Selena Quintanilla Pérez was a 23-year-old Mexican-American singer shot to death on March 31, 1995, at the Days Inn in Corpus Christi, Texas. The woman accused of the killing, Yolanda Saldívar, had been president of Selena’s fan club and managed her boutiques. Investigators say Saldívar had been embezzling money; when that was discovered she was fired and then arranged to meet Selena at the motel to retrieve financial records.

As Selena tried to leave the motel room, Saldívar shot her once in the lower right shoulder. Selena died at Corpus Christi Memorial Hospital of hypovolemic shock despite efforts to save her.

The Latino community reacted strongly to the death, with large numbers of fans coming to pay respects; the public response was compared to the mourning after the deaths of John Lennon and John F. Kennedy. Saldívar was arrested and charged with first-degree murder; at trial she said the shooting was accidental and that she had been attempting suicide, but a jury convicted her and she was sentenced to life with the possibility of parole after 30 years. Anyone who knew Selena or has information about that day is asked to share what they remember.