35 Years After Killing Parents, Menendez Brothers Become Eligible For Parole

By Joe Lombardi From Daily Voice

Lyle and Erik Menendez have been resentenced for the 1989 murders of their parents, clearing a major hurdle that brings them one step closer to potential freedom in a case that has captivated worldwide attention for decades.

A Los Angeles judge ruled that the brothers, who were serving life sentences without the possibility of parole, will now serve 50 years to life, making them eligible to appear before the California Parole Board.

"The Menendez brothers have done remarkable work," their attorney, Mark Geragos, told reporters after the hearing, citing their support of fellow inmates at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego. "Today is a great day after 35 years."

The parole board, in conjunction with California Gov. Gavin Newsom, will determine whether to grant the brothers parole.

Interest in the case has resurged following the premiere of the Netflix series "Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story" in September 2024.

Jose Menendez, a Cuban immigrant who became a millionaire music and film executive, and his wife, Kitty, were shot and killed in their Beverly Hills home by their sons on Thursday, Aug. 20, 1989, according to court findings.

Initially, Lyle and Erik told police they found their parents’ bodies after returning from a movie. They suggested the murders might be tied to Jose Menendez’s business dealings or the Mafia.

But investigators quickly turned their focus to the brothers, citing their extravagant post-murder spending and shifting accounts of the events that night. The brothers eventually confessed to the killings.

Prosecutors argued they were motivated by greed and a desire to inherit the family’s fortune. The defense countered that the murders followed years of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse at the hands of their parents.

Lyle, who was 21 at the time of the murders, is now 56. Erik, then 18, is 53.

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