How Did Selena Quintanilla Die? The Details Behind Her Tragic Murder

Selena Quintanilla’s talent was taken from the world too soon.

The singer, known mononymously as Selena, was still reaching new heights in her music career when she died at the age of 23. The “Como La Flor” artist began performing as a child with her brother AB Quintanilla and sister Suzette Quintanilla in their band Selena y Los Dinos. In 1989, Selena began a solo singing career and won a Grammy Award for Best Mexican-American Album for Selena live! in 1993.

One of the highlights of her career was performing at the Houston Astrodome Livestock Show & Rodeo in front of a record crowd of nearly 67,000 in February 1995. Tragically, she was murdered the following month by her former business associate, Yolanda Saldívar, on March 31, 1995 in Corpus Christi. Christie, Texas.

Selena Quintanilla’s Family: All About the Parents and Siblings of the Late Singer

Selena’s sudden death devastated the world – especially her deeply devoted fan base. Years after thousands of fans mourned her loss, her family and her widower husband, Chris Pérez, have kept her legacy alive with annual musical tributes, a museum that houses her belongings and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

When asked about Selena’s lasting impact, her father, Abraham Quintanilla, told PEOPLE that her memory lives on through fans.

“Over the years, new generations have discovered her and fallen in love with her,” he said in 2021. “Selena’s life was cut short, but her fans have carried her through the years and her legacy has been passed down from generation to generation. generation. That in itself is incredible.”

Here’s what you need to know about Selena Quintanilla’s death and the legacy she left behind.

How did Selena Quintanilla die?

Selena Quintanilla backstage at the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo at the Houston Astrodome in Texas on February 26, 1995. Arlene Richie/Getty

Selena was killed by Yolanda Saldívar, former president of Selena’s fan club and manager of the singer’s clothing boutiques.

According to The New York TimesSelena and her family accused Saldívar of embezzling money from the singer’s businesses during a meeting on March 2, 1995. After Saldívar was fired, she bought a .38 caliber revolver and arranged to meet Selena at the Days Inn in Corpus Christi later that month.

The purpose of their meeting was to recover financial records, but Saldívar ended up shooting Selena once in the lower right shoulder as she tried to leave the room. The “Amor Prohibido” singer ran toward the motel lobby, followed by Saldívar with a gun.

When Selena reached the front desk shortly before noon, she cried for help and collapsed on the floor. While Days Inn staff called 911 and tried to stop the bleeding, Saldívar returned to her room. According to eyewitnesses, the singer identified who shot her and the motel room number before she lost consciousness.

The Associated Press later reported that the hollow point bullet damaged Selena’s right shoulder, pulmonary veins and a major artery in her collarbone. The culmination of the injuries caused “massive ongoing blood loss,” according to cardiac surgeon Dr. Louis Elkins, who was scheduled to operate on the artist. By the time she got to the emergency room, Selena was clinically brain dead.

When did Selena Quintanilla die?

Selena died at 13:05 on March 31, 1995.

Where did Selena Quintanilla die?

Selena Quintanilla performs at the opening of the Hard Rock Cafe on January 12, 1995 in San Antonio, Texas. Larry Busacca/Getty

Selena died outside the Days Inn in Corpus Christi, Texas.

The motel staff called an ambulance, which arrived at the scene in 1 minute and 55 seconds. By that time, Selena had stopped breathing, and the paramedics performed CPR on her. They also applied pressure gauze to stop the bleeding as they transported her from the Days Inn to Corpus Christi Memorial Hospital.

When they arrived, doctors made efforts to save her life, including open-heart massage and a blood transfusion. Although medical staff tried to restore a stable heartbeat, Selena showed no signs of neurological function due to massive internal bleeding, according to the Associated Press. After about an hour, “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom” the singer was pronounced dead at 1:05 p.m

How old was Selena Quintanilla when she died?

Selena Quintanilla in the press room at the 1994 Grammy Awards in New York. Vinnie Zuffante/Getty

Selena was 23 years old at the time of her death. The artist was two weeks away from her birthday on April 16.

What were Selena Quintanilla’s last words?

Selena Quintanilla poses for a portrait in the late 1980s. Courtesy of the Everett Collection

According to Los Angeles Timesa Days Inn clerk later testified that as Selena made her way from the room where Saldívar shot her to the lobby, she was dragging blood behind her and screaming, “Help me! Help me! I’ve been shot!”

In the lobby, Selena collapsed and yelled at the staff, “Lock the door! They’re going to shoot me again!” As the motel manager called 911, she identified Saldívar as her shooter and the room he was staying in in her final words: “Yolanda … 158.”

A short time later, Saldívar was caught in a standoff with authorities while in a pickup truck in a motel parking lot. After more than nine hours, she turned herself in to the police and the FBI, but said it was an accidental shooting.

Saldívar was charged with first degree murder and pleaded not guilty to the charges. On October 23, 1995, a jury found her guilty, and she was later sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for 30 years, on The New York Times.

He is currently serving time at the Patrick O’Daniel Unit (formerly known as the Mountain View Unit) in Gatesville, Texas, and will be eligible for parole on March 30, 2025.

How did the public react to the death of Selena Quintanilla?

Fans pay tribute to Selena Quintanilla after her death on March 31, 1995. Barbara Laing/Getty

Selena’s death was devastating for her loved ones and fans, prompting vigils and commemorations across Texas and California, where she was most popular.

Selena’s family held an open casket viewing ahead of her funeral at the Bayfront Plaza Convention Center, p The New York Times. She was surrounded by bouquets of white roses from fans, and as tens of thousands of mourners passed by to pay their respects, her dad Abraham thanked them for coming.

Shortly after, Selena was laid to rest at Seaside Memorial Park on April 3, 1995. During the ceremony, her husband, Chris, was spotted, after which family members, friends and fans laid white roses on her casket to say goodbye. Her grave is marked with a bronze figure of the singer and her signature.

Just a few kilometers from Selena’s grave site, a monument was opened in her honor on May 25, 1997. The Mirador de la Flor, which translates to the viewpoint of the flower, features a motif of white roses and a life-size bronze statue of the singer. leaning against the central pillar, overlooking Corpus Christi Bay.

What legacy did Selena Quintanilla leave behind?

Left to Right: Chris Perez, AB Quintanilla III, Suzette Quintanilla, Marcella Quintanilla and Abraham Quintanilla attend Selena Quintanilla’s posthumous Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on November 3, 2017 in Hollywood, California. David Livingston/Getty

Selena is widely regarded as one of the most influential Latin music artists of all time and the “Queen of Tejano Music”. Her immense influence on the music industry remains cemented years after her death. She continues to inspire movies, TV shows, makeup lines, tribute events and more.

Selena was murdered before completing her first album in Spanish and English, I dream about you. It was released posthumously on July 18, 1995 and was an immediate success, debuting at number one Board 200 chart. The album stayed in the Top 200 for 49 weeks. Three years later, fans were able to start visiting Selena’s museum, which houses her iconic wardrobe, numerous awards and other memorabilia, including her family’s bus.

Fast forward to November 2017, Selena was posthumously awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. More than 4,500 fans attended the unveiling, and former Mayor Eric Garcetti declared November 3rd “Selena Day” in Los Angeles. Selena’s sister Suzette received her on her behalf, and Selena’s mom, dad, brother and husband posed together at the event.

During the 63rd Grammy Awards in March 2021, Selena was also posthumously honored with the Academy of Sound Lifetime Achievement Award. Before the show, her father, Abraham, told PEOPLE that his daughter “would be very excited about this honor, just like she was when she won the Grammy in 1994.”

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