The woman who killed Tejano music icon Selena in 1995 has been denied parole

HOUSTON (AP) — The woman convicted of killing Tejano music legend Selena Quintanilla-Perez has been denied parole after spending decades behind bars for fatally shooting the young singer at a Texas motel in 1995, the state’s parole board announced Thursday.

Yolanda Saldívar will continue serving a life sentence at a prison in Gatesville, Texas, after a three-member panel of the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles voted to not release her. In a statement explaining the denial, the board said the panel found that Saldívar continues to pose a threat to public safety and that the nature of the crime indicated “a conscious disregard for the lives, safety, or property of others.”

Her case will be eligible to be reviewed again for parole in 2030.

The singer known to her fans as simply Selena was one of the first Mexican-Americans to make it into the mainstream music scene and was on the verge of crossing over into the English-language pop market when she was killed.

Saldívar founded Selena’s fan club and had been the manager of the singer’s clothing boutiques, Selena Etc., until she was fired in early March 1995 after money was discovered missing.

Selena a Corpus Christi native, was 23 years old when she was shot in the back with a .38-caliber revolver at a Days Inn motel in Corpus Christi on March 31, 1995. She was able to run to the motel lobby where she collapsed, and she was pronounced dead at a hospital an hour later.

Motel employees testified that Selena named “Yolanda” in “room 158” as her attacker.

“I didn’t mean to do it. I didn’t mean to kill anybody,” a sobbing Saldívar said during a nine-hour standoff with police. She told police she had bought the .38-caliber revolver to kill herself.

More than 50,000 people lined up to view Selena’s body the day before she was laid to rest in Seaside Memorial Park on April 3, 1995, just 13 days before her 24th birthday.

Saldívar’s trial was moved to Houston because of the publicity surrounding the case. Saldívar testified that she had intended to kill herself during the confrontation with Selena, but that the gun misfired.

On October 23, 1995, a jury in Houston convicted Saldívar of first-degree murder. She was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 30 years.

While in prison, Saldívar — a former nurse — obtained her paralegal and associate degree in criminal justice and has filed several civil rights complaints alleging mistreatment by the state’s prison system, according to court records. She also helped other inmates to file petitions.

In court documents filed in 2016, Saldívar said she was being held in protective custody — meaning she was segregated from other inmates — because prison officials were concerned for her safety due to the “high profile” nature of her case. She filed several appeals of her conviction but all were rejected.

Selena — “the Queen of Tejano” — rose to stardom and won a Grammy during a Tejano music boom in the early 1990s. Her hits include “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom,” “Como la Flor,” “Amor Prohibido,” “No Me Queda Mas” and “Tu Solo Tu.”

“Dreaming of You,” her English-language crossover album released a few months after her death, topped the Billboard 200, and featured hits “I Could Fall in Love” and “Dreaming of You.” Jennifer Lopez played the singer in “Selena,” a 1997 biopic.

The Grammys awarded Selena a posthumous lifetime achievement award in 2021.

East Texas boy sells record setting pig for over $500,000 at Houston Rodeo

HOUSTON – An impressive feat happened at this years Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. 12-year-old Dallas Martinez sold his championship market barrow pig for $501,000. That broke the old record by over $100,000. According to our news partner KETK, Martinez, who is currently in sixth grade at Center ISD, was named Junior Market Barrow Grand Champion. Dallas is also the first Hispanic student to win the Championship title.

Martinez has been competing in major stock shows since he was 9-years-old and showing pigs since he was 3-years-old . He will take home $50,000 and the rest of the money will go directly to charities supported by the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

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Marshall names a new city manager

MARSHALL – In a Monday night neeting, the Marshall City Council has named Melissa Byrne Vossmer as the new City Manager. Vossmer has been serving as interim City Manager since October 2024.

Vossmer has built a lengthy career with city manager posts in Lago Vista and Angleton, Texas and Lawton, Oklahoma. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from St. Mary of the Plains College and a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Kansas.

Vossmer said in a press release from the city, “I am excited to officially step into this role. Working with Marshall’s dedicated staff and residents, I’ve discovered we have much to be grateful for here. We will keep working side by side, building on our progress, and finding new ways to strengthen and invest in Marshall’s future.”

Vossmer added, that she is committed to maintaining an open-door policy with residents in regards to city matters.

Most families of Walmart shooting victims wanted the case to end, El Paso DA says

(THE TEXAS TRIBUNE) District Attorney James Montoya said he decided against seeking the death penalty against the man who killed 23 people and wounded 22 others in a racist attack at an El Paso Walmart because most of the victim’s families wanted the case brought to a conclusion.

As a result, Patrick Crusius, 26, will plead guilty April 21 to capital murder and aggravated assault charges and be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
“I believe in the death penalty. I believe that this defendant deserves the death penalty for what he did,” Montoya said at a news conference Tuesday afternoon, a day after he notified most of the families of those killed of his decision on whether to seek capital punishment.

