Naman Shrestha
Apart from exploring the gruesome murders of Jose and Kitty Menendez, who were murdered by their own two sons — Lyle and Erik, CBS’ ’48 Hours: The Menendez Brothers’ Fight for Freedom’ also sheds some light on the other alleged victims of Jose Menendez. For instance, allegations against him were made by his two sons but also by Roy Rossello, an important member of the Puerto Rican boy band named Menudo. But the episode only showcases a limited side of Roy Rossello’s life and doesn’t delve deep into the whereabouts and early life of the multi-talented Puerto Rican man.
Former Menudo Member Roy Rossello Was Allegedly Subjected to Sexual Abuse
Roy Stephan Rosselló Diaz was born on May 1, 1970, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Destined for great things in life, Roy’s passion for soccer made him a skillful player, talented enough to be a part of the Puerto Rican National Children’s Soccer Team. Aged 13, he became a member of Menudo in August 1983 and made his debut on the album ‘A Todo Rock.’ He was an integral part of the band for more than two years, recording a total of eight albums with them. With Menudo gaining immense popularity in Asia, especially in the Philippines and Japan, Roy also received fame for being a part of the group until January 1986.
Roy received many opportunities after his stint with Menudo, as he landed a starring role in a movie titled ‘Star of the Jungle’ and got the opportunity to host the Brazilian TV show ‘Frente Jovem’ in 1986. Apart from that, he has also been a part of other TV shows — ‘The Love Boat,’ ‘Solid Gold,’ ‘Soul Train,’ and ‘The Morning Show’ — thanks to his affiliation with Menudo. He also received the Gold Award at the Tokyo Music Festival. He even studied TV production from the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale in Florida in 1991. He married his first wife Mireya Nieves on October 14, 1989, and became parents with her by giving birth to his eldest son Roy Jr. But the marriage only lasted for about four years as in December 1993, Roy and Mireya got divorced.
The following year, Roy got married to Marta Rhaulin, with whom he formed a musical duo — Duo Roy and Rhaulin. During his Menudo days, Roy was involved in a fling with a teenage Brazilian fan in 1985, which resulted in him being the father of his first child, Bianca. She was reportedly born when Roy was 15 years old. In 2003, he acknowledged the paternity of Bianca when he appeared on a Brazilian TV program. For a couple of years between 2008 and 2010, he was married to Mirella Rodriguez Marcolini and together, they gave birth to Enrico. He fathered another daughter named Sophia in 2009, which was the result of his 6-month relationship with Natalia Borges.
The former member of Menudo also has a third son named Guilhermo with one of his former wives, Brenda Colon Reyes. Also, he stayed married to Patricia Avila, from 2014 to 2018. In 2006, Roy decided to settle in Brazil where he ran a Caribbean-themed bar in Campinas. Besides that, he is also the owner of a jewelry store — Roy Rossello Fine Jewelry. During his stint with Menudo in the early 1980s, RCA was the company that signed the band to a recording contract, and the executive at RCA Records at the time was Jose Menendez. Allegedly, 14 or 15-year-old Roy went to Jose’s house in the fall of 1983 or 1984, and after having a glass of wine, Jose acted as if he had no control over his body anymore, claimed Roy.
Then, according to Roy, Jose proceeded to take Roy into a room where he sexually abused him for the first time. As per the claims of the former member of Menudo, he was sexually abused by Jose a couple more times — before and after a performance at Radio City Music Hall in New York. Unfortunately, he was also allegedly sexually abused for the three years he was in the band by the founder and manager of Menudo — Edgardo Diaz.
Roy Rossello Now Focuses on the Good Things and Leads a Happy Life
In 2023, Roy Rossello made the claims regarding the sexual abuse inflicted upon him by Jose Menendez in a sworn affidavit, for the first time. Moreover, the 2023 documentary series ‘Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed’ also features Roy wherein he talks about the molestation at the hands of Jose Menendez and Edgardo Diaz. In a preview of the show, Roy points at Menendez’s photo and claims, “That’s the man here that raped me. That’s the pedophile. It’s time for the world to know the truth.” Supporting Roy’s claims against the manager Diaz, other members of Menudo also throw similar allegations against him in the HBO Max docuseries ‘Menudo: Forever Young.’ However, Diaz has denied all those allegations against him.
Roy’s testaments brought some much-needed support to the case of Lyle and Erik Menendez, who killed their father Jose, allegedly due to years of sexual abuse. But it is still unclear if these allegations against Jose would be enough to grant the Menendez brothers the retrial they want. Although his Menudo days are long gone, Roy still has a considerable fan base and following on social media, where he shares about his life regularly.
His followers admire not only his musical talents but also his affable nature which is quite evident in his interactions with his supporters. The former Menudo member loves to travel, swim, and count his blessings as he can be seen expressing gratitude for all the things he has in life. In March 2024, he also held an International virtual togetherness with his fans to connect, share laughs and stories, and enjoy the company of his fans all across the globe. Thus, from what we can tell, Roy has moved on from the ordeals of his past and is leading a healthy and peaceful life in Brazil surrounded by his loved ones
