Erik stated, "As I went into the room, I just started firing. It was their goal to inherit their parents' fortune that drove them to murder their parents. [19] They collectively spent approximately $700,000 before their arrests. Jose was a successful businessman who was also an executive for RCA. Under cross-examination, Cox conceded that the last time he saw Kitty Menendez was in February, 1987. 0 cemeteries found in Princeton, Mercer County, New Jersey, USA. Aug. 20, 1989, Beverly Hills, California: . Kitty was born as Mary Louise Andersen on October 14, 1941 in Oak Law, Illinois as the youngest child and younger daughter of Charles Milton Andersen (1906- 1990) and Mae Helen (ne Maloney; 1911- 1984). You spoke at the memorial service, didnt you? she asked. At some point, Kittys Mercedes-Benz was stolen from their driveway. Before long, the blame for their slaying was pinned on their sons, 21-year-old Lyle and 18-year-old Erik, and the story of the Menendez brothers would soon captivate America. He moved to the US when he was 16, and met Mary Louise "Kitty". Since they were considered to be maximum-security inmates, they were segregated from other prisoners. Prosecutors contend the brothers killed out of hatred and greed. It was the strangest I had ever seen her, Hercz said. Jose, a Cuban immigrant, had made himself into a successful . There she met her future husband, Jose Menendez, whom she married in 1964. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. [3], The couple's first son, Joseph Lyle Menndez, who goes by his middle name, was born on January 10, 1968, in New York. Kitty rarely disciplined her sons and often left them to fend for themselves at a very young age. Ted Soqui/Sygma/Getty ImagesLyle and Erik Menendez were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. In the evening of August 20, 1989, while in the family room of their Beverly Hills home, Kitty and Jose were shot by their sons, Lyle and Erik, who were both armed with their Mossberg 12 gauge shotguns. 2 of 5. Both Jos, an entertainment executive, and Kitty Menendez, a teacher and stay-at-home mother, were killed in their Beverly Hills estate by 15 rounds from two 12-gauge shotguns, reportedly leaving both bodies almost unrecognizable (via The U.S. Sun).The legal defense team for Lyle and Erik Menendez claimed the boys were physically, sexually, and emotionally abused by their father, and that the . (@HorrorHoneys) November 26, 2013. Kitty Menendez was shot in the leg, arm, chest, and face, leaving the 47-year-old unrecognizable. The security in Beverly Hills was decent, and although the house had a security system, Jose often left it off. Trivia. Before that, Jose Menendez represented the 124th District in the Texas House of Representatives between 2000 and 2015. https://t.co/4Nf6IhQnpW pic.twitter.com/0w18ucsUn7, The outlet describes one witness who testified in trial a guest who sat near Jose during a banquet, and claims that at one point, Jose turned to Lyle and said, Shut up, you dummy., Investigative journalist Dominick Dunne covered the Menendez brothers trial and wrote an article for Vanity Fair in 1990 titled Nightmare on Elm Drive. In the article, Dunne details a trip he took from New York to LA, during which he met a teenage boy who was returning to California after a sojourn in Europe. He struck up a conversation with the boy, and learned he lived in the same general area as the house where Kitty and Jose were shot. Jose Menendez with Erik (left) and Lyle (right) was a ruthless perfectionist with high ambitions for his sons. She was a communications major and participated in the radio broadcasting program where she learned how to produce dramas for radio. On August 20, 1989, she and her husband were shot to death in their living room while watching television together. Fast drei Jahre hatte es gedauert, den Mord an Jos und Kitty Menendez - und die Mrder, die Shne Lyle und Erik, endlich vor Gericht zu bringen. Youre just living like a ghost among people that are alive., #truecrimetuesday The Menendez murder house, courtesy of my #DearlyDepartedTour with @DeathHag <3 pic.twitter.com/kgIdpZPYka, The Horror Honeys? [44][45], On June 12, 1999, Erik married Tammi Ruth Saccoman at Folsom State Prison in a prison waiting room. The defense, meanwhile, said the brothers acted in self-defense, and had been abused by their father for years. Make sure that the file is a photo. Family members linked to this person will appear here. The brothers returned to the house later that night and Lyle phoned the police, shouting, "Someone killed my parents! Erik was 18 at the time of the murders, and Lyle was 21. Her home life was very unhappy, with a cruel, abusive father and a despondent, battered mother. Jose and Mary Louise "Kitty" Menendez were married in 1964. In 2005, Tammi self-published a book, They Said We'd Never Make It My Life with Erik Menndez, but she said on CNN's Larry King Live that Erik also "did a lot of editing on the book. His mother was a swimmer who had been elected to Cuba's sports hall of fame. She was a senior at SIU when she met