about returning the bank statements that she needed. When they got back, Saldívar bought the gun back.^[8] The following week, Saldívar's name was removed from "Selena's Design House Inc.", boutique owner (Corpus Christi area), and her name was removed as the fan club president and was replaced by Irene Herrera.^[8] On March 26, 1995, Saldívar stole a perfume sample and more bank statements from Selena in Mexico.^[9] On March 29, 1995, when Saldívar told Dr. Ricardo Martinez, Selena's primary care physician, that she had been raped, Dr. Martinez didn't believe her, as he was assured by Selena's family that Saldívar and Selena's relationship was beginning to deteriorate.^[9]

Around midnight on March 30, 1995, Selena and Chris Perez went by Saldívar's room at the Days Inn motel in Corpus Christi. Perez waited outside while Selena picked up the missing documents that Selena needed for tax purposes. When Selena and Perez arrived back at their home, Selena found out that there were still some bank statements that were missing. Saldívar later called Selena stating that she had been raped in Mexico, and told Selena to come alone back to the hotel. Perez told Selena to tell Saldívar that it was too late. Selena then agreed to meet up secretly with Saldívar the morning^[10] of March 31, 1995, to retrieve paperwork and missing documents for taxes. At the hotel, Selena demanded the missing financial papers. Saldívar delayed the handover by claiming she had been raped in Mexico.^[11] The singer then drove Saldívar to Doctors Regional Hospital where doctors found no evidence of rape.^[12] Saldívar returned to the motel where Selena again demanded the missing financial papers.^[13]

Selena told Saldívar that she could not be trusted anymore and removed her egg ring that Saldivar had bought her.^[14] At 11:49 am, Saldívar drew a gun from her purse^[15], pointing it at Selena.^[14] As the singer turned and left the room, Saldívar shot her once on the right lower shoulder, severing a major artery which led from Selena's heart, resulting in a massive loss of blood.^[14] Critically wounded, Selena ran towards the lobby to get help, leaving behind her a trail of blood measuring three-hundred and ninety-two feet.^[14] She collapsed on the floor as the clerk called 911, with Saldívar chasing after her, calling her a "bitch".^[16] Selena began holding her chest and screaming "Help me! Help me! I've been shot!" Before collapsing to the floor, Selena named Saldívar as her assailant and gave the room number where she had been shot.^[17] Selena's condition began to decline rapidly as motel staff tried to comfort Selena who at the time was in distress.^[14] A staff member began trying to talk to Selena, but noted that Selena was beginning to fade away.^[14] He also stated that there were less and less moaning and movement from Selena. An ambulance arrived at the scene in a minute and fifty-two seconds.^[14] The paramedics applied a Vaseline gloss on Selena's wound which immediately stopped the internal bleeding.^[14] At this time, Selena's heartbeat was very slow as a paramedic performed CPR to recirculate blood to Selena's brain and heart.^[14] A cheif police officer told The New York Times that Selena was still conscious when they had arrived and had made a "spontaneous statement" which was heard from off-duty police and staff workers.^[18] The police officer wouldn't release what was stated by Selena.^[18] Meanwhile, Saldivar got into her pick-up truck and attempted to leave the parking lot of the hotel. However, a police cruiser saw the vehicle. Saldivar then backed up and parked herself adjacent to two cars.^[14] The police blocked Saldivar's truck and told Saldivar to come out. Saldivar then picked up the pistol and pointed it to her right temple, threatening to commit suicide.^[14] The SWAT and the FBI Crisis Negotiation Unit were brought in.^[14] During this time, a paramedic tried inserting an IV in Selena, but due to Selena's massive blood loss and having little or no blood pressure her veins collapsed, making it extremely difficult to insert an IV.^[14]

Navigation Boulevard was completely shut down by local police.^[14] At 12:00 p.m. paramedics arrived at Memorial Hospital. Selena was transferred to the trauma room where doctors and surgeons began performing blood transfusions to reestablish circulation.^[14] Doctors performed the transfusions after they had opened Selena's chest, finding major internal bleeding.^[14] The gun shot pierced Selena's artery and after fifty minutes, doctors found out that the damaged done was irreparable.^[14] Selena was pronounced dead at 1:05 P.M. due to extensive blood loss and cardiac arrest, two weeks before her 24th birthday and two days before the third anniversary of her wedding to Chris Perez.^[14][19]

