Suzette Quintanilla-Arriaga is the older sister of the late Tejano superstar Selena Quintanilla-Pérez. She played drums in the family band Selena y Los Dinos alongside her brother A.B. Quintanilla III on bass and Selena on vocals, and stepped away from performing after Selena’s death in 1995. Since 2016, she has served as CEO of Q Productions, the company that controls Selena’s estate, merchandising, and the Selena Museum in Corpus Christi. As of September 2026, she is also a defendant in a lawsuit filed by A.B., who alleges she withheld his contractual share of profits from Selena’s entertainment properties.
That lawsuit is why her name is trending in searches right now — so this piece covers both who she is and what’s actually happening in the case.
Quick Facts
| Full name | Suzette Michele Quintanilla-Arriaga |
| Born | June 29, 1967 |
| Known for | Drummer, Selena y Los Dinos; CEO, Q Productions |
| Sibling of | A.B. Quintanilla III (older brother) and Selena Quintanilla-Pérez (younger sister) |
| Spouse | Guillermo “Bill” Arriaga (married since 1993) |
| Children | One son, Jovan |
| Current role | CEO of Q Productions; oversees the Selena Museum and licensing of Selena’s name, image, and likeness |
| In the news for | Being sued by brother A.B. Quintanilla III in September 2026 over disputed Selena estate profits |
A Personal Note Before We Get Into It
When the lawsuit news broke, my group chat lit up within the hour — three different friends sent me the same headline within ten minutes of each other. We ended up on a call debating it like it was our own family drama, which honestly says a lot about how deeply the Quintanillas are woven into so many of our childhoods. One friend, who grew up going to the Selena Museum every summer, kept saying, “This is going to break so many fans’ hearts.” That conversation is honestly what pushed me to actually sit down and separate the facts from the noise here, instead of just reacting to headlines like everyone else was.
Who Is Suzette Quintanilla?
Suzette is a member of the Quintanilla family of Corpus Christi, Texas — the family behind one of the most influential careers in Tejano and Latin pop music history. She’s the daughter of Abraham Quintanilla Jr., who managed the family band and later the Selena business empire, and Marcella Quintanilla.
Family Background and Birth Order
It’s a common mix-up, so it’s worth stating plainly: A.B. Quintanilla III is the oldest of the three siblings, Suzette is the middle child, and Selena was the youngest. All three performed together as Selena y Los Dinos, with A.B. writing and producing much of the group’s music, Suzette on drums, and Selena as lead singer.
The band signed with EMI Latin in 1989, and over the next several years Selena became the breakout star, eventually crossing over into the English-language pop market before her death.
Life After Selena’s Death
Selena was murdered on March 31, 1995. In the aftermath, Suzette retired from performing and shifted her focus toward protecting and managing her sister’s legacy alongside the rest of the family. For over a decade, she ran the Selena Etc. boutiques, which expanded into department stores before closing in 2009.
Suzette Quintanilla’s Career Timeline
- 1982–1995 — Drummer for Selena y Los Dinos, performing alongside A.B. and Selena
- 1995 — Selena is killed; Suzette retires from performing
- 1994–2009 — Runs the Selena Etc. boutique business
- 2016 — Becomes CEO of Q Productions after her father, Abraham Quintanilla Jr., steps down
- December 2025 — Her father, Abraham Quintanilla Jr., reportedly dies
- March 2026 — Suzette and Q Productions reportedly file a federal lawsuit against SHEIN over alleged unauthorized use of Selena’s image on merchandise
- September 2026 — A.B. Quintanilla III files a lawsuit against Suzette and Q Productions over disputed estate profits
(Note: Abraham Quintanilla Jr.’s death date and the outcome of the SHEIN case are drawn from recent news coverage and should be confirmed against primary sources as more reporting becomes available.)
What Does Suzette Quintanilla Do Now?
Since 2016, Suzette has run Q Productions, the family company that manages nearly everything tied to Selena’s commercial legacy — licensing of her name, image, voice, and likeness, merchandising deals, and the ongoing operation of the Selena Museum, a major draw for fans visiting Corpus Christi.
Part of that job involves defending the estate from unauthorized use. In March 2026, Suzette and Q Productions reportedly filed a federal lawsuit against fast-fashion retailer SHEIN, alleging the company used Selena’s image and branding on merchandise without permission — a reminder that, more than three decades after her death, Selena’s name and likeness remain commercially valuable and Suzette has continued acting to protect them.