Jose, and received her BS degree in communications. . Their families didnt approve of the relationship either, Kittys family didnt approve because of Joses Cuban heritage, and Joses family didnt approve because they believed Kitty was in a lower social class because she was a child of divorce. But Kittys brother, Brian, said: The idea that Erik and Lyle were abused by my sister Kitty is absolute insanity. And Deputy District Attorney Pamela Bozanich agreed. Initially, Jose and Kitty lived in New York City, where Jose obtained an athletic scholarship at Queens College and Kitty . concerned for lack of conscience, narcissism, and sociopathy they exhibit.". Joseph Lyle Menendez (born January 10, 1968) and Erik Galen Menendez (born November 27, 1970) are American brothers who were convicted in 1996 for the murders of their parents, Jos and Mary Louise ("Kitty") Menndez. He expressed his belief that the brothers committed the crime for the money and stated that there had been no evidence of abuse of any kind. 200. 1934) and Brian (1940- 2017). Over the next twenty years, the family had moved to Princeton, New Jersey, where their sons, Joseph and Erik, were born, and then to Beverly Hills, California, where Jose worked in the Carolco Film Company as an executive. [16], In the months after the killings, the brothers began to spend extravagantly on luxury items, businesses, and travel. When Dunne asked the boy if he knew the Menendez brothers, the boy responded no, as they were older than him. [50] In late 2017, A&E aired a five-part documentary titled The Menendez Murders: Erik Tells All, in which Erik describes via telephone the murders and the aftermath. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. It was the most awful devastation. And it's just something very special that I never thought that I would ever have."[48]. La polica investiga inicialmente el doble homicidio con vnculos al negocio de Jos Menndez que tiene vnculos con el crimen organizado, mientras los hermanos Lyle y Erik se van de compras para asistir al funeral de sus padres. They soon fell in love, and following Kitty's graduation from SIU with a BS Degree in Communications, they moved to New York City, where Jose obtained an athletic scholarship from Queens College. Enrique Menendez was born on May 6, 1944, in Havana, Cuba. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Im afraid for her life: Riverside CC womens coach harassed after Title IX suit, Six people, including mother and baby, killed in Tulare County; drug cartel suspected, Want to solve climate change? Lyle Menendez claimed his father forced him to perform oral sex on him. After that Vander Molen told Kitty Menendez and she did not believe what Lyle said. She graduated a year after Brian in 1959. Failed to remove flower. Following the murders, Lyle and Erik led the police to believe that their parents deaths were connected to organized crime. They were brought up in the lavish Beverley Hills by their affluent parents. Jose was a businessman whose family migrated from Cuba to Illinois after. Read on to learn more about Jose and Kitty Menendez. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. The "someone" he blamed remained to be identified at the time, but the call - and the . Henry Howard Holmes, The Devil in the White City, Charles Ng & Leonard Lake, Family Slayers, Richard Speck, A New Kind of Mass Murderer, Timothy Jay Vafreades, The Vampire Trucker, 17 Odd Details Behind The Horrific Menendez Brothers Homicides, forced his sons to perform oral sex on him. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. The Menendez brothers will never be released from the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego, California. Erik fired into his mothers leg, arm, and chest. Their deaths seemed to come at the hands of burglars, which left locals in mortal fear until months later when authorities realized this hadn't been a robbery gone wrong, at all. At the time of their deaths, Jose and Kitty lived in a $5 million Beverly Hills mansion, that was once home to Elton John and Michael Jackson, according to the Los Angeles Times. Lyle is the oldest brother, he was born in 1968, and his brother Erik was born in 1970. Lyle had been held at Mule Creek State Prison in Northern California but made a request to transfer to the Richard J. Donovan facility to be closer to his brother. The brothers were arrested in 1990. There is a problem with your email/password. No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. Approximately $14 million is expected to be the net worth of Jose and Kitty Menendez. They had a privileged upbringing but as they got older, allegations of physical and s*xual abuse by their father began to . Initially Police thought the killings to be a mob-hit, but soon discovered otherwise. Try again. Pretending to go to the movies to see the James Bond film, "License to Kill," the two boys returned to find their parents watching television together. A 1993 article in the LA Times described Kitty as needy, pathetic, athletic, disorganized, suspicious and spacey, and reported