Deborah Chan
Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, the Mexican-American singer, tragically died at the age of 23 in 1995. She was married to her husband, Chris Pérez, for almost three years before her murder. Their relationship began as forbidden love, as Selena's father, Abraham Quintanilla, did not approve of Chris. Despite the challenges, the couple eloped on April 2, 1992, and kept their marriage a secret. Selena's impact on the world and Chris's life continues to be felt today. In a Facebook post, Chris revealed that he still has both of their wedding rings, keeping them in a VERY safe place. This gesture symbolizes the enduring love and connection between the two, even after Selena's untimely death.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Selena Quintanilla's husband | Chris Perez |
| Date of marriage | April 2, 1992 |
| Selena's age at the time of marriage | 20 |
| Chris's age at the time of marriage | 22 |
| Selena's father's name | Abraham Quintanilla |
| Selena's cause of death | Shot by Yolanda Saldivar, the former president of her fan club |
| Date of Selena's death | March 31, 1995 |
| Selena's age at the time of death | 23 |
| Chris's current possession of wedding rings | Yes, as mentioned in a Facebook post |
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What You'll Learn
Chris Perez and Selena Quintanilla's relationship
Selena and Perez kept their relationship strictly professional in the early days. However, their feelings turned outwardly romantic during a band trip to Acapulco, Mexico. In his memoir, *To Selena, with Love*, Perez wrote that Selena was "truly free to be herself" during the trip, and they sat next to each other at dinner throughout.
After their wedding, the couple was no longer shy about their relationship. At the 1993 Tejano Music Awards, Selena publicly thanked her husband and told him that she loved him. The two also started an animal menagerie in their backyard, adopting five dogs and a python named Bugsy.
On March 31, 1995, Selena was shot and killed by Yolanda Saldivar, the former president of her fan club and manager of her boutiques. Selena's murder devastated Perez, who began abusing drugs and alcohol. He wrote a book about their relationship, *To Selena, with Love*, and continues to stay in touch with the Quintanillas.
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Selena's wedding ring's location
Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, the Mexican-American singer, tragically died at the age of 23 in 1995. She was married to her husband, Christopher Gilbert Pérez, for almost three years before her murder.
Selena and Chris first met when he joined her band, Selena y Los Dinos, as a guitarist in 1990. They eloped on April 2, 1992, and kept their relationship and marriage a secret, as Selena's father, Abraham Quintanilla, did not approve.
Following Selena's death, Chris shared a Facebook post commemorating what would have been their 25th anniversary, along with a photo of their marriage license. In the post, he wrote, "I still have both of our wedding rings. I have them in a VERY safe place."
While the exact location of the rings is not publicly known, Chris has confirmed that he still possesses them and keeps them securely stored. This statement provides a glimpse into the enduring love and devotion between the couple, even after Selena's untimely death.
Selena's impact on the world of music and her fans continues to be felt, and her memory is kept alive through her songs, her story, and the recollections of those who loved her, like Chris.
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Chris's life after Selena
Chris Pérez, the husband of Selena Quintanilla, was devastated by her murder and fell into drug and alcohol abuse. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, he said that he was "dead inside" and that it took all his energy to recover. He also said that he had finally allowed himself the freedom to move forward, but that it was not about forgetting Selena. Pérez wrote a book about their relationship in 2012, titled "To Selena, With Love". In it, he describes how their relationship developed while on a trip to Acapulco with her band, Selena y Los Dinos, of which he was the lead guitarist. He also talks about how Selena's father, Abraham Quintanilla, disapproved of their relationship and fired him from the band.
Pérez eventually formed the Chris Pérez Band and began writing songs for their debut album. They signed with Hollywood Records and released their first album, "Resurrection", which won a Grammy Award for Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album. The band disbanded after their second album, "Una Noche Mas" (2002). Pérez continued in the music business, playing with A.B. Quintanilla's groups, the Kumbia Kings and the Kumbia All Starz. He left these groups in 2010 and formed another band, the Chris Pérez Project, which included American singer Angel Ferrer.
In 2001, Pérez married Venessa Villanueva, whom he met through mutual friends, and they had two children, Cassie and Noah. The couple divorced in 2008. In 2021, Pérez gave an interview to E! Entertainment in which he credited Selena for encouraging him to love, even after her death. He also told CNN that he and Selena had talked about starting a family before she died.
