Jose & Kitty Menendez: Everything We Know About Lyle & Erik’s Deceased Parents

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The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story'

Image Credit: Netflix

The late José Enrique and Mary Louise “Kitty” Menendez were thrust back into the spotlight with Netflix’s Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez, which focuses on their murders committed by their sons, Lyle and Erik. The couple, who were in their 40s at the time of their deaths in 1989, were killed in their Beverly Hills, California, home. While their sons are incarcerated, José and Kitty are buried at Princeton Cemetery in New Jersey.

Lyle and Erik became infamous criminals following the case, reportedly spending around $700,000, according to Time Magazine. With renewed attention on the case, many are asking who José and Kitty Menendez were and what led to their deaths.

TRIAL OF BROTHERS LYLE & ERIK MENENDEZ, PARRICIDES (Photo by Ted Soqui/Sygma via Getty Images)

Why Did Lyle and Erik Kill Their Parents?

At the time of the murders, Lyle was 21 and Erik was 18. During their trial, which began in 1993, the brothers claimed they had been abused by their parents throughout their childhood, accusing José of sexual abuse and Kitty of drug addiction and alcoholism. In 1996, Lyle and Erik were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murders of their parents.

Erik confessed to his and Lyle’s actions during a therapy session with psychologist Dr. Jerome Oziel, who then told his mistress, Judalon Smyth. Smyth reported the information to the police.

What Did José and Kitty Menendez Do for Work?

José, born in Havana, Cuba, in 1944, moved to the United States in 1960, where he eventually met his wife, Kitty. He became a successful businessman, working for companies like Hertz and RCA Records, according to Today. Kitty, born in Illinois, married José in 1963. Early in their marriage, she worked as an elementary school teacher, but after starting a family, she became a stay-at-home mother, according to IMDb.