Abraham Quintanilla Jr., father of Tejano icon Selena, dies at 86

Abraham Quintanilla Jr., father of slain singer Selena Quintanilla Perez, has died at 86.

Abraham Quintanilla Jr., father of slain singer Selena Quintanilla Perez, has died at 86.

Quintanilla Jr.’s death was announced Saturday on Instagram by his son, Abraham “A.B.” Quintanilla III.

“It’s with a heavy heart to let you guys know that my Dad passed away today,” the younger Quintanilla wrote in his caption next to a photo of his father.

The cause of death was not revealed.

Quintanilla Jr. rose to prominence as a music producer and a driving force behind his daughter’s global success. Before Selena’s 1995 murder, Quintanilla helped usher in an unprecedented era of popularity for Tejano (“Tex-Mex”) music — and following her death he devoted himself to promoting and protecting Selena’s legacy.