What was Chris Kyle’s Net Worth?
Christopher Kyle was a Navy SEAL sniper who passed away in 2013 with a net worth of $2 million. He served four tours in Iraq and was recognized for his bravery with numerous awards and commendations. Kyle also authored a bestselling autobiography titled “American Sniper” in 2009, which was later adapted into a movie starring Bradley Cooper in 2014.
Kyle’s Background and Education
Kyle, born on April 8, 1974 in Odessa, Texas, was the oldest of two sons to Deborah Lynn and Wayne Kenneth Kyle. Growing up in a family that hunted and raised cattle, he attended high school in Midlothian, Texas. After graduation, he pursued a career as a professional bronco rodeo rider and ranch hand. Kyle attended Tarleton State University for two years, focusing on Ranch and Range Management.
Chris Kyle’s Military Career and Controversial Claims
In 1999, Kyle joined the Navy SEALs instead of the Marine Corps and graduated with the March 2001 Seals class as a sniper. He became one of the most deadly snipers in the U.S., serving four tours of duty in Iraq and earning one Silver Star and four Bronze Stars with valor. After being honorably discharged in 2009, he worked for Craft International training the military and law enforcement.
Kyle gained public attention after publishing his autobiography, “American Sniper,” in 2012, which became a bestseller. He partnered with the FITCO Cares Foundation to raise awareness for veterans with disabilities and PTSD. However, some of his claims in the book, including a story about shooting 30 people in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and killing two men at a gas station outside of Dallas, remain unverified.
Kyle was never charged with any crime related to these claims.
The Life and Death of Chris Kyle
In February 2013, Chris Kyle and Chad Littlefield were shot and killed by Eddie Ray Routh at a shooting range in Earth County, Texas. Kyle and Littlefield had taken Routh to the range to help him with his PTSD. Routh, a Marine Corps veteran, had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and had spent two years in and out of mental hospitals leading up to the shooting.
Routh confessed to the murders at his sister’s house and was later convicted of two counts of capital murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole. He claimed that he shot the men because they wouldn’t talk to him while driving to the shooting range.
Kyle’s memorial service was held at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas and he is buried at the Texas State Cemetery in Austin. He is survived by his wife Taya Kyle and their two children. Bradley Cooper portrayed Kyle in the 2014 film “American Sniper,” which is based on Kyle’s autobiography.
Since his death, a stretch of highway in Texas has been named after Kyle and Texas Governor Greg Abbott declared the two-year anniversary of Kyle’s murder as “Chris Kyle Day.”
Jesse Ventura Wins Defamation Lawsuit Against Chris Kyle Posthumously
Former Navy SEAL Chris Kyle claimed in his autobiography that he punched “Scruff Face” (later revealed to be Jesse Ventura) in a California bar in 2006. Ventura sued Kyle for defamation of character and continued the lawsuit even after Kyle’s death. In 2014, Ventura won the suit posthumously and was awarded $1.8 million in damages. Kyle’s widow appealed and in 2016 the judgement was thrown out. The case was eventually settled out of court in December 2017 for an undisclosed amount.
Photo Credit: Cpl. Damien Gutierrez (licensed through Creative Commons/Wikimedia)
