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Inside the secret life of Marcella Samora, the mother of murdered singer, Selena Perez

Marcella Samora

When someone becomes popular, other people such as family, relatives, friends, among others share out of that popularity. Marcella Samora, the mother of the late singer and performer Selena Perez is a beneficiary of her daughter’s fame. 

This article is a survey of not just the life of Marcella Samora but also that of her daughter, husband, her other children, background, net worth among other important details about her. 

Inside the secret life of Marcella Samora, the mother of murdered singer, Selena Perez 1

It also takes a look at what Marcella Samora and her family have been up to since the tragic death of her daughter, Selena Perez. 

Marcella Samora Background and Family

Marcella Samora was born on July 17, 1944, in the United States of America, and is most known as the mother of Selena Quintanilla, a late singer who went by the stage name Selena. She was the third child born to her and Abraham Quintanilla

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Marcella Samora is of Mexican-American and Cherokee-Indian ancestry, with a father from Amarillo and a mother from Colorado. She has avoided the limelight for most of her life, and nothing is known about her childhood or education.

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She respected her solitude and didn’t start attracting attention until she met Abraham Quintanilla Jr. She met her future husband in 1961 while he was stationed at a military post outside Tacoma, Washington, serving in the military. 

They married and began a family two years after they started dating. Abraham Quintanilla III, Suzette Quintanilla, and Selena Quintanilla would be their children. Marcella Samora was diagnosed with a tumor that needed to be removed before Selena’s birth, and it was when she was receiving a second opinion on the tumor that she found out she was pregnant.

The couple initially believed they were expecting a son, but Selena was born in 1971 instead. Abraham was already employed in the music industry at the time.

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Marcella Samora Age 

She is 77 years old.

Marcella Samora Birthday 

She celebrates her birthday every July 17th, 1944. 

Marcella Samora Marriage

Marcella Samora met Abraham Quintanilla Jr., who had been drafted into the military in October 1961 and was stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord near Tacoma, while living in Washington. On June 8, 1963, the pair married.

She gave birth to their first child, a son called Abraham Isaac Quintanilla III, on December 13th. Abraham received his release papers from active duty on the same day. Marcella, her husband, and their newborn boy moved to Abraham’s hometown of Corpus Christi, Texas, within a month.

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Inside the secret life of Marcella Samora, the mother of murdered singer, Selena Perez 3
Marcella Samora and her husband Abraham

Abraham was a member of the Los Dinos musical group before joining the military. He rejoined the group after his return. At numerous clubs, they performed American pop and rock and roll songs. Marcella and Abraham welcomed their eldest daughter, Suzette Michelle, on June 29, 1967. Abraham stayed with Los Dinos until 199 when he left the band. The Los Dinos were disbanded in 1974.

In the early 1970s, Marcella Samora and her family moved to Lake Jackson, Texas. By that time, Abraham had fully abandoned the music industry and had secured regular employment to support his wife and children. Marcella was diagnosed with a tumor in 1970 and told she needed to have an operation right away to remove it. She and her husband decided to seek a second opinion before proceeding with the treatment.

She was pregnant, according to the second doctor. They were also notified that they were expecting a second boy, and they chose the name “Marc Antony.” Marcella and Abraham’s daughter was born at Freeport Community Hospital on April 16, 1971. The name “Selena” was suggested by one of her roommates.

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Abraham gradually introduced each of their children to music as they grew older. Selena’s potential was obvious to him right away. He then founded Selena y Los Dinos, a new band based on his former band and centered around his children. In the early-mid-1980s, the family returned to Corpus Christi.

Marcella Samora met Chris Pérez, the lead guitarist for Selena y Los Dinos, in 1988 and eventually became her son-in-law through her youngest daughter. Marcella and Abraham were initially unaware of the marriage, which took place on April 2, 1992. They eventually took Pérez into their family after learning the truth.

Selena was at the pinnacle of her career at the end of 1994. She had a string of chart-topping albums under her belt, as well as a Grammy and a slew of other accolades. Abraham III and Suzette, Marcella’s two children, had also achieved success in the industry.

Who is Selena Quintanilla?

