5 Celebrity Deaths That Started Cult Followings

Selena: 20 years after her death

This year Tejano music artist Selena Quintanilla would have turned 44 years old. Her life was cut short at 23 when she was murdered by the president and founder of her fan club on March 31, 1995. Her untimely death caused shockwaves beyond the Latino community, inspiring the 1997 film starring Jennifer Lopez as the late singer, and moving former President George Bush to rename April 12th as Selena Day in Texas. Selena is not the only celebrity to have a profound impact on fans posthumously. Bio looks at four other 20-something celebrities from the past 25 years whose unexpected deaths raised fanatical cult followings.

More than 50,000 fans from around the world came to mourn Selena’s death at her 1995 funeral and today millions more continue to keep Selena’s legacy alive through tributes online and in-person. Last year, the Love Selena website founder organized an annual Los Angeles meetup where fans could win rare Selena memorabilia. Though Selena’s popularity predated the Internet age, her talent continues to move fans who have taken to social media to create fan pages posting Rest In Peace messages, Instagram photos, and family news that keep her memory alive. Her looks, her style, and her warm personality won over not only Latinos but the American community at large. There are “lookalike” contests held on a regular basis, moving young women to show off their best Selena looks - after all, this is how Hollywood powerhouse Jennifer Lopez got her start! Currently, more than 13,000 fans are petitioning for a custom Selena beauty line in hopes of recreating her signature red-lip look. With a rise in newborns named after the late singer, there is no doubt that Selena carries on larger than life.

It's been two decades since Tejano star Selena Quintanilla-Perez was tragically shot to death. Her impact on music is still evident today, as people on Facebook and Twitter are posting and tweeting about the anniversary of her murder.

The Daily Share's Yasmin Vossoughian spoke to Alexis Tirado, editorial director of Flama, about Selena's murder, her fans, and take a look at rare photos of the pop superstar.