“What changed? The answer to that, what changed was I sat down and spoke to the victims, each of them, individually,” said Montoya, who was elected in November and took office in January. “It became clear, as we met with the families one by one, that there is a strong and overwhelming consensus that just wanted this case over with, that wanted finality in the court process.”
Montoya acknowledged that some of the families wanted prosecutors to continue seeking the death penalty, and that he has heard criticism from the community for his decision. He said some families of those killed have become frustrated with the judicial system and no longer talk with the District Attorney’s Office.
He said if he had continued to pursue the death penalty, the case might need to be moved out of El Paso and families could have to wait until 2027 or 2028 for a trial in the Aug. 3, 2019, mass shooting at the Cielo Vista Walmart.

“And after speaking with the families and giving them this assessment and speaking through with them what they truly want out of this process, as I mentioned, it became very clear that the vast majority of them want this case over and done with as quickly as possible,” the district attorney said.
What victims’ families say

Jessica Garcia, who was injured in the shooting, said she felt torn about Montoya’s decision. Garcia’s husband, soccer coach Guillermo “Memo” Garcia, was the last victim to die from the shooting. He was hospitalized for nearly nine months before succumbing to his injuries.

Her daughter Karina, now a teenager, asked her mother Monday what decision would have been good enough – a question Garcia still doesn’t know how to answer.
“My kids will never know again what it’s like to be with their father,” Garcia said. “My mother-in-law can never have her son replaced. It’s never enough. I don’t think there’s any justice in this world that would be enough.”

Garcia said a part of her wants the case to be over so Karina and her son “little Memo” can move on. She doesn’t want them to relive tragedy with every upcoming development in the case, every news story, every condolence expressed. But Garcia also feels disappointed in the decision to not seek the death penalty. 

She met with Montoya in his office when the district attorney was still deliberating over the decision. Garcia said Montoya walked her through the process of a death penalty case, explaining it could take years from conviction to sentencing to possible appeal to the day of lethal injection itself. Montoya noted the El Paso serial killer who has sat on death row for more than 32 years, she recalled.

To Garcia, giving up on the death penalty feels like giving up on Memo. It feels like giving Crusius exactly what he wants, even if his execution conflicts with her Catholic belief to avoid an “eye for an eye” retribution.

“Little Memo is oblivious, he doesn’t know what’s going on,” Garcia said. “For Karina, how do I tell her as a mom I want them to leave it in the past, but leaving it in the past doesn’t mean we’re leaving daddy in the past or that we gave up on him or that we didn’t seek enough justice for him?”
Karla Romero, whose mother, Gloria Irma Márquez, 61, was among those killed at the Walmart, told El Paso Matters that people should turn their focus to preventing future violence.

“This highlights the evident systemic issues that continue to impact the justice system. Aside from the systemic problems, we must address racism, radicalization and violence that consume our society’s overall health. Education serves as a tool to address these issues; knowledge is key. Through awareness, we shed light on these issues, and being aware of them sparks ongoing conversations that benefit our community,” Romero said.

“We must invest in our education and pour resources into the education of El Paso County. It is imperative that we continue to strive to develop equity in the socioeconomic, health and educational aspects of our community to reduce susceptibility to the risk of prolonged violence. Violence is a moral responsibility and a call for action for state governors, policymakers, and the community. 

“Lastly, in honor of my mother’s memory, I am first her daughter above anything else; therefore, I call everyone into action to be an interventionist for peace.”

The judge presiding over the case, 409th District Judge Sam Medrano, issued a gag order in 2022 that prevented attorneys and potential witnesses in the case – including injured victims and family members of those killed – from talking to the news media about the  case. At Montoya’s request, Medrano lifted the gag order Tuesday.
Defense lawyer, El Paso’s bishop react to the decision

Crusius, of Allen, Texas, drove 10 hours from his home to El Paso on Aug. 3, 2019, and opened fire outside and inside the Cielo Vista Walmart. Before entering the store, he posted an online screed that spewed racist rhetoric and said he wanted “to stop the Hispanic invasion of Texas.”
The attack was the deadliest in modern U.S. history targeting Hispanics. Most of the hundreds of people in the Walmart that Saturday morning were Hispanic or Mexican nationals doing routine shopping.

Crusius, then 21, was arrested shortly after the shooting while driving on Viscount Boulevard behind the Walmart and Cielo Vista Mall. Investigators said he confessed to the shooting.
In addition to the state charges of capital murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, Crusius also faced federal weapons and hate crimes charges, which carried a potential death sentence. But the U.S. Justice Department decided against seeking the death penalty in 2023, and Crusius quickly pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 90 consecutive life terms in federal prison.

