Lyle and Erik Menendez proceed to serve life sentences in jail for the brutal murders of their dad and mom on August 20, 1989. Thirty-five years later, the case of the Menendez brothers has garnered renewed consideration, largely as a consequence of Ryan Murphy‘s Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, adopted by a Netflix documentary that included beforehand unreleased telephone name recordings between the brothers and director Alejandro Hartmann.
With rising public curiosity within the case and the allegations of sexual abuse that Decide Stanley Weisberg had barred from the trial, the Menendez brothers are seeing a possible path to freedom. In early October 2024, former Los Angeles County District Legal professional George Gascón introduced that his workplace was reviewing the case after the brothers’ attorneys requested prosecutors to suggest a resentencing, which may probably result in their launch. Nonetheless, with the transition to new DA Nathan Hochman, the overview course of has skilled a slight delay.
As information in regards to the Menendez brothers’ case continues to unfold, right here’s a glance again on the brothers on the time of the incident, how outdated they’re now, and extra.
How Outdated Have been Lyle and Erik When They Killed Their Mother and father?
Lyle and Erik had been 21 and 18 years outdated, respectively, once they shot and killed their dad and mom, José and Kitty Menendez, of their household’s Beverly Hills mansion in 1989. The couple was of their 40s on the time of their deaths.
How Outdated Have been the Menendez Brothers When They Have been Sentenced?
In 1996, the Menendez brothers had been discovered responsible of first-degree homicide and sentenced to life in jail with out parole for killing their dad and mom. At the moment, Lyle was 28 and Erik was 25.
In February 2025, Erik shared his expertise behind bars throughout an look on TMZ’s podcast, “2 Offended Males.” Reflecting on his time in jail at round 29 years outdated, he defined, “I used to be picked on, bullied violently, and it was traumatic and it was continuous. These are issues that quite a lot of inmates in jail undergo once they’re not a part of a gang construction they usually are available they usually’re mainly lone wolves, they only must be by themselves. Jail will be arduous, and there’s quite a lot of struggling in jail…I’m not gonna struggle again, I’m not going to have interaction, and I had nobody actually to show to for assist, and I used to be separated from Lyle.”
How Outdated Are the Menendez Brothers Now?
As of 2025, Lyle is 57 years outdated, born on January 10, and Erik is 54, along with his birthday on November 27.
Are the Menendez Brothers Getting a New Sentence?
On November 25, 2024, Lyle and Erik appeared in courtroom for the primary time in 28 years to overview new proof associated to their case. The listening to, scheduled as a standing convention, was not anticipated to result in any quick choices however may influence the following steps of their ongoing efforts to safe their launch.
The listening to was scheduled to start at 10:30 a.m. native time, and the brothers had been anticipated to attend by way of video hyperlink from their jail in San Diego, California. Decide Michael Jesic imposed strict restrictions for the listening to: no cameras can be allowed within the courtroom, and all cell telephones have to be positioned in sealed baggage.
A resentencing listening to was additionally set for December 11, 2024, giving lawyer Hochman further time to finish his overview of the case. California Governor Gavin Newsom additionally introduced he’ll delay making a clemency resolution, opting to defer to the newly elected district lawyer. Newsom acknowledged that he “acknowledges voters have entrusted District Legal professional-elect Hochman with this accountability” and “will defer to the DA-elect’s overview and evaluation of the Menendez case earlier than making any clemency choices.”
The December 2024 listening to, nonetheless, was postponed. The Menendez brothers at the moment are scheduled to return to courtroom on March 20, 2025, for a listening to to find out whether or not they need to be resentenced.
Prosecutors have beforehand submitted a suggestion for the brothers’ resentencing, suggesting they obtain a brand new sentence of fifty years to life. Since they had been beneath 26 years outdated on the time of the crimes, they might be eligible for parole instantly beneath a California legislation that went into impact in 2018.
The Menendez brothers beforehand had a courtroom listening to set for November 29, 2024, in accordance with Selection, which adopted the invention of proof suggesting that their father, Jose, sexually abused his youngsters.
“Now we have been given proof, together with a photocopy of a letter allegedly despatched by one of many brothers to a different member of the family, discussing being the sufferer of molestation,” Gascón shared on the time, per the outlet. He additionally talked about, “We’ve acquired proof offered by the protection, together with claims from a member of the Menudo band who alleged he was molested by the daddy.”
Roy Rosselló, a former member of the Puerto Rican boy band sensation Menudo, spoke out within the 2023 Peacock documentary Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed, the place he alleged that he was abused by the music govt when he was 14.
Should you or anybody you already know has been sexually abused, name the Nationwide Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). A skilled employees member will present confidential, judgment-free assist in addition to native sources to help in therapeutic, recovering and extra.
Should you 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).
