SAN ANTONIO — Three decades later, Carlos Valdez remains available to answer questions, in English and Spanish, about his prominent first case. 

Valdez was the Nueces County district attorney and prosecuted the case against Yolanda Saldivar — the woman who killed Tejano star Selena Quintanilla-Pérez on March 31, 1995. 

Selena was a singer turned legend with a fanbase that continues to grow.

Saldivar received a life sentence for murdering Selena, and Monday marked thirty years since the crime, making Saldivar eligible for parole.

“The parole process is a process, not a hearing,” Valdez said. “There’s not one hearing. It’s a process that starts several months before they are eligible.” 

Saldivar was denied parole on Thursday.

The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles said in a statement that decision was made because of the nature of the offense. 

“I wasn’t surprised because I was hoping that if the system works the way it’s supposed to, she’s not going to be granted parole,” Valdez said. 

 Valdez says he sometimes sweats thinking about this high-profile case, but his position has stayed the same for 30 years.

“It is a simple case of murder. I kept repeating it, repeating it, trying to minimize the overall effect of the coverage, the worldwide coverage,” he said.

The trial was covered nationally, and Valdez felt the pressure to put Saldivar away. 

Saldivar has another parole review in 2030, but Valdez believes she hasn’t accepted full responsibility. 

“The only person responsible for the death of Selena and for her (Saldivar) being there where she is, is Yolanda Saldivar,” Valdez said. 

Valdez says Corpus Christi has felt empty with Selena’s absence. The grammy-winning artist was 23 we she was killed. 

“I can’t believe that 30 years has gone so fast. It always makes me sad. It’s something that will be like that forever,” Valdez said. “It was something take out of our hearts, out of our community. It can never be replaced.”

He says the only compromise is justice.