Federal officials didn’t say why they didn’t seek the death penalty, but that the sentencing hearing in July 2023 both defense lawyers and prosecutors said Crusius had been diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, a mental health disorder often characterized by hallucinations.

Montoya said the decision on where Crusius will serve his sentence will be made by state and federal prison officials. U.S. District Judge David Guaderrama recommended that Crusius serve his sentence in the so-called “supermax” prison in Colorado, but prison officials aren’t bound by that recommendation.

Joe Spencer, one of the attorneys representing Crusius in the state and federal cases, said Montoya made the right decision.

“I think Mr. Montoya really had no choice in what he wanted to do. I think he’d have done more harm to this community if he had tried the case. I don’t think there would have been anywhere near the type of closure that some members of the community thought they might get by a jury trial,” Spencer said in an interview with El Paso Matters.

El Paso Catholic Bishop Mark Seitz, who has cited church teachings on the sanctity of life in opposing the death penalty for Crusius, praised Montoya’s decisions.

“As followers of Christ, we believe in the sanctity of every human life and remain opposed to the death penalty even in the face of this hateful and violent act. While we believe that the community needs to be protected from anyone who would commit such a crime, our community will not be safer or better by seeking more bloodshed,” Seitz said.

Montoya said he has long believed that Crusius’ fate should be decided by an El Paso jury.

“But, in my opinion, the benefits of having a trial to the detriment of the families is simply not worth it,” he said at the news conference. 

Montoya said actions by former District Attorney Yvonne Rosales – who resigned in 2022 – complicated the prosecution of the case. Montoya lost the Democratic runoff to Rosales in 2020, and a number of prosecutors handling the Walmart case – including Montoya – were pushed out or resigned.

Rosales’ aides also were accused of targeting the Juárez family of one of those killed at the Walmart, Alexander Gerhard Hoffmann, because they didn’t go along with efforts to attack Medrano and a former prosecutor in the case. No charges were ever brought, though Rosales and Assistant District Attorney Curtis Cox invoked their Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination when questioned about the alleged scheme in court, and process servers were unable to find another Rosales aide, El Paso attorney Roger Rodriguez. 

“It really breaks my heart that a representative of this office, a representative of the state of Texas, engaged in that misconduct. At the end of the day, it doesn’t change the facts about this case, and her conduct as a whole contributed to the delay,” Montoya said. “But the misconduct that her and her colleagues engaged in, to me, weighed very little in the ultimate decision of bringing this case to an end.”

Rosales could not be reached for comment.

Montoya said he continues to believe prosecutors could have convinced a jury to sentence Crusius to death, although there is no certainty of that and a single juror could block the death penalty.

“This defendant will die in the penitentiary. He will not get out. He will die in prison. And fundamentally, that’s what this comes down to is, are we going to drag this out for a year, two years, for decades so we can stick a needle in his arm?” he said.

The original article can be found at The Texas Tribune.

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Marshall native and heavyweight champ George Foreman, dies at 76

MARSHALL (AP) — George Foreman, the fearsome heavyweight who lost the “Rumble in the Jungle” to Muhammad Ali before his inspiring second act as a 45-year-old champion and a successful businessman, died Friday night. He was 76. Foreman’s family announced his death on social media.

“A devout preacher, a devoted husband, a loving father, and a proud grand- and great-grandfather, he lived a life marked by unwavering faith, humility and purpose,” his family wrote.

A native Texan, Foreman began his boxing career as an Olympic gold medalist who inspired fear as he climbed to the peak of the heavyweight division by stopping Joe Frazier in 1973. His formidable aura evaporated only a year later when Ali pulled off one of the most audacious victories in boxing history in Zaire, baiting and taunting Foreman into losing his belt in one of the greatest fights ever staged. (more…)

David Rancken’s App of the Day 03/21/25 – Skinny Desserts!

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Wood County officials searching for man considered ‘armed and dangerous’

WOOD COUNTY – The Wood County Sheriff’s Office is looking for a man in Hainsville they consider armed and dangerous. According to our news partner KETK, officials say Walter Hall allegedly led officers on a vehicle chase after was was reportedly caught breaking into a home. Officers said that Hall reportedly crashed his vehicle near the intersection of FM 778 an FM 49 in Hainsville, near the Old Hainsville Baptist Church.

Hall is described as a white man who was last seen wearing a blue shirt, blue jeans and white baseball cap. Officials remind homeowners that Wood County deputies, the Mineola Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety troopers and K9 units are currently searching the area. Anyone not living in the area is asked to stay away while the search is being conducted.

The Wood County Sheriff’s Office asks if anyone has information on Walter Hall, to please call them at 903-763-2201.

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East Texas counties with burn bans

TYLER – Lack of rain, combined with dry conditions and high winds have some counties in East Texas issuing burn bans. Our news partner KETK, has a running list of those counties. You can find that list here.

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