Manuel Benitez (September 28, 1969 â€" December 23, 2008), who went by
the stage name Mark Everett, was an American child actor in Hollywood
films and a fugitive wanted by the FBI for the murder of his
girlfriend in 2004. On December 23, 2008, he was shot and killed by
police officers responding to a hostage situation in El Monte,
California.Manuel Benitez was the illegitimate son of the
internationally famous bullfighter Manuel Benitez, known as "El
Cordobés" (not to be confused with the younger bullfighter with the
same name who claimed to be El Cordobés' illegitimate son-known in
bullfighting circles as "The Pretender"). Spanish paparazzi followed
the real El Cordobés and Benitez's mother, Alina Elizabeth Velasco
throughout the world as they partied through the 1970s. Their
relationship ended in a bitter five-year court dispute, with Velasco
moving to Los Angeles to hire the famous palimony lawyer Marvin
Mitchelson to seek support for her and her son who seemed a natural in
Hollywood.Benitez was nine years old when he began his acting career.
His early roles in Hollywood were guided by child agent, Iris Burton.
He was fairly successful, starring in commercials, TV shows and
movies. His roles included parts in Be Somebody... or Be Somebody's
Fool!, Pee-wee's Big Adventure and Stand and Deliver. He also appeared
in the TV shows Galactica 1980 and Highway to Heaven.Benitez had no
major acting work since 1988 when he met Stephanie Spears in 1996. The
two moved in together and had one child, Benjamin Everett. Benitez
never told Spears or anyone else about his former days as a child
actor. According to the FBI, Benitez sold drugs to supplement the
money he made doing odd jobs.
the stage name Mark Everett, was an American child actor in Hollywood
films and a fugitive wanted by the FBI for the murder of his
girlfriend in 2004. On December 23, 2008, he was shot and killed by
police officers responding to a hostage situation in El Monte,
California.Manuel Benitez was the illegitimate son of the
internationally famous bullfighter Manuel Benitez, known as "El
Cordobés" (not to be confused with the younger bullfighter with the
same name who claimed to be El Cordobés' illegitimate son-known in
bullfighting circles as "The Pretender"). Spanish paparazzi followed
the real El Cordobés and Benitez's mother, Alina Elizabeth Velasco
throughout the world as they partied through the 1970s. Their
relationship ended in a bitter five-year court dispute, with Velasco
moving to Los Angeles to hire the famous palimony lawyer Marvin
Mitchelson to seek support for her and her son who seemed a natural in
Hollywood.Benitez was nine years old when he began his acting career.
His early roles in Hollywood were guided by child agent, Iris Burton.
He was fairly successful, starring in commercials, TV shows and
movies. His roles included parts in Be Somebody... or Be Somebody's
Fool!, Pee-wee's Big Adventure and Stand and Deliver. He also appeared
in the TV shows Galactica 1980 and Highway to Heaven.Benitez had no
major acting work since 1988 when he met Stephanie Spears in 1996. The
two moved in together and had one child, Benjamin Everett. Benitez
never told Spears or anyone else about his former days as a child
actor. According to the FBI, Benitez sold drugs to supplement the
money he made doing odd jobs.
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