The standoff, now well into its second hour, negotiators had an open communication with Saldivar; negotiators ran a hard wire phone line between their base operations adjacent to Saldivar's pick-up truck.^[14] Led negotiator, Larry Young tried to establish a report with Saldivar in order for Saldivar to give herself up.^[14] Another negotiator, Isaac Valencia planted a plan to Saldivar. Valencia came up with the idea of the shooting being accidental, which Saldivar later changed her theory that the "gun went off" on itself.^[14] During the third hour of the shooting, an autopsy was performed due to the overwhelming media interest.^[14] The autopsy revealed that the bullet entered Selena's lower back passing through the chest cavity, directly severing the right secluded carotid artery, before exiting the right upper chest.^[14] It had also revealed that Selena's heart, which was fueled by adrenaline, literality pumped her blood out of her chest. Doctors also found that if the bullet had been only a millimeter higher or lower, the wound wouldn't have been as severe.^[14]

After the stand-off with Saldivar came to its fourth hour, Valencia's strategy helped Saldivar to confess that the shooting was intended for herself.^[14] Saldivar exclaimed that Selena tried to tell her not to kill herself, while pointing the gun to her head. But when Selena opened the door attempting to leave, Saldivar stated that she told Selena to close the door.^[14] Saldivar also stated that the gun went off when she exited. During the sixth hour, Saldivar agreed to give herself up.^[14] However, a police officer was pointing a rifle at Saldivar who then panicked and ran back to her pick-up truck.^[14] Saldivar finally gave herself up after keeping police at bay for nearly 9-1/2 hours.^[13] By that time hundreds of fans gathered at the scene, many of them weeping as police took Saldivar away.^[13][14] Saldivar's bond was set at $100,000, though district attorney Carlos Valdez was able to raise the amount to half-a-million dollars.^[20]

The news of Selena's death wasn't authorized to be released to the media.^[21] Doctors argued that information would be released soon.^[21] Within thirty minutes, the news of Selena's death hit the Hispanic community extremely hard, many of whom travelled thousands of miles to Selena's house, boutiques, and the crime scene.^[21] Within minutes of Selena's death, people began theorizing and gossiping on who might have murdered Selena.^[21] Emilio Navaria's wife was suspect number one, since many believed that she had murdered Selena because she was jealous of Selena's and Emilio's relationship.^[21] Johnny Pasillas, Emilio's brother-in-law and manager, frantically called radio stations, trying to end the jealous-lover rumor.^[21] In Mexico, people believed that Carlos Salinas de Gortari, the 53rd president of Mexico was killed, instead of Selena.^[21] When KEDA-AM radio station broke the news first, their phones lit up with many of them saying they were lying.^[21] Rudy Tervino, the director of the Texas Talent Music Association, and sponsor of the Tejano Music Awards, declared that March 31 will go down as "Black Friday".^[22] In San Antonio, major Spanish-language radio stations, including Tejano 107, KXTN-FM, KRIO-FM, and KEDA-AM, interrupted their regular programming, to break the news.^[22] Listeners, were all shocked and were in disbelief, many of them stating "anyone but her" and "not the good girl".^[22] By mid-afternoon, a line of automobiles began backing up traffic from the Quintanilla's houses. Police were asked to form a freeway.^[22] Messages of sympathy painted in white shoe polish decorated the windshields of cars and trucks throughout Texas.^[22] On the street of Selena's house, gang graffiti and cacti distinguished the blue-collar community from other sub-divisions like it across America.^[22]

The chain-link fence in front of Selena's house had become a shrine festooned with Mylar balloons, inflated pink Easter bunnies, drawings, and scribbled notes, and posters.^[23] The lead item on national network evening news programs in Corpus Christi was the end of the 1994–95 Major League Baseball strike, within thirty-minutes, the death of Selena was the lead item on all television stations in Corpus, San Antonio, Houston, and the Rio Grande Valley.^[23] Julio Iglesias interrupted a recording session in Miami for a moment in silence, Celia Cruz called Q-Productions to offer condolences, while Madonna sent a fax.^[23] Gigs across the state of Texas were all called off.^[23] La Mafia canceled their Guatemala concert and flew back to Texas.^[23] KXTN radio altered its format to an all-Selena weekend, but was backed to one Selena song per hour.^[20] Within hours, record stores were cleaned out of Selena albums, although EMI Latin was in the process of pressing several million copies of CDs and cassettes to meet the expected demand.^[24]

