Chris Kyle

Bio:
Chris Kyle (born Christopher Scott Kyle on April 8, 1974 in Odessa, Texas) was a United States Navy SEAL and author of the bestselling autobiography, American Sniper, which was adapted into an Oscar-winning film in 2014. With 160 confirmed kills, Kyle is the most lethal sniper in American military history. He served in the Iraq War before being honorably discharged from the Navy in 2009. He received a number of awards including two Silver Star Medals and five Bronze Star Medals. In Feb. 2013, Kyle was shot and killed along with his friend Chad Littlefield at a shooting range in Texas. In Feb. 2015, the man accused of murdering them was found guilty.

Best Known For:

Chris Kyle was best known for his memoir, American Sniper.

Personal Life:

Kyle received his first rifle at eight years old, and would go hunting with his father from a very young age. After high school, Kyle became a professional rodeo rider and worked on a ranch. He then joined the U.S. military and went on to serve four tours of duty. On Feb. 2, 2013, Kyle and Littlefield were killed by Eddie Ray Youth, another military veteran who suffered from PTSD and schizophrenia. Preceded by a 200-mile funeral procession, Kyle was buried in Austin, Texas. Routh was found guilty of Kyle and Littlefield’s deaths after only a few hours of deliberation from the jury in the Feb. 2015 trial; he has been sentenced to life with no parole options. Kyle is survived by his wife, Taya Kyle, and two children.