Let us take you back to the late ’90s, that was exactly when most people got curious about the man who went by the name and indeed, every other person that had Cunanan as part of their name. In this case, his father Modesto Cunanan became a person of interest as well.
The Cunanans didn’t become famous for good reasons but rather something which nobody would like to be associated with. Andrew was a serial killer whose killing spree culminated in the murder of Gianni Versace on 15th July 1997 on the steps of his Miami Beach mansion after he returned from a morning walk.
Find out more about him here, including the roles Andrew’s father – Modesto played, which many believed in one way or the other, hugely contributed to what Andrew turned out to be and his ultimate end.
Modesto Cunanan – Biography
Through the television series, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, we have been able to gain a lot of insight into who Modesto Cunanan is and his family. His full name is Modesto Pete Cunanan and he was born in the Philipines. Reports have it that he immigrated to the USA and served in the Navy, particularly during the Vietnam war.
During this time, Pete met an Italian-American woman named Mary Ann Schillaci at a bar in 1961 and instantly swept her off her feet. The duo became friends, later began dating and Mary was 6 months pregnant with their child when they got married. Later on, she bore Elena, their first daughter, their first son and second child Christopher followed next after which Andrew the youngest of the Cunanan children was born.
Though Andrew Cunanan was the youngest child in his family, everything seemed different with him and perhaps, it contributed to what and how he turned out to be. He was exceptionally smart with an IQ calculated to be 147 for which reason his parents, in particular, his father Modesto Cunanan, was pleased with him. Just like his wife, Pete believed that Andrew would turn out to be someone great. Thus, in other to realize this and in the best way he thought possible, Modesto showered Andrew with love, lots of love, even to the detriment of his other children and wife.
Andrew Cunanan’s brother revealed that their father gave Andrew everything he denied him and his sister Elena. Elena on her own part disclosed that Modesto even gave him a sports car in addition, he got the master bedroom when they moved into a bigger house. These were the very seeds Modesto planted which some people believed made Andrew Modesto live in a false world most of the time. For the things he didn’t have at home, he created fantasies and often lied to his peers about them. Thus, over time, he got known as a copious lier.
Through the revelations that have been made about the lives of the Cunanans, it was severally reported that Modesto Cunanan, to some extent, shared a lot of things in common with his son. He also lived in his own fantasy world at times and this probably led him to get involved in a case of embezzlement. In other to avoid arrest, he left his family behind and fled to the Philippines. At this point, seeing that his father who was the only person he got along with very well in their family was no longer available, the beast that has been growing up in Andrew Cunanan over the years took hold of him.
Andrew Cunanan had grown to be become identified as gay in high school, had liaisons with wealthy older men in, addition to which he frequented local gay clubs and restaurants. His serial killings began in Minneapolis on April 27, 1997, when he killed Jeffrey Trail with a sledgehammer following an argument. His next victims were David Madson, Lee Miglin, William Reese and Gianni Versace which became the straw that broke the camel’s back.
The police were unable to catch him after the murder but he would later come to die at his own hands. Modesto Cunanan’s son shot himself in the head in a luxury houseboat in Miami Beach on July 23, 1997. He stole the weapon from his first victim Jeff Trail and it was the same weapon he used to kill David Madson, William Reese, and Gianni Versace.
Other Interesting Facts About Andrew Cunanan’s Father
Modesto claimed his son was innocent
Immediately after he got news of the death of his son, Modesto Cunanan fled where he was taking refuge in a small town north of Manillas, Philippines. He left a note behind, maintaining that his son was innocent. He added that he had a Christian upbringing, was even an altar boy and that he doesn’t believe what the Americans were saying that he murdered Gianni Versace.
He believed Andrew Cunanan wasn’t gay
In addition to the above, Modesto also held firm to his belief that Andrew wasn’t gay, even when it is known that Andrew befriended wealthy gay men and even lived in the greater San Diego area at the time, despite having no job.
Also Read: Top 10 Richest People in the world with full biography and details.