that in trial, a former neighbor, Alicia Hercz, testified that she had been acting strange the three weeks before being killed by Erik and Lyle. A memorial service was also held for them on August 25 in California. When Kitty was young, her father left her mother for a younger woman which left Kitty with deep emotional scars. Kitty Menendez worked as an elementary school teacher but retired when Lyle Menendez was born on Jan. 10, 1968. Andersen proved to be abusive, and the parents consequently divorced when Menendez was still a child. Both brothers were indicted on Dec. 7, 1992, and tried for first-degree murder separately. I have two more photos that I found and will be uploading shortly. Despite her initial unhappiness, Kitty moved with Jose and Erik to Calabasas, California. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. I break into a cold sweat. They successfully eliminated themselves as suspects in . By the time the brothers had emptied their weapons, Jose sat dead on the couch while Kitty lay dying next to him in a pool of her own blood. In 1980, Jose began working for RCA as the chief operating officer, and made roughly $500,000 a year, reports the LA Times. After they were married, Kitty and Jose struggled for money. )[16], During the early stages of the investigation, police tried to narrow their search to suspects who had motives to kill Jos and Kitty. His family disapproved of her because she was a child of divorce, while her parents distrusted Menendez merely because he was Cuban. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. [17] Erik hired a full-time tennis coach and competed in a series of tournaments in Israel. Painful. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. Weve updated the security on the site. She attended college at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois. While studying communications and production in college, Kitty Menendez participated in the Miss Oak Lawn beauty contest and won, drawing the attention of a charming Cuban immigrant named Jose Menendez. The brothers' cousin, Andy Cano, said that as a child, he was told by Erik about the sexual abuse, which they both described as "penis massages. Erik also spent some time at Pleasant Valley Prison in Coalinga, California. Courtesy Brian Anderson In 1996, the brothers were convicted of first-degree murder in their parents' deaths and were sentenced to two consecutive life prison terms without the possibility of parole. Dr. Oziel testified that the brothers stated that they killed their parents because their father was an overbearing presence in their life, and their mothers death was a mercy killing because she was so miserable and wouldnt be able to live without Jose. Lyle was 21 and Erik was 18 when they fatally shot Jose and Kitty Menendez on August 20, 1989, in the family's Beverly Hills home. On September 7, 2005, a three-judge panel denied both their habeas corpus petitions,[42] although Judge Alex Kozinski stated that the trial judge changed many of his rulings during the two trials. Lyle and Erik Menendez, charged with first-degree murder, admit that they killed their parents Aug. 20, 1989, but testified that they acted in fear and self-defense after years of abuse. Inside The Curious Question Of The Great Emancipator's Race, What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch. Hope there rotting in hell right now! Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. [22], In August 1990, Judge James Albrecht ruled that tapes of the conversations between Erik and Oziel were admissible evidence since Oziel stated that Lyle allegedly threatened him and violated doctorpatient privilege. Lyle and Erik spent much of their sentences held in different prisons in California. The brotherscontinued to fire away, sending blood and body parts flying everywhere inside the den. Lyle was 21 and Erik was 18 when they fatally shot Jose and Kitty Menendez on August 20, 1989, in the family's Beverly Hills home. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. A staff writer for All Thats Interesting, Marco Margaritoff has also published work at outlets including People, VICE, and Complex, covering everything from film to finance to technology. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? There was a problem getting your location. Since the brothers had disposed of the physical evidence, there was nothing connecting them back to the homicides. Kitty Menendezs sister later confirmed some of the brothers claims, saying that there had been weird sexual events in her sisters home. He became the father of two sons, Lyle Menendez and Erik Menendez, and was a stern and demanding father. In one of the most famous Hollywood murders of all time, Erik and Lyle Menendez entered their home and murdered their parents, Jose and Mary Louis "Kitty" Menendez with a shotgun. He said his mother washed his body until he was 13. Starting from scratch, he graduated from Southern Illinois University and became a licensed CPA. We have set your language to Jose and Kitty Menendez were a successful Hollywood movie industry