These Celebrities Died Tragically Young

Selena Quintanilla, 23 Years Old

Selena was dubbed the most influential Mexican-American entertainer of the late 20th century. She dominated the Billboard 200 in the 90s, and most of her hits were written and released while she was in her very early 20s. After leaving her family band to pursue an intensely successful solo career, she and her guitarist Chris Perez eloped when she was 20 years old. She was murdered by her friend and fan club president, Yolanda Saldivar. Two weeks later, former President George W. Bush declared her birthday, April 16th, as Selena Day in Texas.