Andrew Cunanan - Early Life

Early Life

Cunanan was born in National City, California, to Modesto Cunanan, a Filipino American, and Mary Anne Shilacci, an Italian American. He was the youngest of four children. Modesto Cunanan could not attend his son's birth, as he was serving in the US Navy in the Vietnam War at the time.

In 1981, his father enrolled him in The Bishop's School in the La Jolla neighborhood of San Diego, California. At school, Cunanan was remembered as being bright and very talkative, testing with an I.Q. of 147. As a teenager, he developed a reputation as a prolific liar given to telling fantastic tales about his family and personal life. He was also adept at changing his appearance according to what he felt was most attractive at a given moment.

After graduating from high school in 1987, he enrolled at the University of California, San Diego, where he majored in American history. After dropping out of college, he settled in the Castro District of San Francisco. While there, he frequented high-class gay bars and prostituted himself to wealthy older men.

When Cunanan was 19, his father deserted his family to avoid arrest for embezzlement. That same year, his mother learned of Cunanan's homosexuality. During an ensuing argument, he threw her against a wall, dislocating her shoulder.

Before the murders, Cunanan was involved in petty theft and drug dealing.