couple, but he had affairs and she drank and took Valium. Jose Menendez was born to a prosperous family in Havana, Cuba. Kitty Menendez certificate of . Now serving life in prison, the brothers will never see the free world again. For the second trial, they were tried together by a single jury, which found them guilty, and as a result, they were sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Kitty was upset with Joses repeated extra marital affairs. The family only stayed in Calabasas for two years. The Menendez saga has captivated the American public since 1989. Upon hearing this, Kitty Menendez allegedly dragged Lyle to bed and berated her sister, claiming the children could drive a wedge between a husband and wife. Testimonies during trial alleged that Jose took group showers with his sons after tennis, and that Kitty would turn up the volume on the TV when he dragged them into their room and shut the door. He was known among show business celebrities and had a successful career in the industry. The Supreme Court of California ruled in August 1992 that most of the tapes were admissible with the exception of the tape on which Erik was recorded discussing the murders. Kitty Menendez, who over the years was needy, pathetic, athletic, disorganized, suspicious and spacey, "all kinds of contradictory things," simply seemed strange three weeks before her sons. [11] Jos was shot 6 times, including the fatal shot in the back of the head with a Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun. This is a carousel with slides. [18] They also dined expensively, and went on overseas trips to the Caribbean and London. Both were held without bail and kept separate from each other. As their investigation continued, police began to suspect that the brothers were the most likely perpetrators because of the obvious financial motive and their exorbitant spending after the killings. 100. Lyle Menendez fired the first shots at Jose Menendez, with one hitting the back of his head. On October 24, 1995, (the retrial of Lyle and Erik Menendez) Amanda Grier testified that she had sold Erik two 12-gauge Mossberg shotguns two days before the murders. In a particularly gruesome detail, the brothers actually had to leave the den where the shooting took place and retrieve more bullets from their car to reload. We improvised. On August 20, 1989, Lyle and Erik Menendez shot and killed their parents. Despite the disapproval, Kitty and Jose started talking of marriage shortly after they began their relationship, and they eloped in New York in 1963 after Kitty graduated from college. Lyle told her about how he was being sexually abused by his father and what he did to them. The brothers say . One of Jose's assignments was to audit Lyon Container. It's so frightening I just haven't come to terms with it. They married in 1964. September 1993. Lyle Menendez took the allegations even further when he claimed on the witness stand that his mother sexually abused him. By the age of four, both had grown up in the opulent Beverley Hills. Her mother, Mae Helen, worked in an airport before meeting her husband. This is rare footage of the actual crime scene and of the bodies being carried. The Menendez brothers used a Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun to shoot their father Jos in the back of the head. This led to Kitty believing that divorce was the worst thing to happen in a womans life. Lyle then ran to his car to reload, and then fired the fatal shot to her face. They were first tried separately, with one jury for each brother. "[27] Diane Vander Molen, another cousin of the brothers, stated that she once told Kitty about Jos's molestation of Lyle, although Kitty told her that it was false. Thanks for your help! Search above to list available cemeteries. ' Jose eventually uprooted his family to Calabasas, California, in 1987, where he worked as the CEO of LIVE Entertainment. The newlyweds briefly lived with Joses parents before moving out. On a warm summer evening, the two brothers crept into the den of their home where Jose and Kitty Menendez were sleeping and fired into their skulls. In his interview with ABC, Lyle says, Youre not living in the reality of what has occurred and why it occurred with anyone in your life Emotionally youre a ghost. When the first Menendez trial began in July 1993, the . Failed to report flower. 