Kitty Menendez (born Mary Louise Andersen on October 14, 1941, in Oak Lawn, Illinois) was primarily known as the mother of Lyle and Erik Menendez. She married José Menendez in 1963 after meeting him at Southern Illinois University, where she was studying communications and he was a swimming scholarship athlete who had emigrated from Cuba. The couple settled in New York City and later near Princeton, New Jersey, raising their two sons, Lyle (born 1968) and Erik (born 1970). Kitty initially worked as a schoolteacher but became a full-time homemaker to focus on family life at her husband's urging[2][5][8]. José Menendez was a successful entertainment executive and CPA, holding senior roles at RCA and later leading International Video Entertainment. The family was relatively private and lived in a gated Beverly Hills mansion, where their sons attended private school[2][4]. Kitty Menendez’s life came to a tragic and widely publicized end on August 20, 1989, when she and her husband were murdered in their home by their sons, Lyle and Erik. The killings shocked the nation and led to one of the most notorious trials of the 1990s. Prior to her death, witnesses described Kitty as appearing confused and strangely distracted, which some defense attorneys later used to build a psychological profile during the trial[3][4][7]. Her story remains significant largely due to the highly publicized Menendez brothers case, which continues to generate public and media interest decades later, with ongoing developments related to the brothers' incarceration and potential release[6]. Kitty Menendez’s life and death have been portrayed in various media dramatizations, highlighting the complex and tragic circumstances surrounding her family[3].