CORPUS CHRISTI, Tex. — Latin music sensation Selena, a 23-year-old Grammy winner who delighted audiences with her unpretentious blend of bouncy pop and tender ballads, died Friday afternoon after being shot twice at a Days Inn hotel here, allegedly by a former business associate.
In a bizarre standoff with police, the woman suspected of shooting Selena locked herself inside a red pickup truck in the hotel parking lot, threatening to commit suicide. As at least 200 of Selena's fans swarmed the site, police tossed the woman a cellular phone and negotiated with her through the evening.
The suspect was allegedly a former employee in Selena's clothing boutique. Local media reported that the suspect had been accused of fraud, and had arranged to meet Selena in the hotel to turn over financial documents that the singer had requested.
While the parking-lot standoff unfolded against the backdrop of a nearby oil refinery, other devotees of Selena's lively music flocked to her suburban home in Corpus Christi. Shaken and grieving fans laid flowers outside her clothing shop in tribute to the slain star.
*
Meanwhile, many radio stations along the border dedicated much of their programming Friday to Selena's music--which she once described as a blend of country, polka and jazz. Weeping fans, some as young as 5, called in to request their favorite songs and mourn the loss of their role model.
Although she wore sexy bustiers and showed plenty of flesh during her energetic concerts, Selena was revered as a simple, girl-next-door type, devoted to her family, her music and her fans.
Her album, "Selena Live," won a Grammy last year for best Mexican American album. And her tune "Fotos y Recuerdos" (Photographs and Memories) currently ranks No. 4 on Billboard magazine's Latin chart.
"Selena was a superstar on the rise," said Jose Behar, president of EMI Latin Records. "But more importantly, she was a beautiful and wonderful human being. This is a total tragedy for all of us."
Born in nearby Lake Jackson, Tex., Selena Quintanilla-Perez became a hometown hero.
Her career took off in 1987, when she was named performer of the year at the Tejano Music Awards. Just 15, she had already gained fame as a "Tex-Mex" artist with broad appeal on both sides of the border.
"She had tremendous stage presence, a magnificent voice and great rapport with fans and her audience, which came through in her voice whenever she performed," said Susan Lietz, a spokeswoman for EMI Records Group North America.