In the week following her death, seven out of every hundred newborns in Santa Clara County, California were named after Selena.^[24] Her death was front page news on The New York Times for two days.^[25] Numerous vigils and memorials were held in her honor, and radio stations in Texas played her music non-stop.^[11] Her funeral drew approximately 60,000 mourners, many of whom traveled from outside the United States.^[11] Her death stunned the Hispanic community as they swarmed newsstands for anything to do with Selena.^[26] The initial People magazine was released several days of her murder, believing that the story will be gone within a week.^[26] People released a commemorative issue within a week when the legacy of Selena was only growing, while news of Selena became apparent on national television.^[26] The commemorative issue was only done before by Princess Diana, Jackie Kennedy and most recently, Elizabeth Taylor.^[26] The issue sold nearly one million copies,^[27][26] the first and second run sold out completely within two weeks, becoming a collectors item, which had never happened in the history of People magazine.^[26] Betty Cortina, editor of People, told Biography that this event was unprecedented, that they never had an issue that was 100% sell proof, which she said "it was unheard of".^[26] In the following months, the company released People En Espanol, aimed at the Hispanic market, which came directly out of the success of the Selena issue.^[26]

Dreaming of You, a posthumous album by Selena, made its debut at number-one on Billboard 200 in the United States for 49 weeks,^[28] selling 175,000 copies on the first day, a record for a female pop singer.^[29] Eventually, Selena became the first recording artist to place five Spanish-language albums simultaneously on Billboard 200.^[30] The album was also the number-75 top-seller in the United States for BMG Music Club.^[31] Dreaming of You also debuted at number-one on both the Latin Albums,^[28] for 128 weeks, and Latin Pop Albums charts, for 104 weeks, in the United States.^[28] For selling 1,700,000 copies in the United States alone, Dreaming of You was listed as one of the "Best-Selling Records of 1995", according to Billboard magazine and SoundScan.^[32]

Selena was inducted into the "Latin Music Hall of Fame" in 1995.^[27] The gun used to kill Selena was later destroyed and the pieces thrown into Corpus Christi Bay in 2002.^[33][34]

Within hours of Selena's murder, a press conference was called. Assistant police chief, Ken Bung and Selena's father, Abraham Quintanilla Jr, told the media about the possible motive was that Selena went in the Days Inn motel to terminate her employment, Saldivar's name was still not being identified by name in media reports.^[36] American singer, Stefanie Ridel called KXTN-FM in San Antonio, talking and crying.^[23] On April 12, 1995, two weeks after her death, George W. Bush, governor of Texas at the time, declared her birthday "Selena Day" in Texas.^[37] Many White Americans wrote to the editors of the Brazosport Facts, during the months of April and May, stating "What was the big deal?"^[38] Some Anglos also voiced their opinions about George W. Bush's decision about "Selena Day", which fell on Easter Sunday, who were offended that Selena would be honored on that holiday. While other Anglos agreed that "Easter is more important than Selena Day" and also stating that everyone should let Selena rest and go on with their lives.^[38] Mexican Americans in Texas wrote vociferously to the newspaper, while a minority of the White Americans in Texas agreed that other whites took "Selena Day" too far with their opinions, while ending their responses that if they didn't want to celebrate the day, that they shouldn't have replied rudely.^[39] A few days later, Howard Stern mocked Selena's murder and burial, poked fun at her mourners, and criticized her music. Stern said, "This music does absolutely nothing for me. Alvin and the Chipmunks have more soul... Spanish people have the worst taste in music. They have no depth." Stern's comments outraged and infuriated the Hispanic community across Texas.^[40] After a disorderly conduct arrest warrant was issued in his name, Stern later made an on-air apology, in Spanish, for his comments.^[41] Within a week, on NBC's Tonight Show, with Jay Leno, Stern and Robin Quivers, an African American writer, were asked if Stern's remarks about Selena was tolerable. Quivers decided not to talk about the situation, in order to not argue with Stern. However, when Linda Ronstadt, a pop singer of Mexican American heritage, came on the show, she and Quivers quickly escalated in an argument when Ronstadt was defending Selena.^[42]

While on tour in Japan, David Byrne read in the International Herald Tribune of the news on Selena's murder.^[36] An El Salvadoran flag was but beneath a stuffed teddy bear, which was in front of Selena's house, along with the Mexican and the United States flag.^[43] Fans from Puerto Rico and Wisconsin, had left behind messages and notes to both Selena and the Quintanilla family.^[43] The majority of cars, travelling on Interstate 37 between South America and Corpus Christi had their headlights on, in memoriam of Selena.^[24] Selena's death was featured prominently on the British Broadcasting Corporation's world news broadcast.^[24] Among the messages on the door of room 158, fans from Florida and Michigan as well as other cities in Texas, scribbled the door with notes and messages.^[44] Armando Gallegos, had promoted Selena concerts in Tampa and Miami, Florida. Gallegos stated that in Florida, Selena isn't known as a "Tejano artist" but a superstar internationally. Memorial services were also planned throughout the state of Florida.^[44] Selena was mentioned by China as one of the "Ten representatives of Latin Music".^[45] After the release of Dreaming of You, "I Could Fall in Love" and "Dreaming of You" topped the charts and had extensive airplay in New Zealand, Spain, Canada, Poland, France, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Portugal and had certifications in four different countries.^[46]

