Erik Menendez was denied parole on Thursday, more than 36 years after he and his brother Lyle murdered their parents in their Beverly Hills home. A California parole board ruled that the 54-year-old Menendez must remain in prison, despite efforts from family, friends, and celebrities, including Kim Kardashian, advocating for his release.

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) announced that Menendez would be denied parole for three years at his initial suitability hearing. This decision is a setback for a growing movement that has gained traction in recent years, fueled by documentaries and television dramas, such as the popular Netflix series "Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story."

During the hearing, Erik Menendez reflected on the significance of the date, stating, "Today is the day all my victims learned my parents were dead. So today is the anniversary of their trauma journey." The hearing lasted for ten hours and was closed to the public.

Parole commissioner Robert Barton described the case as tragic, noting, "I agree that not only two, but four people, were lost in this family." More than a dozen relatives testified in favor of the Menendez brothers, expressing forgiveness and calling for their release. Barton acknowledged this sentiment, saying, "Two things can be true. They can love and forgive you and you can still be found unsuitable for parole."

The Menendez brothers are infamous for their roles in one of the first televised murder trials in the United States. In the 1990s, jurors learned that Erik and Lyle shot their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, in a calculated attempt to inherit their wealth. Prosecutors described the murders as brutal, with Jose being shot five times and Kitty killed as she attempted to escape.

Initially, the brothers claimed their parents were victims of a mafia hit, but they later changed their story multiple times. Erik, who was 18 at the time of the murders, eventually confessed to the killings during a therapy session. The brothers later argued that they acted in self-defense due to years of abuse from their father.

The parole hearing was made possible after a judge resentenced the brothers earlier this year, reducing their life sentences to 50 years with the possibility of parole. Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman opposed the resentencing and stated he would also oppose any future parole requests. He emphasized that the brothers have not fully accepted responsibility for their actions, saying, "The Menendez brothers have never fully accepted responsibility for the horrific murders of their parents."

Lyle Menendez, 57, is scheduled to appear before a parole panel on Friday, with his hearing being independent of Erik's.