Who Is Jose Menendez? Wiki, Age, Wife, Family & Facts About Menendez brothers’ Father
Jose Menendez was a successful Cuban-American businessman who was brutally murdered by his own sons, Lyle and Erik Menendez, in 1989. His death, along with that of his wife Kitty, shocked the nation and sparked a sensational trial that captivated the public for years. But who was Jose Menendez, and what led his sons to kill him?
Jose Menendez Wiki/Bio
| Name | Jose Enrique Menendez |
|---|---|
| Birth date | May 6, 1944 |
| Birthplace | Havana, Cuba |
| Death date | August 20, 1989 |
| Death place | Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA |
| Cause of death | Homicide by shotgun |
| Nickname | Joe |
| Ethnicity | Cuban-American |
| Nationality | American |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Profession | Businessman |
| Spouse | Mary Louise “Kitty” Anderson (1964-1989) |
| Children | Joseph Lyle Menendez and Erik Galen Menendez |
| Parents | Jose Menendez Sr. and Maria Menendez |
| Siblings | Marta Menendez and Teresita Menendez |
| Education | Southern Illinois University and Queens College |
| Career | Executive vice president of Hertz, head of RCA’s record division, CEO and chairman of Live Entertainment |
| Legacy | Victim of one of the most notorious and controversial parricide cases in American history |
| Links | Wikipedia- @Lyle_and_Erik_Men IMDB- @nm0580036 Homepage- Newsunzip |
Birthday and Education
Jose Enrique Menendez was born on May 6, 1944 (age: 45 years, when died), in Havana, Cuba. He came from a wealthy and athletic family; his father was a prominent soccer player and accountant, and his mother was a champion swimmer. He had two sisters, Marta and Teresita.
When he was 16, Jose left Cuba and moved to the United States, fleeing the communist regime of Fidel Castro. He lived with a cousin in Pennsylvania and attended high school there. He was a bright and ambitious student who excelled in sports, especially soccer and tennis.
Jose Menendez won an athletic scholarship to Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, where he met his future wife, Mary Louise “Kitty” Anderson. They married in 1963 and moved to New York, where Jose completed his accounting degree at Queens College. He also passed the CPA exam and started his career in the business world.
Career and Success
Jose Menendez was a driven and hardworking man who climbed the corporate ladder with remarkable speed. He worked for several companies, including Coopers & Lybrand, Hertz, RCA, and Live Entertainment.
He was 35 when he became the executive vice president of Hertz, a subsidiary of RCA. He was in charge of the company’s international operations and traveled frequently around the world. He also became acquainted with many celebrities and influential people in the entertainment industry.
In 1980, he became the head of RCA’s record division, RCA-Ariola. He oversaw the careers of artists such as David Bowie, Elvis Presley, and John Denver. He was also responsible for signing Menudo, a popular Latin boy band, to the label.
In 1986, he left RCA and joined Live Entertainment, a video distribution company, as its CEO and chairman. He transformed the company from a struggling business to a profitable one, increasing its revenues and expanding its markets. He also acquired Carolco Pictures, a film production company that produced hits such as “Rambo” and “Terminator 2”.
Jose Menendez was earning millions of dollars a year and living a lavish lifestyle. He owned several properties, including a mansion in Beverly Hills, a condo in New York, and a ranch in Calabasas. He also collected expensive cars, art, and jewelry. He was a generous and charismatic man who donated to various charities and causes. He was also a proud and protective father who wanted the best for his sons.
Family and Problems
Jose Menendez and his wife Kitty Menendez had two sons, Joseph Lyle, born in 1968, and Erik Galen, born in 1970. The family moved to New Jersey, where Jose worked for Hertz, and then to California, where he worked for RCA and Live Entertainment.
Jose Menendez was a strict and demanding father who expected his sons to follow his footsteps and achieve greatness. He enrolled them in elite schools, hired tutors and coaches, and pushed them to excel in academics and sports. He also controlled their finances, personal lives, and career choices.
However, his sons did not share his vision or values. Lyle and Erik were rebellious and troubled teenagers who resented their father’s authority and pressure. They engaged in various misbehaviors, such as stealing, cheating, lying, and drug use. They also suffered from psychological problems, such as depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem.
According to the defense, Jose also abused his sons physically, emotionally, and sexually. He allegedly beat them, insulted them, and molested them from a young age. He also threatened to disown them or kill them if they ever exposed him or disobeyed him.
Jose relationship with his wife Kitty was also strained and unhappy. Kitty was a former beauty queen and model who gave up her career to become a homemaker. She was a loving and devoted mother who tried to balance her husband’s demands and her sons’ needs. She also struggled with alcoholism, eating disorders, and suicidal thoughts.
Jose Menendez was unfaithful to his wife and had several affairs with other women. He also planned to divorce her and leave her with nothing. He had a mistress named Judalon Smyth, who later became a key witness in the case.
