On the 17th of July, 1988 professional wrestler Bruiser Brody was pronounced dead after suffering
from multiple stab wounds the previous day. The killer, José González, better known as Invader 1,
stabbed Brody multiple times after an argument and a scuffle ensued between the two wrestlers.
But what drove González to commit the ultimate crime and how did he get away with it?
In 1988, Bruiser Brody along with a few wrestlers travelled to Puerto Rico
to compete in the World Wrestling Council, Puerto Rico’s top promotion established by Carlos Colon,
Victor Jovica and Gorilla Monsoon.
Carlos Colon’s right-hand man, José González was the company’s booker as well as a wrestler.
There were big plans to push González as the next big Puerto Rican megastar but after having a match
with Bruiser Brody, he was beaten so badly that his image was destroyed. While in the hospital,
wrestler S.D. Jones recalled González saying: “One day I’m going to kill that man.”
Bruiser Brody was very protective of his “in-ring” image, hardly ever agreeing to lose a match.
He was one of the biggest wrestling stars during the 70s and 80s and had built up a reputation
where he was feared by everyone around him.
On that fateful day, José González asked Bruiser Brody to step into the shower room to discuss
business. An argument and a scuffle ensued between the two wrestlers, followed by two loud screams.
José González had stabbed Brody in the chest
and stomach. Bruiser Brody died the next day from his injuries.
The perpetrator, José González was acquitted of murder in 1989, after a jury accepted
that he was acting in self-defence. Many key witnesses did not show up to testify
as they were given their subpoenas after the trial had ended.
The death of Bruiser Brody remains as one of wrestling’s darkest mysteries still to this
day and although justice was never served, the legacy of Bruiser Brody will live on forever.