100. Jan. 5, 2017. November 27,1970. Jose convinced her to come back, but according to his brother-in-law, this was more for their sons than it was out of love for her. Almost seven years after the murders, in 1996, after two highly publicized trials, Lyle and Erik were found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder and were sentenced to serve two consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole. During the trial, prosecutors argued that the brothers murdered their parents to inherit their familys fortune according to the NY Times, Jose and Kittys will made their sons the sole beneficiaries of a $14 million estate. He would often humiliate her in public, put her down, and tell her to shut up. Jose and Kitty Menendez were murdered by their two sons, Erik and Lyle, in 1989. He is known to the public, alongside his wife Kitty, as the victim of a double homicide committed by their sons Lyle and Erik in August 1989. Joseph Lyle Menndez (10 de enero de 1968) y Erik Galen Menndez (27 de noviembre de 1970) son dos hermanos estadounidenses, conocidos por su condena en un juicio muy publicitado por los asesinatos con arma de fuego de sus padres en 1989. The disturbing double-homicide had been in motion for months and involved the calculated purchase of 12-gauge Mossberg shotguns. In the years following her death, Kitty Menendez has been portrayed as either a loving wife and mother or as a hopeless, suicidal, alcohol and drug abuser, who cared more about her social status than about the welfare of her children. Jose Menendez is a member of the Democratic Party and represents the 26th District in the Texas State Senate. Roger R. Smith, who was second in command at Van Nuys-based Live Entertainment, said Jose Menendez once spelled out his potent management credo: Ive always thought it far better, Roger, to be feared than loved.. The killing of Jos and Kitty Menendez on a quiet Sunday evening in Beverly Hills didn't make the cover of People magazine. He and his brother, Erik murdered their parents with shotguns. On August 20, 1989, Jos and Mary "Kitty" Menendez were shot to death in their Beverly Hills home. Jose Menendez and Kitty Menendez were the parents of the Menendez brothers (Erik and Lyle). Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. He assumed office in his current role on 4th March 2015 and was re-elected in the general election of 3rd November 2020. The request was approved by the prison board and he was transferred to the facility. August 20, 1989. [25] Represented by their defense lawyer, Leslie Abramson, the brothers stated that they killed their parents out of fear for their lives after a lifetime of abuse at the hands of their parents, especially sexual abuse at the hands of their father, who was described as a cruel perfectionist and pedophile. "[46][47] In an October 2005 interview with ABC News, she described her relationship with Erik as "something that I've dreamed about for a long time. When asked if they forgive Erik and Lyle for murdering Jose and Kitty, with . He then snagged a lucrative job as an RCA executive and left New York for Los Angeles. Fue el segundo hijo de siete hermanos, del matrimonio de Manuel Menndez lvarez (originario de Peaflor, Grado) y de Mara Menndez Granda, ambos labriegos de modesta condicin. Erik and his brother Lyle gunned down their father, Hollywood executive Jose Menendez, as well as their mother, former beauty queen Kitty Menendez, at close range inside their Beverly Hills mansion. Murder Victim. According to Erik, Kitty had expressed that the early years of her marriage was the closest that she and Jose had ever been. "[46], In 2010, A&E released Mrs.Menndez, a documentary about Tammi. Photo: Courtesy of Lifetime. 100. None of the allegations of sex were ever provenor reported to authorities prior to the witness stand defense. The couple's young sons,. Both of their families were opposed to the marriage, his because her parents were divorced, hers because of Jose's Cuban heritage. 4 I take it, Mr. Smith, that you did not like Jose Menendez at all, Bozanich said. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. In 1987 she attempted suicide, ingesting a bottle of sleeping pills. That was a very lonely night. On Aug. 18, 1989, Erik and Lyle Menendez purchased two shotguns at Big 5 Sporting Goods in San Diego, California, 100 miles from their home. The Menendez brothers claimed to have killed Jose and Kitty after being subjected to years of abuse by their father. [13][14], Immediately after the killings, both brothers remained in the house, expecting police to respond due to the noise of the gunshots. Oops, we were unable to send the email. His father was a well-known soccer player who owned his own accounting firm. At the time of her death, Kitty was 47 years old. Jose transferred from SIU to Queens College where he studied more diligently than he had at SIU. Try again later. [4][5] Kitty quit her teaching job after Lyle was born, and the family moved to New Jersey, where Erik was born on November 27, 1970, in Gloucester Township. [8], In 1986, Jos's career as a corporate executive (he had recently joined the company then known as International Video Entertainment) took the family to Beverly Hills, California. Simpson and Scott Peterson are . Lyle and Erik Menendez with their father Jose, who they would murder along with mother Kitty. While Blood Brothers focuses on the abuse Lyle and Erik say they suffered at their father's hands, Lyle claimed he was also sexually abused . On March 4, 2003, a magistrate judge recommended the denial of the petitions,[41] and the district court adopted the recommendation. The force of the shotnearly decapitated him. While Kitty was still a child her father abandoned the family to move in with a mistress. The brothers started to spend money excessively which drew the attention of the police. This account has been disabled. On Aug. 20, 1989, 21-year-old Lyle Menendez and his 18-year-old brother Erik stormed into their Beverly Hills mansion. In 1963, they eloped, shortly after Betty received her BS degree in communications. Lyle described Kitty as a woman who was in a lot of pain who was abused by her husband both emotionally and physically. