Selina Quintanilla was a Mexican American singer and songwriter, and also a designer. Many of her songs are commonplace and still heard even today despite her tragic death and murder in 1995. Resulting in what is, in my opinion,  an unjust sentencing of her killer.

Yolanda Saldivar, the woman convicted of killing Selena, was a nurse and president of a Selena fan club in San Antonio. Though Yolanda’s normal taste in music was country, she fell in love with Selena’s songs and begged Selena’s father to allow her to create a fan club. In time, it was revealed that Yolanda was embezzling money from the fan club and when confronted by Selena, they agreed to meet at a motel. There Selena demanded the financial records and in a presumably panic, Yolanda discharged a  .38 revolver and shot Selena two times in the back while she tried to flee. One bullet severed an artery and despite Selena’s attempt to get to the front desk all while Yolanda spat curses at her, she passed away in a hospital from blood loss.

Yolanda was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole until March 30, 2025. There was some question as to whether or not the right person was apprehended, considering the murder weapon was found in someone else’s possession. However, in my opinion, the overwhelming amount of evidence pointed at Yolanda.

I believe Yolanda does not deserve any possible parole at all, although the murder was presumed a crime of passion since it was not premeditated. An average murder sentence in Texas is 5-99 years or life. Now, that is for an average person but since Yolanda was a nurse and Selena having been the public figure she was, I believe Yolanda does not deserve parole.

Yolanda was a nurse who took the life of an amazing singer. She pledged to help those in need and to never do harm to the innocent. Despite that, she shot Selena twice, resulting in her death and the mourning of thousands, if not millions all around the world. Her possibility of parole in 2025 does not seem right given the situation and the status of the two women. One a nurse, and the other a famous singer taken much too early.