Nearly 29 years ago, Selena Quintanilla-Pérez - mononymously known as Selena - died while working on her album, "Dreaming of You." She was 23 years old.
Selena officially started singing at a young age before releasing her first official LP, "Selena y Los Dinos," in 1984. From there, she dropped more projects that earned her accolades.
Her blossoming career, however, was cut short after former fan club president Yolanda Saldívar murdered her on March 31, 1995.
A Look Back at Selena's Murder
In March 1995, Selena and her family noticed the financial issues surrounding her fan club and fashion brand, pointing fingers at Saldívar after failing to send fans the items they bought. According to the Associated Press, the former fan club president also embezzled at least $30,000.
On March 31 of the same year, Selena tried to get the records back from Saldívar again at a Days Inn motel in Corpus Christi following her failed attempts. However, her visit led to her death as the suspect shot her in the back using a 38-caliber revolver.
Per AP, the single shot shattered an artery in her collarbone before exiting her chest and also affected her brain function afterward.
Selena was still able to run into the motel's lobby while Saldívar continued chasing her down. She informed the employees of the suspect's name and room number before collapsing and being rushed to Corpus Christi Memorial Hospital.
She was declared dead a few moments later.
During the court hearing, Saldívar claimed she shot Selena by accident. She maintained her innocence and filed for appeals after being found guilty of first-degree murder, but her life in prison sentence never changed.
Following the loss, her family publicly held a viewing at the Bayfront Convention Center, where over 60,000 fans came to pay tribute and show respect to the late singer.
My San Antonio reported that the public also attended a mass at Los Angeles Sports Arena.
Selena's remains reached their final resting place at the Seaside Memorial Cemetery in Corpus Christi, Tex., on April 3, 1995. Her funeral was private, though Texas Monthly noted it was broadcast live.
Her father, Abraham Quintanilla, Jr., appeared in an interview with People in 2020 and looked back at the tragic loss.
"When Selena passed away, I told my family that I was going to try to keep her memory alive through her music. And 25 years later I think we, as a family, accomplished that," said the patriarch.
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