CORPUS CHRISTI, Tx — Former Nueces County District Attorney Carlos Valdez shared his thoughts on the state's decision to deny parole for Selena Quintanilla's killer, Yolanda Saldivar.
On Thursday, the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles announced it had denied Saldivar's request for parole and set her next parole review for March 2030.
The decision was made 4 days shy of the 30th anniversary of Selena's death.
In March 31, 1995, Saldivar, the former president of Selena's fan club, shot and killed Selena in a room at the Days Inn Motel on Navigation Boulevard.
With the anniversary of this tragic event just days away, several media outlets, including KRIS 6 News and our sister station, KAJA Telemundo, reached out to Valdez, who is now in private practice, for an interview.
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Valdez said he received between 75 and 100 phone calls. So, he held an impromptu meeting with the media to answer everyone's questions at the Nueces County Courthouse.
He explained Sunday will mark 30 calendar years since Saldivar has been behind bars. He found out she was denied parole through an app alert from the media.
"I was not really surprised. The system is still functioning," Valdez said.
Valdez said he started trying Saldivar's case on the heels of the O.J. Simpson case. Simpson's case ended on a Wednesday. The following Monday, jury selection began in Houston for Saldivar's case. At the time, Valdez said many felt the system wasn't working.
The former D.A. said the state's move to deny Saldivar parole shows the system is still working.
"If you look at the trial transcript, just based on the trial transcript, she should not be released," Valdez said.
"But they also probably took into consideration all the interviews that she has done in the past 30 years. If you also take that into consideration, she should not be released.," Valdez said, ".
"The criminal justice system has many aims. It doesn't just punish people. When someone is sentenced to life in prison, and that's the sentence in this case. It's life in prison. It's not just to punish them for what they've done. It's also to try rehabilitate them. It's also to try to make them understand the seriousness of the offense. It's also to try to prevent from this from happening again. It's also to protect the public and protect the victims of the case and protect other people. In this case, if yo look at everything she has said for the last 30 years, you understand that you still have to protect the public. You still have to protect the victims. You still have to make sure there's some rehabilitation. If you talk to her today, she has not changed at all."
"She's still saying the same things,"
He said he was glad the state made the decision to deny Saldivar's parole. He said it's protecting the victim's family.
When asked what he had to say that this decision was made with Selena's anniversary was just around the corner, Valdez said Thursday was still a sad day for him.
"Anytime, I hear Selena's music, it still makes me extremely sad to hear the music, and she's gone. She's gone for no reason," he said.
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Even though it's said, he's still happy that the system worked for the public and Selena's family.
"She was sentenced to life in prison, not 30 years. She was sentenced to life in prison," Valdez said.
He explained there was a provision that allowed her to be eligible for parole as early as Sunday, March 30.
He explained that her review wasn't a court hearing but a long process during which the board collected evidence.
"I'm glad it's (justice system) still working the way it's supposed to," Valdez said.
Saldivar could apply to be released again in five more years.
Valdez said he hopes she shouldn't be released in 2030.
"When Selena can walk back to the warmth of her family, then Yolanda can go and be free with hers. If that never happens, she (Saldivar) should stay where she is."
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During his meeting with reporters, Valdez said Saldivar has been sitting in a prison cell for the past 30 years, and nothing has happened to her.
During this career, he's known of two instances when an offender was released from jail or prison and then turned up dead within two days.
"I think it would be dangerous for her to be released. I think the safest place in this whole planet for Yolanda Saldivar is where she is right now," Valdez said.
