Did 'Ugly Betty' Actor Kill Mother Over Money-Related Stress?

Filed under: Personal Finance, News

As unemployment benefits expire for millions across America, many will come to know the stress of economic frustration more acutely. The combination of actual worry over not being able to pay bills, combined with the emotional disappointment of losing the material comforts of life, will be a trial faced by hordes of people struggling on less income than ever this holiday season. How people deal with this stress will depend on many factors, including whether those most deeply affected by the recession have the social support networks they need in place. If people don't have that support, could the stress of not being financially solvent drive the desperately depressed to commit murder?

In the tragic case of 'Ugly Betty' actor Michael Brea, it seems that the experience of financial fall out might have been a factor in his murderous attack on his mom. It seems that Michael Brea had recently gone through something that many Americans are facing now -- a sharp decline in his financial prospects, coupled with no vision of a future that might lead him out of the quagmire. The New York Post (via Gothamist) details the many money perils Brea was facing, leading up to the moment when he snapped:


Brea, 31, had small roles in "Ugly Betty" and the movie "Step Up 3D" but was not working while living at home with his mother and twin brother Marcel.

He owned a Subway franchise on Broadway in Brooklyn in 2008, but the franchise was taken away by the parent company last year over performance and management problems. Subway had placed liens for unpaid rent of almost $20,000 on the restaurant.

Brea also owed American Express more than $13,000, and New York State was after him for about $2,500 in taxes, court records show.

Neighbor Clinton Clare said Michael Brea rarely worked after losing the Subway franchise, and had no car.

In addition, a friend of Brea told the Post, "Michael had many money problems and couldn't pay his bills. I think this happened because of stress over money," referring to Brea killing his mother with a sword on November 23.

"Stress over money." Some say that this is the same thing that killed Michael Jackson. While Jackson did get himself into trouble by shamefully unrealistic overspending, the stress over paying his bills and fulfilling the grueling requirements of the tour he was preparing for when he died might have driven him into drug dependence. Seeking relief from that intense pressure of not having material security, Michael Jackson took a dangerous drug as a desperate measure to disperse his crushing fears. Even temporary escape from stress over money was worth gambling with death, and he lost.

If even the greats can succumb to the worst due to money problems, what is going to happen as millions of Americans continue to endure similar pressures?

Michael Brea certainly had other mental issues that contributed to his instability. At the same time, his violent reaction to a life of reduced means is a reality that could impact millions as they join the ranks of the dispossessed. In this era, personal financial meltdowns will become increasingly common. People will need to be on the look out for signs that they may be unraveling over money woes. As individuals, we need to put plans into action to support people before they reach the brink, acting out through aggression or escapism.

Step one will be for people to realize that they are not what they own, and that our lives have value even if we don't have ready cash. Step two is to admit when we need help, and reach out for healthy ways of coping with anxieties, even if it is embarrassing at first. And step three is to compassionately observe our loved ones for signs that money problems could be driving them crazy.

If Michael Brea's friend realized that his money problems were a source of extreme mental agitation, it is possible that someone could have helped him cope better with his issues -- before it was too late.

 

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