The A.B. Quintanilla Lawsuit, Explained
What the Lawsuit Alleges
On September 10, 2026, A.B. Quintanilla III filed a lawsuit in Nueces County Court against his sister Suzette Quintanilla-Arriaga and two related companies, Q Production Inc. and Q Productions Inc. According to reporting on the filing, the suit centers on a document known as the “Estate Properties Agreement,” reportedly signed by Chris Pérez (Selena’s widower), Abraham Quintanilla Jr., Marcella Quintanilla, A.B., and Suzette in the months following Selena’s death in 1995. That agreement is said to have entitled A.B. to 25% of net profits generated from Selena’s entertainment properties — her name, voice, signature, photograph, and likeness.
A.B.’s petition claims he has not received his full share of those profits since 2016 — around the time Suzette took over as CEO of Q Productions — and that he was not given the complete financial accounting he requested. The lawsuit seeks more than $1 million in damages, along with a full accounting of the estate’s finances going back to January 2016, and alleges breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty.
Suzette and Marcella’s Public Response
Suzette and her mother, Marcella, responded publicly on Instagram, disputing key parts of A.B.’s account. According to their statement, Suzette had not been formally served with any lawsuit and had received no court-filed complaint, summons, or petition regarding the allegations A.B. described publicly. They also said they were unable to locate a publicly filed case in available records at the time, and directly denied any wrongdoing, stating there was no theft involved.
What’s Confirmed vs. What’s Still Alleged
This is a case where it matters to separate what’s documented from what’s disputed:
Confirmed / on the record:
- A.B. Quintanilla III filed a lawsuit in Nueces County Court on September 10, 2026, naming Suzette Quintanilla-Arriaga, Q Production Inc., and Q Productions Inc. as defendants
- The suit seeks over $1 million in damages and a full financial accounting dating back to January 2016
- Suzette and Marcella publicly disputed aspects of A.B.’s account via Instagram
Alleged / disputed / not independently verified:
- Whether Suzette actually withheld any profits owed to A.B.
- The existence and exact terms of the “Estate Properties Agreement,” including whether it entitled A.B. to 25% of net profits
- Any reported total value of the Selena estate
- Whether Suzette has since been formally served with the lawsuit
None of the allegations in a civil lawsuit have been proven in court, and this is a civil matter — not a criminal case.
Current Status of the Case
As of this writing, the lawsuit is newly filed and contested, with Suzette’s side publicly denying the core accusations. No trial date, settlement, or court ruling has been reported. Because this is an active legal dispute, details are likely to change — readers following the story closely should check recent news coverage for updates rather than treating any single account, including this one, as final.
Suzette vs. A.B. vs. Selena — Clearing Up Who’s Who
The three siblings share a surname, a band, and now a headline-making family dispute, which makes it easy to mix them up. Here’s a quick side-by-side:
| A.B. Quintanilla III | Suzette Quintanilla-Arriaga | Selena Quintanilla-Pérez | |
| Birth order | Oldest | Middle | Youngest |
| Role in Selena y Los Dinos | Bass guitar, songwriter/producer | Drums | Lead vocals |
| Status | Living; continued music career after 1995 | Living; became a business executive | Died March 31, 1995 |
| Current role | Musician/producer; plaintiff in the 2026 lawsuit | CEO, Q Productions; defendant in the 2026 lawsuit | Subject of the estate both siblings are now disputing |
Quick Answers to Common Questions
Is Suzette Quintanilla older or younger than Selena?
Older. Suzette is the middle sibling; A.B. is the oldest, and Selena was the youngest.
Is Suzette Quintanilla married?
Yes, she has been married to Guillermo “Bill” Arriaga since September 1993. They have one son, Jovan.
What is Q Productions?
It’s the Quintanilla family’s entertainment company, originally founded by Abraham Quintanilla Jr., that manages Selena’s estate, licensing, merchandise, and the Selena Museum. Suzette has been its CEO since 2016.
Is the lawsuit against Suzette a criminal case?
No. It’s a civil lawsuit alleging breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty — not a criminal charge.
Has the lawsuit been resolved?
Not as of this writing. It was filed in September 2026 and is still active, with Suzette’s side publicly disputing the allegations.
About the Author
Faizan Babar is a writer at TheCrestMag covering celebrity news, entertainment, and the stories behind them. He focuses on separating verified facts from speculation in fast-moving entertainment stories, with a particular interest in how legacy artists’ estates and family businesses are managed long after the spotlight fades.
