In the early-1990s, America saw the rise of a new pop star by the name of Selena Quintanilla-Perez, better known as simply Selena. Once she’d initially started her ascent to fame, she was approached by a fan named Yolanda Saldivar who wanted to start a Selena fan club. Flattered by the idea, Selena approved. Yet in early 1995, Selena fired Saldivar from her position as President of the Selena fan club after learning that Saldivar had been embezzling money. During a meeting between the two where Selena was attempting to pick up financial records from Saldivar, Selena was shot in the shoulder by Saldivar, eventually dying in a hospital from blood loss at the age of just 23.

On this day, October 23, 1995, Yolanda Saldivar is found guilty of murdering Selena in the first degree. She was sentenced to life in prison without parole eligibility for 30 years – the maximum prison term in the state of Texas at the time.

Selena will always be remembered for her fun-loving demeanor and upbeat songs. She had fourteen top-ten singles in the Top Latin Songs chart and in 1997 a film was made based on her life with Jennifer Lopez portraying her. Two weeks after her death, George W. Bush, then the governor of Texas, declared her birthday to be known as “Selena Day” in Texas.