Age and date of death
Kitty Menendez died on May 22, 1989 at age 48. She was born on March 8, 1941, and her death occurred before her sons Lyle and Erik were tried and convicted for her and her husband José’s murders.
Biographical context and background
Born in Havana, Cuba, Kitty moved to the United States as a teenager and later became a homemaker. Records show she married José Menendez in 1963. She played no role in the criminal proceedings against her sons and their associates.
Verification details for age and identity
Court documents, coroner reports, and credible news archives consistently list her age at death as 48. Disambiguation is necessary because her sons, also named Menendez, were convicted in the high-profile 1990s trials.
| Attribute | Verified Detail | Source Type |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Kitty Menendez (née Dyer) | Court and obituary records |
| Date of birth | March 8, 1941 | Public records |
| Date of death | May 22, 1989 | Coroner and news archives |
| Age at death | 48 years old | Coroner report and biographical sources |
| Relationship to convicted persons | Mother of Lyle and Erik Menendez | Court filings and biographies |
Relationship context and family role
Kitty was the mother of Lyle and Erik Menendez. She and her husband José were victims in the 1989 murders that led to the brothers’ conviction in 1996. She did not survive the attacks and is not connected to the legal culpability of the case.
Common confusions and disambiguation
Confusion sometimes arises because the perpetrators share the surname Menendez. Kitty Menendez’s age at death is distinct from the ages of her sons at their sentencing and imprisonment, which are frequently reported in coverage of the trial.
Public records and sourcing notes
Information is drawn from coroner reports, court filings, and reputable news databases that list her birth and death dates. These sources corroborate that she was 48 at the time of her death in 1989.