Murder and Trial
On August 20, 1989, Jose Menendez and Kitty Menendez were watching TV in the den of their Beverly Hills mansion, when their sons, Lyle and Erik, entered the room carrying shotguns. They shot their father in the back of the head, killing him instantly. They then shot their mother, who tried to escape, multiple times in the chest, face, and arms, leaving her unrecognizable.
The brothers then staged the scene to look like a robbery gone wrong. They discarded their weapons and clothes, and drove to a movie theater to buy tickets as an alibi. They then went to a food festival and returned home later that night. Lyle called 911 and reported that their parents had been killed.
The police initially did not suspect the brothers, who acted grief-stricken and cooperated with the investigation. They also inherited their parents’ fortune, estimated at $14 million, and went on a spending spree. They bought luxury cars, watches, clothes, and properties. They also invested in businesses, such as a restaurant and a rock band.
However, the police soon found inconsistencies and contradictions in their statements and behavior. They also learned that the brothers had confessed to their murders to their psychologist, Dr. Jerome Oziel. Oziel had recorded their confessions and told his mistress, Judalon Smyth, about them. Smyth later informed the police and gave them the tapes.
On March 8, 1990, Lyle was arrested outside his Beverly Hills mansion. Three days later, Erik turned himself in after returning from a trip to Israel. They were both charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. They pleaded not guilty and claimed self-defense.
The trial of the Menendez brothers began in July 1993 and lasted for seven months. It was broadcast live on TV and attracted widespread attention and controversy. The prosecution argued that the brothers killed their parents out of greed and hatred and that they planned and executed the murders in cold blood. They presented evidence of their lavish spending, their inconsistent alibis, and their taped confessions.
The defense argued that the brothers killed their parents out of fear and desperation and that they acted in the heat of passion and under the influence of post-traumatic stress disorder. They presented evidence of their abusive upbringing, their psychological problems, and their remorse and guilt.
The jury was divided and unable to reach a verdict. The trial ended in a mistrial in January 1994.
The retrial of the Menendez brothers began in October 1995 and lasted for four months. It was not televised and had less media coverage and public interest. The prosecution and the defense presented similar arguments and evidence as in the first trial but with some differences. The prosecution focused more on the physical evidence and the motive, and the defense focused more on the emotional impact and the credibility of the witnesses.
The jury reached a verdict in March 1996. They found the brothers guilty of two counts of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. They also found special circumstances of multiple murders, lying in wait, and murder for financial gain. The brothers were sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. They were also ordered to pay $5 million in restitution to their parent’s estate.
Height, Weight
- Height: 6′ (1.83 m)
- Weight: Unknown
- Eye color: Brown
- Skin color: White
- Hair color: Black
Legacy and Aftermath
The Menendez brothers’ case remains one of the most notorious and controversial cases in American history. It raised questions and debates about the nature and causes of parricide, the effects and consequences of abuse, the role and ethics of the media, and the fairness and justice of the legal system.
The case also inspired and influenced various books, movies, TV shows, documentaries, and podcasts. Some of them are:
- “Menendez: A Killing in Beverly Hills” (1994), a TV movie starring Edward James Olmos and Beverly D’Angelo as Jose Menendez and Kitty Menendez.
- “Honor Thy Father and Mother: The True Story of the Menendez Murders” (1994), a book by William Phelps that chronicles the case and the trial.
- “The Menendez Murders: Erik Tells All” (2017), a documentary series that features interviews with Erik Menendez and other key figures in the case.
- “Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders” (2017), a TV series that dramatizes the case and the trial, starring Edie Falco as defense attorney Leslie Abramson.
- “Truth and Lies: The Menendez Brothers – American Sons, American Murderers” (2017), a documentary special that explores the case and the trial, with exclusive interviews and footage.
- “My Killing Season: The Menendez Brothers” (2018), a podcast that delves into the case and the trial, with commentary and analysis from experts and journalists.
- The Menendez brothers are currently serving their life sentences in separate prisons in California. They have maintained their innocence and their claims of abuse. They have also appealed their convictions several times, but without success.
- They have also expressed their remorse and their love for their parents and each other. They have also pursued their education and hobbies while in prison. Lyle has earned a bachelor’s degree in English literature and a master’s degree in human behavior. He has also married twice, first to Anna Eriksson, a former model, and then to Rebecca Sneed, a magazine editor. Erik has earned a bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s degree in religious studies. He has also married Tammi Saccoman, a former publisher.
- The Menendez brothers were reunited for the first time in 22 years in April 2018, when they were transferred to the same prison and housed in the same unit. They hugged and cried when they saw each other, and have since remained in contact and supported each other.
- The Menendez brothers’ case still fascinates and divides the public, as people wonder what really happened in the Beverly Hills mansion on that fateful night, and what drove the brothers to kill their parents. The case also raises questions about the nature of family, justice, and truth, and how they are shaped by society, media, and law.
Net Worth
| Year | Net worth |
|---|---|
| 1989 | $14 million |
| 1990 | $02 |
