In the year 1990, brothers Lyle and Erik Menendez faces were plastered on every news station. The top selling story of the early 90s: two brothers who were convicted of killing their parents. After 35 years, where are they today?
Lyle and Erik Menendez were both the sons of powerful businessman Jose Menendez. Jose Menendez was an executive at RCA Records and married to his wife Mary Louise “Kitty” Menendez.
On August 20th, 1989, Lyle (21) and Erik (18) murdered their parents in their own Beverly Hills home, out of self defense, due to the traumatic and abusive household they were suppressed in. After both boys fired shotguns at their parents, they made a 9-1-1 phone call saying that their parents had been murdered.
On March 8th, 1990 recorded sessions of the Menendez Brothers and their therapist Doctor Oziel were discovered in a house search warrant. The videos had audible evidence of the brothers owning up to the crime of murdering their parents. Lyle and Erik were arrested by the Beverly Hills Police.
The Menendez’s first trial took place on July 20, 1993. Defense Attorney Leslie Abramson represented Erik Menendez in court, while Jill Lansing represented Lyle Menendez. Each brother was individually called to the stand to describe the emotional, and sexual abuse they had endured throughout their lifetime due to their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez. The trial ended in a mistrial, leading to a second trial beginning in August of 1995.
On March 20, 1996 the Los Angeles jury convicted Lyle and Erik Menendez of first degree murder for killing their parents. Prosecutors at the time believed there was no evidence of molestation, and considered it to be truthful that the boys were after their parents’ multi-millionaire riches.
On July 2nd, it was legislated that Lyle and Erik were sentenced to life in prison, with possibility of parole.
In the year of 2023 the brothers filed a motion, requesting their case to be re-evaluated due to new evidence that had been found.
Accelerating, to September 19th, 2024 Director, Ryan Murphy, premiered his new anthology series Monsters: The Lyle and Menendez Story, on streaming platform, Netflix. With mixed reviews, This show depicted the facts of their life story, along with their court trial, helping spread new awareness to their case. Following the popularity this show has reached around the world, attorneys are reviewing the possibility of the brothers having their case be reheard/resentenced.
The brothers have been reunited in Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego, California. On October 7, 2024 a new documentary was released, The Menendez Brothers. The documentary differs from the anthology series due to the fact, the brothers, for the first time since being imprisoned have spoken out from jail to share their story. Along with the numerous family members, and others involved in the trial who were a part of the documentary.