In 2021, Pérez and the Quintanilla family resolved a long-running legal dispute over the production of a miniseries based on his memoir.
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Selena's death and its impact
On March 31, 1995, Selena Quintanilla, the Grammy-winning singer and icon known as the "Queen of Tejano Music" and the "Tex-Mex Madonna", was shot and killed by Yolanda Saldívar. Selena was just 23 years old. Her tragic and untimely death shocked the world, leaving a profound impact that is still felt today.
Selena's murder sent shockwaves through the music industry and her legions of fans, especially those of Mexican descent in her home state of Texas. To them, the day of her death was a "day of infamy" that eclipsed even the assassination of John F. Kennedy in its darkness and evil. The horrific details of her murder remain haunting even decades later. An autopsy revealed that the bullet entered Selena's upper right back, passing through her chest cavity and severing the right subclavian artery, causing her to rapidly bleed to death.
Selena's death had a devastating impact on her husband, Chris Pérez, who was deeply in love with her. They had eloped in 1992, keeping their relationship a secret at first due to opposition from Selena's father, who felt that Chris's image might damage her career. After their marriage, Selena and Chris were no longer shy about their relationship, and Chris became an integral part of her life and career. Selena's death left Chris bereft, and he struggled with drug and alcohol abuse in the aftermath. In interviews and his memoir, "To Selena, with Love", Chris has spoken about how Selena taught him to express love and emotion, and how her loss continues to affect him.
Selena's death also had a significant impact on the Latin music industry and popular culture. At the time of her death, she was on the cusp of releasing her first bilingual album, "Dreaming of You", which was posthumously released and became an immediate success, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. Selena's influence continues to be felt and celebrated through documentaries, television shows, and museums dedicated to her life and career. Her iconic wardrobe, awards, and memorabilia, including her tour bus, serve as reminders of her lasting legacy.
Selena's killer, Yolanda Saldívar, was sentenced to life in prison without parole for 30 years. Saldívar, a former friend and employee of Selena, had been the manager of her boutiques and the president of her fan club. Their relationship soured when Selena and her family discovered that Saldívar was embezzling funds and stealing money. Despite her claims that Selena's death was an accident, Saldívar was found guilty of murder and has been denied parole multiple times, with her next hearing scheduled for 2030.
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Chris and Selena's marriage
Christopher Gilbert Pérez, born on August 14, 1969, in San Antonio, Texas, is an American guitarist best known as the lead guitarist for the Tejano band Selena y Los Dinos. He married the frontwoman of the group, Selena Quintanilla, on April 2, 1992, after a forbidden romance.
Selena and Chris's relationship began in secret, as Selena's father, Abraham Quintanilla, did not approve of the pairing. Despite his initial disapproval, the couple continued their relationship, even after Abraham fired Pérez from the band and forbade Selena from seeing him. Eventually, Selena and Chris decided that eloping was the only way to be together. On April 2, 1992, they married in a casual ceremony at a Texas courthouse, with Selena aged 20 and Chris 22.
After their wedding, the couple was no longer shy about their relationship. At the 1993 Tejano Music Awards, Selena publicly thanked her husband onstage after accepting the award for Female Entertainer of the Year. The couple also started an animal menagerie in their backyard, adopting five dogs and a python named Bugsy.
Selena and Chris were married for almost three years before Selena was tragically murdered on March 31, 1995, by Yolanda Saldívar, the former president of her fan club. Selena's death devastated Pérez, who turned to drugs and alcohol to cope. He later formed his own band, the Chris Pérez Band, and won a Grammy Award for their debut album "Resurrection".
Nearly three decades after Selena's death, Pérez continues to honour her legacy through social media posts and interviews. He has also written a book about their relationship, titled "To Selena, with Love", and continues to play music with various bands.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, they eloped on April 2, 1992, and were married for almost three years.
Selena Quintanilla was murdered by Yolanda Saldívar, the former president of her fan club, on March 31, 1995.
Yes, in a Facebook post, Chris Perez wrote, "I still have both of our wedding rings. I have them in a VERY safe place."