Selena Quintanilla-Pérez was a singer, songwriter, spokesperson, businesswoman, model, actress, and fashion designer from the United States. The majority of her followers dubbed her the “Queen of Tejano music.” She developed a love for music at a young age, having been raised by a musical father. She was able to create a career in music and delve into entrepreneurship with the help of her parents. She became one of the most well-known Mexican-American entertainers thanks to her significant contributions to music and fashion. Selena Perez was Marcella and Abraham’s last child and Charles Perez’s wife. Regrettably, the vocalist passed away on March 31st, 1995.

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Serena Perez Death

Yolanda Saldvar is someone the family had known for a long time. Saldvar, a self-proclaimed Selena admirer, wants to start a Selena fan group. In 1991, Abraham gave her his blessing and instructed her to serve as the organization’s president.

She was promoted to manager of Selena’s stores in January 1994. The family, on the other hand, quickly discovered that she had been embezzling money from the fan club and boutiques by using fraudulent checks and confronted her about it.

Saldvar then went out and bought a gun, got Selena to come to a motel room, and shot her in the back. Selena died on the route to the Corpus Christi hospital on March 31, 1995. At the time, she was 23 years old.

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Marcella Samora and her ddaughter amd her daughter Selena Perez

The rest of Marcella Samora’s family was ravaged. They did, however, got justice for their murdered daughter and sister. They received it when Saldvar was sentenced to life in jail with the option of parole after 30 years in October 1995.

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Abraham Quintanilla, Selena’s father, revealed to People magazine in March 2020 that he made a vow to his family 25 years ago when Selena died.

He explained: “When Selena passed away, I told my family that I was going to try to keep her memory alive through her music.” 

Marcella Samora Net Worth

How rich is Marcella Samora? As of late-2018, sources inform us of a net worth that is at $500,000, earned through success in her various endeavors. Her net worth has possibly been elevated by the success of her children, particularly Selena who had a net worth of around $10 million. Now in her ‘70s, Marcella’s wealth may not continue to increase.

What happened to Selena Quintanilla’s mom?

Marcella Samora was grieved by her daughter’s death. She did, however, seek justice for her murdered daughter. Yolanda received justice when she was sentenced to life in prison.

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What is Selena’s family up to these days? Her parents have worked hard to maintain her legacy alive since her sad death. The Selena Foundation, which aids children in need, was founded by the couple with the help of their daughter’s husband, Charles Perez.

Marcella Samora’s other children and other endeavors 

The death of Samora’s daughter Selena was widely reported around the world, and it was compared to the deaths of other high-profile musicians. The family took some time to move on, and they continue to push efforts to preserve Selena’s legacy to this day.

Her spouse made a biographical film about her life in 1997. Her children continued to work in the music industry, with her eldest kid Abraham, or A.B., going on to become a record producer.

Suzette, Samora’s second child, played in bands as a drummer before moving on to acting and marrying Bill Arianna. Samora and Abraham have been married for nearly 50 years and have three grandchildren.

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With time, Selena’s life began to fade from the public eye, and her death became a distant memory. Despite this, Selena’s ex-husband Chris Perez has remained committed to promoting his late wife’s legacy.

Selena is credited by many musical journals as one of the reasons why Latin music is so popular today. 

The Selena Foundation is a non-profit organization run by Marcella Samora, her family, and Pérez that promotes young underprivileged children to seek education and strive to be better human beings.

Marcella was played by Constance Marie in the 1997 movie Selena. Seidy Lopez plays her in the upcoming Netflix series of the same name.

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Grandchildren 

Marcella Samora has three children: Jovan Arriaga, Savani Quintanilla, Giani Quintanilla. 

Is Marcella Samora still alive? 

Yes, she is still alive but she lives a quiet life off the radar of the media.

While Selena’s death affected millions of people, it is still remembered as one of the most terrible events in music history. Marcella and her husband Abraham Quintanilla, on the other hand, are both living.

They have, however, kept a quiet profile since their daughter’s death. The Selena family is now in charge of their deceased daughter’s charity and enterprises. Despite the fact that Selena y Los Dinos did not survive Quintanilla’s death, music remains an important aspect of the family’s lives.

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Her brother, Abraham Quintanilla, is still a musician. He was also responsible for some of the biggest hits, such as Como la Flor, Amor Prohibido, and No Me Queda Mas, which he produced and wrote.

Marcella Samora is the mother of Selena Quintanilla – Perez, a deceased international pop sensation. She is well-known for her tenacity in seeking justice for her daughter.

She has also ensured that her daughter’s legacy is preserved through the right management of The Selena Foundation. She is a force to be reckoned with among many individuals all around the world

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