Selena Quintanilla’s killer Yolanda Saldivar denied parole

Yolanda Saldivar – who was convicted of killing Selena Quintanilla in 1995 – has been denied parole.

Selena Quintanilla’s killer has been denied early release from prison.

Yolanda Saldivar was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole in 30 years back in 1995, after she was convicted of murdering the music star, and Saldivar has now been denied parole in Texas.

In a statement given to PEOPLE, the Texas Board of Pardons and Parole said: “After a thorough consideration of all available information, which included any confidential interviews conducted, it was the parole panels determination to deny parole to Yolanda Saldivar and set her next parole review for March 2030.”

The board cited the “nature” of the crime as the reason for denying parole.

The statement continued: “The record indicates that the instant offense has elements of brutality, violence, assaultive behaviour or conscious selection of victim’s vulnerability indicating a conscious disregard for the lives, safety, or property of others, such that the offender poses a continuing threat to public safety.”

Saldivar, 64 – who served as the president of the Selena fan club, but was fired from the role shortly before the murder – has always maintained that the shooting was accidental. What’s more, she suggested that her sentencing was influenced by Selena’s fame and popularity.

Speaking in the documentary ‘Selena and Yolanda: The Secrets Between Them’, Saldivar said: “I was convicted by public opinion even before my trial started.”

However, the parole board has refuted the suggestion, insisting that they followed the usual procedure with Saldivar’s case.

The board said in a statement: “As with any other initial review of an offender for parole, approximately six months prior to her parole eligibility, she went into the parole review process.

“An Institutional Parole Officer prepared her file for submission to the parole panel responsible for rendering the discretionary decision.

“Within that confidential file there is a plethora of information including but not limited to: court documents, offense reports, support/protest information, criminal history, institutional adjustment and information/statements provided by the offender. The file was then sent to a parole panel of three. A simple majority was required to either grant or deny parole.”