The Menendez brothers made headlines with the 2024 launch of the Netflix collection Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story. The 2 had been convicted of murdering their dad and mom, José and Mary Louise “Kitty” Menendez, in 1989 when Lyle was 21 and Erik was 18 at their Beverly Hills residence. Shortly after committing the crime, the brothers spent about $700,000, in keeping with Time Journal, earlier than their arrest in 1990.
Throughout their court docket trials, they claimed to have been abused by their dad and mom 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 had been sentenced to life in jail with out the opportunity of parole in 1996. Though they had been initially separated for many of their imprisonment, which led to restricted communication, they had 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 nearly 25 years later throughout TMZ’s “2 Offended 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 a whole lot of inmates in jail undergo after they’re not a part of a gang construction they usually are available they usually’re mainly lone wolves, they simply must be by themselves,” he mentioned.
In Could 2023, the brothers’ attorneys filed a petition to overturn their convictions. In response to court docket paperwork obtained by The Los Angeles Occasions, 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 kids, nevertheless it strongly means that — the truth is — 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 dad and mom.” Regardless of the petition, the brothers stay imprisoned.
On October 24, 2024, former Los Angeles District Legal professional George Gascón introduced in a press convention that he really helpful resentencing for the Menendez brothers and that they be eligible for instant parole if the choose approves. He acknowledged, “There was no excuse for homicide … as a result of even in the event you get abused, the appropriate path is to name police, search assist.” Each Lyle and Erik have been in jail for greater than three many years. He added, “I consider they’ve paid their debt to society.”
Are the Menendez Brothers Getting Out of Jail?
Lyle and Erik had been scheduled to attend a court docket listening to on December 11, 2024. Nonetheless, a choose pushed the date again throughout a November court docket listening to partially to provide the brand new L.A. County District Legal professional Nathan Hochman extra time to overview the case, in keeping 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, significantly this Andy Cano 1988 supposed letter weighed within the continuum of lies, and it calls into drastic query whether or not that is the truth is a 1988 letter written by Erik Menendez to Andy Cano about this sexual abuse,” Hochman mentioned.
On March 10, 2025, Hochman voiced his opposition to the brothers’ potential resentencing, alleging that they’ve been fabricating “lies” for many years.
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.
In the event you or anybody you realize has been sexually abused, name the Nationwide Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). A skilled workers member will present confidential, judgment-free help in addition to native assets to help in therapeutic, recovering and extra.
In the event you or somebody you realize is battling substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Psychological Well being Providers Administration (SAMHSA) Nationwide Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
