The Menendez brothers made headlines with the 2024 launch of the Netflix collection Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story. The 2 have been convicted of murdering their mother and father, José and Mary Louise “Kitty” Menendez, in 1989 when Lyle was 21 and Erik was 18 at their Beverly Hills dwelling. Shortly after committing the crime, the brothers spent about $700,000, in line with Time Journal, earlier than their arrest in 1990.
Throughout their court docket trials, they claimed to have been abused by their mother and father all through their childhood, accusing their late father of sexual abuse. The brothers are at the moment incarcerated on the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in California.
Discover out when Lyle and Erik may get out of jail.
What Have been the Menendez Brothers’ Sentences?
Lyle and Erik have been sentenced to life in jail with out the potential of parole in 1996. Though they have been initially separated for many of their imprisonment, which led to restricted communication, they have been reunited in April 2018 on the identical facility in California.
Whereas behind bars, the Menendez brothers confronted many challenges when separated. Erik recalled a few of these traumatic experiences virtually 25 years later throughout TMZ’s “2 Indignant Males“ podcast in February 2025.
“I used to be picked on, bullied violently, and it was traumatic and it was continuous. These are issues that numerous inmates in jail undergo once they’re not a part of a gang construction they usually are available in they usually’re mainly lone wolves, they only must be by themselves,” he mentioned.
In Could 2023, the brothers’ attorneys filed a petition to overturn their convictions. In keeping with court docket paperwork obtained by The Los Angeles Instances, the submitting acknowledged, “The brand new proof not solely exhibits that Jose Menendez was very a lot a violent and brutal man who would sexually abuse youngsters, nevertheless it strongly means that — in truth — he was nonetheless abusing Erik Menendez as late as 1988.”
The doc continued to state, “As an alternative, the crime was manslaughter, not homicide. The killings occurred in imperfect self-defense, after a lifetime of bodily and sexual abuse from their mother and father.” Regardless of the petition, the brothers stay imprisoned.
On October 24, 2024, former Los Angeles District Lawyer George Gascón introduced in a press convention that he beneficial resentencing for the Menendez brothers and that they be eligible for fast parole if the decide approves. He acknowledged, “There was no excuse for homicide … as a result of even for those who get abused, the fitting path is to name police, search assist.” Each Lyle and Erik have been in jail for greater than three many years. He added, “I imagine they’ve paid their debt to society.”
Are the Menendez Brothers Getting Out of Jail?
Lyle and Erik have been scheduled to attend a court docket listening to on December 11, 2024. Nonetheless, a decide pushed the date again throughout a November court docket listening to partially to offer the brand new L.A. County District Lawyer Nathan Hochman extra time to assessment the case, in line with NBC Information.
It’s unclear if the brothers will ever be launched from jail. They’re scheduled to return to court docket on March 20, 2025, for a listening to to find out if they need to be resentenced. Nonetheless, DA Hochman introduced he requested the court docket to reject Lyle and Erik’s request for a brand new trial.
“We regarded once more on the credibility of the letters, notably this Andy Cano 1988 supposed letter weighed within the continuum of lies, and it calls into drastic query whether or not that is in truth a 1988 letter written by Erik Menendez to Andy Cano about this sexual abuse,” Hochman mentioned.
How Have been the Menendez Brothers Caught?
Erik ended up confessing to his psychologist, Dr. Jerome Oziel, throughout a remedy session. Oziel’s mistress, Judalon Smyth, then reported this data to the police.
Lyle and Erik Menendez Life Replace
Though each Lyle and Erik stay behind bars, this hasn’t stopped them from pursuing relationships. Lyle has been married twice whereas in jail. He first married Anna Eriksson in 1996, however they divorced in 2001. Two years later, in 2003, he married Rebecca Sneed. Nonetheless, the 2 separated by late 2024, Rebecca publicly confirmed.
As for Erik, he met his spouse, Tammi Saccoman, by way of letters whereas he was in jail. Their relationship blossomed, they usually have been married since 1999.
If you happen to or anybody you already know has been sexually abused, name the Nationwide Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). A educated employees member will present confidential, judgment-free help in addition to native sources to help in therapeutic, recovering and extra.
If you happen to or somebody you already know is scuffling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Psychological Well being Providers Administration (SAMHSA) Nationwide Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).