Tejano music has not recovered since the death of Selena^[47] whose appeal extended beyond the Tejano genre: Such celebrities as Beyoncé, Myra, Paula DeAnda, 3LW, Christina Aguilera, Shakira, Nadia López, Diana Reyes, Ivy Queen, Fanny Lú, Don Omar, Kat Deluna, Eva Longoria, Wyclef Jean, Daddy Yankee, Aventura, Jennifer Pena, David Archuleta, The Cheetah Girls, Lila Downs, Tito Nieves, Manny Manuel, Girl in a Coma, Malverde, Angel y Khriz, Karen Rodriguez, Sara Tavares, Prince Royce, Bruno Mars, Frankie J, Perez Hilton, Katy Perry, Ashlee Simpson, Q'orianka Kilcher, and Enrique Iglesias have identified themselves as fans of her.^{[48][49][50][51]} Selena has retained great devotion from many fans.^[52][53][54] Mexican-American singer-actress Selena Gomez was named after Selena, and expressed that Selena means a lot to her and her family.^[55] Selena's music is also favored among LGBT Americans, as her songs continues to share spins at gay clubs around North America^[56] and at gay pride events.^[57]

Saldivar's bond was initially set at $100,000, though district attorney Carlos Valdez was able to raise the amount to $500,000.^[20] The Nueces County jail was deluged with death threats and public calls for vigilante justice.^[20] Some gang members in Texas were reported to be taking up collections to raise bond for Saldivar, so they could kill her upon release.^[20] In prison, Saldivar faced more death threats from inmates.^[20] The Mexican Mafia, a dominant gang in the Texas penal system, reportedly placed a price on Saldivar's head, and spread the word that anyone who committed the crime would be a hero among the people.^[20] Within twenty-minutes of Saldivar's surrender, she was taken to the downtown police station and was brought to an integration room with Paul Rivera and Ray Rivera (not related)^[20] Paul Rivera requested that Saldivar be observed through a one-way mirror by Texas Ranger Robert Garza.^[20] Paul Rivera, who'd been investigating homicides since 1978, informed Saldivar of her right to a lawyer, which she waived.^[20] When police investigators surrounded Saldivar's truck, she had cried out stating "I can't believe I killed my best friend".^[58] Within hours, she had exclaimed that the shooting was accidental. After her trial, the jury deliberated for two hours before finding Saldivar guilty of murder.^[59] She was 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.^[60] On Wednesday November 22, 1995 she arrived at the Gatesville Unit (now Christina Crain Unit) in Gatesville, Texas for processing.^[61] Saldívar is currently serving her life sentence at the Mountain View Unit in Gatesville, operated by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. She will be eligible for parole on March 30, 2025.^[62] Because of multiple internal death threats sent to Saldívar from incarcerated Selena fans, she had to be placed in isolation. Currently, Saldívar spends 23 of her 24 hours in her 9 x 6 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.^[60]

During an interview with 20/20, Saldivar told reporter Deborah Roberts that "I did not killed [sic] Selena, the shooting was accidental, and my conscience is clear".^[58] She also told Roberts that she had intended to commit suicide, and had wanted to tell Selena that she could no longer work for her.^[58] Saldivar then claimed to Roberts that Selena had gone to her knees and begged, saying "Mom, we have to talk about this".^[58] (Selena's mother, Marcella Samoa, told Roberts that the family question whether or not Selena would have called Saldivar "Mom"^[58]). Saldivar claimed that following this exchange, Selena got up and walked at an angle towards the door to open it.^[58] Saldivar said that she then pointed the gun away from her head and towards the door, telling Selena to close the door.^[58] She said that at that instant the gun went off.^[58] When asked if she had known at that moment that Selena had been shot, she responded that she hadn't.^[58] Roberts then told her that there was blood all over the room.^[58] Saldivar responded that she wasn't looking at the door, she was trying to find Selena.^[58]

