CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — On the morning of March 31, 1995, Selena Quintanilla Perez was shot by the president of her fan club and her longtime friend, Yolanda Saldívar, in a Corpus Christi hotel room.
Selena later died at Corpus Christi Memorial Hospital from a gunshot wound to the back. It was a crime that shocked the community and the world.
She was only 23 years old, but her legacy would live on endlessly.
"She opened up the market for Mexican Americans," Texas A&M University Kingsville Professor Dr. Manuel Flores previously told 3NEWS. "For the first time, they realized that there was somebody that could push the market for, open up markets for all these different businesses to sell products."
28 years after her death, Selena's name is still one that brings attention. A posthumous album released in 2022, Moonchild Mixes, debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Latin Pop Albums chart. The album featured 10 Selena songs recorded when she was a teen that were remixed by her brother, A.B. Quintanilla.
On Thursday, the official Selena Twitter account shared a sweet memory of Selena and her band, Los Dinos.
"Selena’s humor & joking personality resonated w/ anyone she touched, inspiring positivity and motivation," the tweet said.
Her face continues to be on merchandise worn by fans, new and old. Bad Bunny, the world's top selling artist, was recently seen sporting a Selena shirt.
Lady Gaga, Selena Gomez and Jennifer Lopez are all stars that have been regularly seen in Selena merchandise.
If you live in or near Corpus Christi and expect to go pay your respects at her statue or gravesite today, be patient and respectful as there are likely to be some crowds.