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. In 1963 the couple got married and moved to NYC. In high school, he was a high achiever and won an athletic scholarship, but could not afford to attend an Ivy League college. Southern Illinois University . In 1963, they eloped, shortly after Betty received her BS degree in communications. Lyle and Erik Menendez are serving their Albrecht's ruling was appealed, after which the proceedings were delayed for two years. When I do, I do it with a great sadness and a primal fear. However, Lyle requested to be housed with Erik, and in April of 2018 was moved into the same unit as his brother. Jose and Kitty Menendez are seen here in this undated family photo. His father was a well-known soccer player who owned his own accounting firm. In 1963, they eloped, shortly after Betty received her BS degree in communications. They are serving life sentences without the possibility of parole over the fatal shootings of their parents Jose and Mary Louise "Kitty" Menendez. After killing their parents, the two men picked up the spent shell casings, and calmly went to see the movie in order to establish their alibi. She was described by Joses sisters as not a very carrying or protective mother. Tammi later stated: "Our wedding cake was a Twinkie. In three years, from 1986 to 1989, annual revenue at Live Entertainment soared from $40 million to $400 million. In 1962, her senior year at SIU, Kitty had met Jose Menendez, a freshman who was three years younger than her, and they were soon in love. According to Lyle, while in California, Kitty and Jose seemed to be more of a couple and Jose was treating Kitty better. After Lyles birth, Kitty quit her teaching job and became a stay-at-home mom. Calls that the woman secretly recorded of the stormy affair are also played in court", "Menendez v. Superior Court (People) (1992)", "Menendez Brothers Plead Innocent in Killings: Court: Grand jury indictment means trial in the deaths of their parents could begin in March", "Lyle Menendez on 'Skepticism' of His Sexual Abuse Claims Which Prosecutors Call an 'Excuse', "87-CA v. Menendez: OPJ: Lyle Menendez Jury Instructions", "Legal Loophole Could Give Murderous Brothers Erik And Lyle Menendez Chance For New Trial", "Little Remains of Menndez Estate, Records Show: Courts: Inheritance of $14.5million was lost to taxes, lawyers' fees and inflated real estate appraisals, probate files reveal", "Menendez Lawyer Won't Face Investigation", "Menendez brothers who killed parents reunited in California prison", "Parent-killing Menendez brothers "burst into tears" upon reuniting for first time since sentencing", "Menendez brothers convicted of killing parents reunite in jail", "United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit", "Should single guys trade their pinstripes for prison stripes? 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, Erik, Mary Louise 'Kitty', Jose, and Lyle Menendez, Jose Menendez was a businessman in California from Cuba, Erik and Lyle claimed to have killed Jose and Kitty after being subjected to years of abuse by their father, The Menendez brothers are serving life sentences without the possibility of parole over the fatal shootings of their parents, Jose and Kitty were murdered by Lyle and Erik, Lyle was 21 and Erik was 18 at the time of the fatal shootings, The Menendez brothers are serving life sentences. [10], On the evening of August 20, 1989, Jos and Kitty were standing in the den of their Beverly Hills mansion when Lyle and Erik entered the den carrying shotguns. When was Erik Menendez born? For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. Her father owned a heating and air-conditioning company and provided well for the family. North Hollywood psychologist Edwin S. Cox said Kitty Menendez saw suicide as a way to get back at her husband for his longtime affair, carried on with a woman in New York. He had demanded perfection from them on the tennis courts, soccer pitches, and the lap pools where he angrily coached them. Contents 1 Early Life and Education 2 Higher Education and Meeting Kitty Kitty had also grown depressed and even overdosed on Xanex. Having exhausted their appeal remedies in state court, they filed separate habeas corpus petitions in the United States District Court. Ultimately, Erik confessed to his therapist, Dr. Jerome Oziel. After high school, Kitty attended Southern Illinois University. Erik provided the fatal blow into his mothers face. There was an error deleting this problem. Please enter your email and password to sign in. Sorry! Lyle and his brother received life sentences with no chance of parole. With a flurry of shotgun rounds, the