Abraham Isaac Quintanilla Jr., Selena Quintanilla‘s father, has died. He was 86.
His son, Abraham “A.B.” Isaac Quintanilla III, announced the news in an Instagram post on Saturday, Dec. 13.
“It’s with a heavy heart to let you guys know that my Dad passed away today,” Abraham’s only son wrote in his caption.
A.B. shared a photograph of his father and set the post to the tune of Pedro Infante’s “Cien Años.”
The family spoke out about the death in a statement a day later. “The Quintanilla family announces with deep sadness the passing of Abraham Quintanilla, beloved husband, father, and patriarch of the Quintanilla family, who passed away Saturday morning,” they wrote on Instagram.
“Abraham was a devoted family man whose life was marked by faith, discipline, and steadfast love. He was a guiding presence within his family and worked tirelessly to protect, provide for, and lead with integrity,” the family continued. “As the father and manager of Selena and Los Dinos, Abraham played an essential role in developing his children’s talents and helping share their music with the world. Throughout his life, he remained committed to honoring Selena’s legacy with care, responsibility, and deep respect.”
They concluded, “The family is grateful for the many expressions of kindness, prayers, and support they have received and respectfully asks for privacy as they grieve and reflect during this time.”
More details, including a cause of death, have not yet been made public.
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Abraham was married to Marcella Quintanilla. Together, they were parents to A.B. and Suzette Quintanilla, as well as Selena, who was tragically killed by her former fan club president, Yolanda Saldívar, in March 1995, when she was just 23 years old.
Selena and her band, Selena y Los Dinos, were managed by Abraham. A.B. played the bass, Suzette performed the drums and Selena’s husband, Chris Pérez, was the guitarist. (Before Selena’s career, Abraham sang in a band of his own called Los Dinos.)
A.B. previously told PEOPLE that Abraham’s early experiences in the music industry enabled him to recognize Selena’s talent. “There are a lot of families who think, ‘My kids are talented, they sing, they’re awesome,’ but my dad, as a musician, saw something that we didn’t,” he said in March 2020.
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