Death of a Beauty King

Sotir and Katina Milo were Albanian immigrants who moved to Akron, Ohio, and built up a cosmetic business beginning in the basement of their home. The couple's three children, Fred, Sophie and Dean, also worked in the family business and contributed to its expansion as they grew older. It didn't take the family long to realize the American dream, building wealth in return for years of hard work.

The Milo family clockwise from lower left: Katina, Sotir, Sophie and Fred

Of the three children, Dean exhibited the most business talent. In 1969, his mother offered him the chance to head the family business following his graduation from the University of Akron, a proposition which he proudly accepted. As president of the company Milo Barber and Beauty (B&B), Dean immediately set about making his dream of turning the family business into a multimillion dollar corporation come true by eliminating middlemen and the company's sales force and selling direct to clients at discounted prices, Dominic Dunne reported for Court TV. His radical plan to expand the business was a huge success and led to the company's phenomenal growth during the 1970's; the Milos became one of Ohio's wealthiest families.

Yet, the Milo family's success wasn't welcomed by everyone. Dean's money-making ideas infuriated the competition, who struggled to compete against the company's low pricing. There were a lot of people in the cosmetic industry who wanted Dean out of business. What investigators wanted to know was whether a competitor would resort to murder to be rid of the Milos.