brothers violently killed their parents, Jos and Kitty, doing enough damage to their bodies to render them nearly unrecognizable. Decades after the double murder, Lyle, now 53, expressed regret over his parents deaths. [26], The allegations against the couple were supported by two family members during their testimonies. But he was experiencing marital problems and his relationship with both sons was deteriorating. But in 1959, this seemingly idyllic life was uprooted. But Lyle and Erik Menendez would later claim in court that their father had been abusive. According to a memorial bio written by Kit Benson(a Law Enforcement Officer and Detective in NC for ten years) and Morgan Benson(a member of the Civil Air Patrol, The Retired Officers Association, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the Society of American Military Engineers), Kitty was born on October 14, 1941, in Cook County, Illinois. History According to his sister Marta, when Jose was five years old, their father would go on long trips leaving their mother very lonely. In her opening statement, attorney Leslie Abramson said the single most important issue is why Jose and Kitty Menendez were killed by their children. Her life ended and our lives essentially ended all because of this fateful decision. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. Yvonne Hemsey/Getty ImagesKitty Menendez was buried in Princeton, New Jersey. Jos Menndez Birth Name: Jos Enrique Menndez Birth Date: May 6, 1944 Birth Place: Havana, Cuba Death Date: August 20, 1989 Place of Death: 722 N Elm Drive, Beverly Hills, California Age: 45 Cause of Death: Homicide - gunshot wounds Cemetery Name: Princeton Cemetery Claim to Fame: Crime and their Victims Associates: Kitty Menndez They testified that their parents had been psychologically, emotionally, physically and sexually abusive towards them and they believed that their parents would kill them to prevent family secrets from being exposed. Following their conviction for premeditated murder and conspiracy to commit murder, both boys were given consecutive life sentences without benefit of parole. Brothers Lyle and Erik Menendez were convicted in 1996 of the brutal double murders of their parents after two explosive trials. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. Each trial was deadlocked in January 1994 and declared a mistrial. A 1962 picture of eighteen-year-old Jose Menendez and older sister, Terry (Menendez) Baralt (R), with their goddaughter, baby Marta, the daughter of Marta Cano (L) Jose Menendez with sons Erik (L) and Lyle (R). cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Testimony was limited Friday to the morning. Lyle Menendez testified that Jose took photos of the brothers' "private parts" in the shower, bathtub, or when they were changing clothes. Embittered, she turned into a moody and depressed child and had few friends. Murder In The Family: Lyle and Erik Menendez killed their parents, Jose and Mary Louise https://t.co/ZCQIu8oXIU pic.twitter.com/OCheAI2E6b, Bonnie Kernene (@mylifeofcrime) November 24, 2015. [6][7] In New Jersey, the family lived in Hopewell Township and both brothers attended Princeton Day School. 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Were brought up in the opulent Beverley Hills a full-time tennis coach and competed in series... Lyle said & quot ; and conspiracy to commit murder, both boys were given consecutive life sentences no... Bozanich said, chest, and received her BS degree in communications with additional graphics ( borders,.! That his mother washed his body until he was known among show business celebrities had. Kitty after being subjected to years of abuse by their two sons, Lyle and Menendez! But Kittys brother, Erik murdered their parents & # x27 ; s sports hall of fame but they..., whom she married in 1964 andersen proved to be a mob-hit, but the call - and the in. Kitty Menendez was in February, 1987 tab and here you can add or update the service! Both sons was deteriorating 18 ] they also dined expensively, and brother! Shoot their father, Jose Menendez was shot in the United States District court double murders their. Been reported and will not be visible while under review was to audit Lyon Container - and.... Was appealed, after which the proceedings were delayed for two years had disposed of bodies... I had ever seen her, Hercz said want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive in. $ 700,000 before their arrests, this seemingly idyllic life was uprooted, allegations of sex ever... Time at Pleasant Valley prison in Coalinga, California in 1970 by two family members to. Have two more photos that I found and will not be visible while under review from Richard. Photos tab of fame having exhausted their appeal remedies in State court, they were from..., narcissism, and chest Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois 1963 the couple got married moved. While her parents distrusted Menendez merely because he was transferred to the homicides Jan. 10, 1968, whom married... 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