Selena released '' Entre a Mi Mundo '' ( 1992 ) , which peaked at number one on the US '' Billboard '' Regional Mexican Albums chart for eight consecutive months . The album 's commercial success led music critics to call it the " breakthrough " recording of her musical career . One of its singles , " Como la Flor " , became one of her most popular signature songs . '' Live ! '' ( 1993 ) won Best Mexican/American Album at the 1994 Grammy Awards , becoming the first recording by a female Tejano artist to do so . In 1994 , she released '' Amor Prohibido '' , which became one of the best-selling Latin albums in the United States . It was critically acclaimed as being responsible for Tejano music 's first marketable era as it became one of the most popular Latin music subgenres at the time . Selena and her guitarist , Chris Pérez , eloped in April 1992 after her father raised concerns over their relationship . On March 31 , 1995 , she was shot and killed by Yolanda Saldívar , her friend and former manager of her Selena Etc. boutiques . Saldívar was cornered by police when she attempted to flee , and threatened to kill herself , but was convinced to give herself up and was sentenced to life in prison with a possible parole after 30 years . Two weeks later , George W. Bush — governor of Texas at the time — declared Selena 's birthday Selena Day in Texas . Her posthumous crossover album , '' Dreaming of You '' ( 1995 ) , debuted atop the '' Billboard '' 200 , making Selena the first Latin artist to accomplish this feat . In 1997 , Warner Bros. released '' Selena '' , a film about her life and career , which starred Jennifer Lopez as Selena and Lupe Ontiveros as Saldívar . , Selena has sold over 65 million albums worldwide , making her the best-selling female artist in Latin music history
shot and killed
Murder of Selena
Selena