Yolanda later claimed to Roberts that she had never stolen money from the fan club. Abraham Quintanilla Jr, later told Roberts that there is proof that she stole over $100,000 from Selena.^[58] Selena's father told Roberts that Saldivar was stalking Selena by telephone.^[58] During the interview, when Saldivar was asked why she needed a gun, Saldivar insisted that she needed it after Selena's father had threatened her life.^[58] Selena's father disputed this, telling Roberts that he had never threatened Saldivar.^[58]

Forensic psychologists, Dr. Reed Monlore studied Roberts' interview of Saldivar and told Roberts that Saldivar showed signs of obsessive compulsive disorder throughout the interview.^[58]. Dr. Monlore also told Roberts that Saldivar has a personality disorder.^[58] While the tape was played, Dr. Monlore was intrigued by Saldivar's response to this question: "If you could go back to March 31, 1995, what would you do differently?" Saldivar replied, "I would want her to kill me". Dr. Monlore told Roberts that Saldivar had homicidal impulse.^[58]

After the interview, Saldivar told Roberts that she wanted to appeal, stating that the police had ignored her statements about the shooting being accidental.^[58] Saldívar 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 13th anniversary of Selena's death.^[63]

Selena's father, Abraham Quintanilla Jr, claimed that Saldivar stole over 30 million dollars from Selena, during an interview with Furia Musical.^[64]

A candlelight vigil was planned by Tejano 107, in San Antonio, who announced the event to be held at 7 that night at Sunken Gardens^[23] In competition, KRIO-FM staged its own candlelight vigil at South Park Mall. A small stampede broke out in the rush to the stage, and one young girl was pulled crying from the crowd.^[65] Jon Ramirez, formally opened the proceedings, and briefly talked about his first encountered with Selena, which was followed by the crowd lifting their candles.^[65] 5,000 fans attended the vigil at South Park Mall^[20] On April 1, 1995, Bayfront Plaza in Corpus Christi held a vigil that drew 1,500 fans.^[66] An announcement was made during the vigil that a public viewing of the casket would be held at the Bayfront Auditorium the following day.^[66] The public viewing of the casket, held on April 2, 1995, had fans waiting in line for almost a mile away,^[66] many fans began showing up at four in the morning, although the viewing of the casket wasn't until nine that night.^[43] Within an hour before the doors were opened, people began rumors stating that the casket is empty, which triggered the Quintanilla family to have an open-casket viewing.^[24] Sixty thousand fans had showed up to view the casket.^[24] The same day, a Sunday morning bilingual service from the San Fernando Cathedral, in downtown San Antonio, held an undeclared Selena mass, before a mariachi-choir.^[66] Later on that day, a crowd of one hounded people, mostly Hispanic, walked around the grounds of the Days Inn.^[66] In front of the motel marquee, the sign read "We Will Miss You Selena".^[66]

A special mass in the Los Angeles Sports Arena on April 3, drew a crowd of four thousand. Selena was originally booked to attend that same night for her Amor Prohibido Tour. The promoter had charged admission to the mass, which Abraham Quintanilla Jr was very upset about.^[24] In Lake Jackson, Selena's hometown, one thousand fans and friends gathered at the municipal park in neighboring Clute, where she had played at the Mosquito Festival in July 1994. Another mass in Texas was led by Father James Lynes and Father Reginald Petrash; after the mass a disc-jockey played the first track off the Selena Live! album, and some people waved their candles back and forth while others danced.^[67] On Monday, April 3, 1995, Selena was put to rest. Six hundred invited guests, mostly family members, sat down for the morning services, which were broadcast live by a Corpus Christi and San Antonio radio station. A Jehovah's Witness minister, who was from Lake Jackson, preached his message in English. He also sampled Paul the Apostle's words in the book of First Corinthians, chapter fifteen. Selena was then buried at Seaside Memorial Park, where hundreds of cars circled the area.^[68] A day after the funeral, Our Lady of Pillar Church held a mass which drew four hundred and fifty people in their two hundred and twenty-five seat church.^[69]

