CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — For those who lived here at the time, it’s hard to believe that nearly three decades have passed since Tejano legend Selena Quintanilla-Perez was tragically murdered. The many movies, documentaries, and tributes since then have kept the memory alive.
Now, a new chapter is about to unfold.
“When I was trying this case 30 years ago, I looked around and saw thousands of people all interested in this case, and to myself, I thought, ‘All this is gonna be gone,'” said former Nueces County DA and District Court Judge Carlos Valdez. “‘In five years, people are gonna forget about this case, forget about Selena, forget this ever happened,’ and I was so wrong.”
Valdez led the prosecution in Yolanda Saldivar’s 1995 trial.
“The sentence was life in prison, and back then, life in prison for a first-degree felony — which this was — meant that a person convicted and sentenced to life had to serve 30 years before being eligible for parole,” he explained.
According to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, that 30-year period will end on March 30, 2025.
“I don’t think any other criminal case has had the publicity or public attention like this one,” Valdez added. “It’s known all over the world.”
Saldivar is already in the Parole Review Process, which the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles typically starts six months before an inmate’s first eligibility for parole.
“Most people think there’s a public hearing, like a trial or something,” Valdez said. “It’s not a hearing — it’s a process that begins with three people on the parole board gathering information.”
This information can include the offender’s criminal history, behavior in prison, and any letters of protest or support on file.
Eventually, the inmate will be interviewed, and the three-member voting panel will decide by majority vote whether to grant or deny parole.
When asked if he thinks Saldivar should be released next year, Valdez said no.
“Thirty years later, there is so much interest in the case, and I believe — I really believe — that the safest place for Yolanda would probably be where she is,” he said.
Saldivar has never denied the shooting but maintains it was accidental. Valdez, however, still believes the evidence shows the shooting was intentional.
“Based on what I’ve seen, I think it would be a serious mistake to grant parole at this time,” he added.
As part of the parole process, the victim’s family must be notified that the convict has applied for release. Selena’s father, Abraham Quintanilla, told 3NEWS that he has not been contacted by the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles about Saldivar’s case.