In 1996, Lyle and Erik Menéndez were convicted of the shocking murder of their parents, a case that has since captivated public attention.
Since then, they’ve hit our TV screens numerous times as producers tell and retell this tragic tale.
Opinions about the Menéndez brothers, who have joined a list of notorious U.S. killers, are divided.
But how much do you really know about Lyle and Erik Menéndez?
Check out these monstrous facts to learn more about them.
Joseph Lyle Menéndez (known as Lyle) was born 56 years ago on January 10, 1968, in New York. His younger brother, Erik Galen Menéndez, was born 54 years ago on November 27, 1970.
The brothers were raised by their parents, José and Mary Louise “Kitty” Menéndez, in Hopewell Township, New Jersey. They later moved to Beverly Hills in 1986.
On August 20, 1989, Lyle and Erik walked into the family’s Beverly Hills mansion and opened fire on their parents with shotguns. When the police arrived on the scene, the brothers claimed they weren’t responsible. Lyle was 21 years old, and Erik was 18 at the time.
The brothers eventually admitted to the killings but claimed they were scared their father would kill them for threatening to expose him for abusing them. The prosecution ultimately won by arguing that the murders were committed for financial gain.
Lyle and Erik were tried twice and found guilty of murder the second time. The jury was deadlocked and unable to come to an agreement the first time, showing how complex the trial was.
The Menéndez brothers were eventually sentenced in 1996 to life in prison without parole for the murder of their parents.
As children, Lyle and Erik Menéndez went to Princeton Day School. Later, Lyle attended Princeton University but did not perform well academically. He received poor grades and was suspended for plagiarism.
Erik Menéndez attended Beverly Hills High School. His grades were average, but he had a special talent for playing tennis. As a junior, he ranked 44th in the United States.
Erik Menéndez qualified for the second round of the Boys’ 18 singles in the 1989 Boy’s Junior National Tennis Championship. This happened just two weeks before the brothers murdered José and Kitty Menéndez.
In 1976, Lyle Menéndez told his cousin Diane Vander Molen that his father José was abusing him and his brother Erik. But when Diane raised this with Lyle’s mother, Kitty, she said her son was lying.
A police investigation began after Lyle Menéndez’s psychologist, Jerome Oziel, told his mistress that Lyle had confessed to him about the murder.
Lyle and Erik Menéndez were arrested in March 1990. Lyle was arrested on March 8, and his brother Erik turned himself in to the police on March 11. They were held without bail.
Lyle and Erik Menéndez were charged with the murder of their parents in December 1992. They were convicted of first-degree murder on July 2, 1996.
When Court TV broadcast the Menéndez trial in 1993, it gripped the nation. The broadcast has even been credited with boosting the TV station’s popularity.
Before they were arrested, the Menéndez brothers spent around $700,000 traveling and buying luxury items like Rolex watches. This was a massive piece of evidence in the investigation, as the prosecution claimed the brothers had a financial motive for killing their parents.
Months after murdering their parents, Lyle and Erik were photographed at an NBA game that later featured on an NBA Hoops trading card in 1990.
During their trial, they were represented by defense lawyer Leslie Abramson. She has been credited with saving the Menéndez brothers from receiving the death penalty due to her clever legal arguments.
Lyle and Erik Menéndez were sent to separate, maximum-security prisons, where they were segregated from other prisoners. The brothers stayed in contact by writing letters and even played chess through the mail.
Over the years, the brothers requested to be housed in the same prison or closer to each other. Lyle and Erik were eventually reunited in April 2018 and burst into tears when they saw each other for the first time.
Lyle and Erik have repeatedly appealed for a retrial, including when new evidence has appeared. Their requests have been denied.
Speaking to People magazine in 2017, Lyle Menéndez said he spent his time in prison playing basketball, lifting weights, and looking after his pet lizard. He also ran a support group for prisoners who had experienced abuse and violence.
While incarcerated, Lyle Menéndez married Anna Eriksson, a former model and salon receptionist, who wrote to him after watching the trial on TV. Lyle’s aunt Marta Menéndez and defense lawyer Leslie Abramson were among the small group of guests.
Anna Eriksson divorced Lyle after finding out he had been writing letters to other women from prison. In 2003, Lyle married defense lawyer Rebecca Sneed. In an interview, he said his marriage to Rebecca brought him ‘peace and joy.’
Erik Menéndez married Tammi Ruth Saccoman in June 1999 at Folsom State Prison. Tammi said their wedding cake was a Twinkie. In 2005, she published a book, They Said We’d Never Make It – My Life with Erik Menéndez.
Erik Menéndez’s stepdaughter Talia called him “Earth Dad” since her birth father had passed away. Talia joined Erik’s wife, Tammi, to drive 150 miles (240 km) weekly to visit him in prison.
Erik said during an interview that he has gotten into many fights in prison over the years. He said he had to learn to be smart and hone his survival instincts.
The Menéndez brothers have been featured in several documentaries since 2000, including Menendez Brothers – Blood Brothers and Menéndez Brothers: Misjudged? Erik Menéndez shared his side of the story by telephone for the 2017 documentary The Menendez Murders: Erik Tells All.
People who have known the Menéndez brothers in prison have mixed views on their characters. A former corrections officer, Hector Bravo Ferrel, said they behaved in an entitled way. In contrast, former inmate Anerae “X-Raided” Brown has praised them for supporting and mentoring him.
The Menendez family home, where José and Kitty Menéndez were killed, sold for $17 million in 2024. Property analysts estimated it sold for 25% less than the market value because the home’s history could “creep out people.”
In 2024, Lyle and Erik Menéndez were featured in the Hulu show Mastermind: To Think Like a Killer. The show focuses on the role of American researcher and nurse Dr. Ann Burgess, who was called in as an expert witness during the brothers’ trial.
In September 2024, Netflix released Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story. Lyle and Erik Menéndez are played by Nicholas Chavez and Cooper Koch. The first season of Monsters was about Jeffrey Dahmer.
The story of Lyle and Erik Menéndez captured the world’s attention. It raised questions about what really happened in Beverly Hills all those years ago.
It took two trials before a jury was able to come to a conclusion about their conviction.
Documentaries and TV shows have repeatedly told the story. Still, nobody can be quite certain whether the brothers are guilty.
Will we find out the truth about Lyle and Erik Menéndez in the future? Only time will tell!