On Selena Day, one thousand fans gathered at her grave in Seaside and began to sing traditional Mexican folk songs. An employee tried to get the crowd away from the cemetery, and police were brought in to control the crowd.^[70] On the same day, a crowd of 3,000 attended an organized Votive Mass of Resurrection for Selena at the Johnnyland Concert Park.^[70] On April 28, during a firework display for Buccaneer Days in Corpus Christi, the music was reworked to include "Bidi Bidi Bom Bom" in memory of Selena.^[71] Selena's family and former band, Los Dinos, held a benefit concert in dedication of Selena's tenth anniversary of her death on April 9, 2005. The concert was held live on Univision entitled Selena ¡VIVE! which achieved a 35.9 household rating. The concert became the highest rated and most viewed Spanish-language television special ever in the history of American television.^[72] The special was also the number one program regardless of language among adults 18-34 in Los Angeles, Chicago, and San Francisco while tying for first place in New York, beating that night's episode of Fox's American Idol.^[72] In June 2006, Selena was commemorated with a museum and a bronze life-sized statue (Mirador de la Flor in Corpus Christi, Texas), which are visited by hundreds of fans each week.^[73]

Around the time of Selena's death, Globe, a tabloid magazine, published a cover article about Selena's death, displaying her autopsy pictures for public viewing.^[74] When the magazine hit news stands, Abraham Quintanilla Jr immediately filed a lawsuit against Globe magazine.^[74] South Texas retailers quickly removed copies of Globe from store shelves after discovering the tabloid had printed the photos.^[74] Six color pictures snapped by a police photographer from the autopsy were in the 14 November 1995 issue delivered to local stores.^[74] The article was headlined: "Shot in the Back!" and "Exclusive! Dramatic autopsy photos reveal innocent beauty was gunned down by lying coward."^[74] The lawsuit was later dropped. The issues was then pulled off-shelves from all over the United States.^[74]

Jennifer Lopez played Selena in a film about her life. Directed by Gregory Nava, the biopic opened with mostly positive reviews.^[75] Over 24,000 people auditioned for the leading role in the movie.^[76][77] Selena's fans supported the movie, and Lopez's acting in the film helped elevate her career. Although Lopez succeeded as a pop star a few years later, Selena's voice was dubbed in for all the songs in the movie.^[78] For her role, Lopez was nominated for a Golden Globe award for Best Actress in a Musical.^[79]

In 1999, a new Broadway bound musical entitled Selena was announced to premier in San Antonio in March 2000 to commemorate the 5th anniversary of Selena's death. Broadway producers Tom Quinn, Jerry Frankel, Peter Fitzgerald and Michael Vega were soon onboard to stage the musical.^[80] Later on, librettist and lyricist Edward Gallardo was brought on to write the show's book and lyrics. Gallardo was followed by Fernando Rivas to compose the show's songs. In 2000, Selena Forever was first produced for a thirty city national tour with a budget of over two million dollars. After a national casting call, the producers casted Veronica Vasquez to portray Selena. The role was also alternated by Rebecca Valdez.^[81] The musical previewed on March 21 and opened on March 23 at the San Antonio Municipal Auditorium.^[82] A year after Selena Forever, a Spanish version of the play entitled Selena el musical (English: Selena The Musical) was produced.^[83]

Selena's legacy, music and life has been covered by various media including Oprah Winfrey's The Oprah Winfrey Show,^[84] George Lopez's Lopez Tonight,^[49] María Celeste Arrarás's Selena's Secret: The Revealing Story Behind Her Tragic Death^[85] and various specials in both English and Spanish which included Dave Holmes, Nick Lachey, Mariah Carey, Lola Ogunnaike who briefly talks about Selena's death.^[50][86] Selena also has been covered in many documentary shows on VH1, MTV and A&E, such as, E! True Hollywood Story, and Famous Crime Scene.^[14][86]

Selena's life was also covered in The Biography Channel's Biography and Notorious.^[47][87] In the Spanish market, Selena's biography usually airs annual during the anniversary of her death on Univision and Telemundo networks.^[88]

• Joe Nick Patoski. Selena Como La Flor. Little Brown and Company. ISBN 0316693782.
• Clint Richmond. Selena: The Phenomenal Life and Tragic Death of the Tejano Music Queen/Selena!. Pocket Books. ISBN 0671545221.
• Jill C. Wheeler. Selena: The Queen of Tejano music. Abdo Group. ISBN 1562395238.
• Himilce Novas, Rosemary Silva. Remembering Selena: A Tribute in Pictures and Words/Recordando a Selena : UN Tributo En Palabras Y Fotos. TOR Books. ISBN 0312141602.
• Maria Celeste Arraras. El Secreto De Selena : LA Reveladora Historia Detras De Su Tragica Muerte / The Secret Of Selena: LA Reveladora Historia Detras De Su Tragica Muerte. Fireside. ISBN 068483135X.
• Geraldo Ruiz. Selena: The Last Song. Warner Pub Service. ISBN 1887599010.