Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story brought renewed attention to the case of Lyle and Erik Menendez. The brothers have been imprisoned since 1996 for the murders of their parents, José and Mary Louise “Kitty” Menéndez, whom they accused of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse.
With a new generation reexamining their story through a fresh lens, Lyle and Erik have been given the opportunity for resentencing and a possible release in the near future. HollywoodLife has compiled all the latest details and updates on their incarceration below.
In August 1989, Lyle and Erik fatally shot their parents multiple times. The crime scene was gruesome since José was struck six times and Kitty was shot 10 times. The brothers were criticized for living a luxurious lifestyle in the months following their parents’ deaths. Erik eventually confessed to the murders to his therapist, Jerome Oziel, who confided in his then-mistress, Judalon Smyth. She informed police about Lyle and Erik’s involvement in the crime, and they were arrested in 1990.
After a mistrial, Lyle and Erik were officially convicted on two counts of first-degree murder and conspiracy to murder in 1996. They were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Lyle and Erik were sent to separate California prisons following their conviction. Both are still alive today and spoke out about their case in Netflix’s new documentary, The Menendez Brothers, which premiered on October 7, 2024.
The brothers were held in separate prisons until 2018 when Lyle was moved to the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility. Though they were initially housed in separate units of the prison, Lyle and Erik were placed in the same unit in 2018. This was the first time the brothers had reunited in 22 years. According to multiple outlets, Lyle and Erik were prevented from talking to each other on the phone before they were reunited.
As reported by The Hollywood Reporter in late September, Lyle and Erik could receive new sentences due to a habeas corpus petition. Although they have previously appealed their convictions, new developments have emerged, including accusations of sexual abuse against their father, José, by a former Menudo member Roy Rosselló. Additionally, new evidence has surfaced suggesting that José may have abused both of his sons.
