Lyle and Erik Menendez proceed to serve life sentences in jail for the brutal murders of their dad and mom on August 20, 1989. Thirty-five years later, the case of the Menendez brothers has garnered renewed consideration, largely as a consequence of Ryan Murphy‘s Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, adopted by a Netflix documentary that included beforehand unreleased cellphone name recordings between the brothers and director Alejandro Hartmann.
With rising public curiosity within the case and the allegations of sexual abuse that Judge Stanley Weisberg had barred from the trial, the Menendez brothers are seeing a possible path to freedom. In early October 2024, former Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón introduced that his workplace was reviewing the case after the brothers’ attorneys requested prosecutors to suggest a resentencing, which may doubtlessly result in their launch. However, with the transition to new DA Nathan Hochman, the overview course of has skilled a slight delay.
As information in regards to the Menendez brothers’ case continues to unfold, right here’s a glance again on the brothers on the time of the incident, how outdated they’re now, and extra.
How Old Were Lyle and Erik When They Killed Their Parents?
Lyle and Erik had been 21 and 18 years outdated, respectively, once they shot and killed their dad and mom, José and Kitty Menendez, of their household’s Beverly Hills mansion in 1989. The couple was of their 40s on the time of their deaths.
How Old Were the Menendez Brothers When They Were Sentenced?
In 1996, the Menendez brothers had been discovered responsible of first-degree homicide and sentenced to life in jail with out parole for killing their dad and mom. At that point, Lyle was 28 and Erik was 25.
In February 2025, Erik shared his expertise behind bars throughout an look on TMZ’s podcast, “2 Angry Men.” Reflecting on his time in jail at round 29 years outdated, he defined, “I was picked on, bullied violently, and it was traumatic and it was continual. Those are things that a lot of inmates in prison go through when they’re not part of a gang structure and they come in and they’re basically lone wolves, they just have to be by themselves. Prison can be hard, and there’s a lot of suffering in prison…I’m not gonna fight back, I’m not going to engage, and I had no one really to turn to for help, and I was separated from Lyle.”
How Old Are the Menendez Brothers Now?
As of 2025, Lyle is 57 years outdated, born on January 10, and Erik is 54, along with his birthday on November 27.
Are the Menendez Brothers Getting a New Sentence?
On November 25, 2024, Lyle and Erik appeared in courtroom for the primary time in 28 years to overview new proof associated to their case. The listening to, scheduled as a standing convention, was not anticipated to result in any quick choices however may impression the subsequent steps of their ongoing efforts to safe their launch.
The listening to was scheduled to start at 10:30 a.m. native time, and the brothers had been anticipated to attend through video hyperlink from their jail in San Diego, California. Judge Michael Jesic imposed strict restrictions for the listening to: no cameras will probably be allowed within the courtroom, and all cell telephones should be positioned in sealed baggage.
A resentencing listening to was additionally set for December 11, 2024, giving lawyer Hochman further time to finish his overview of the case. California Governor Gavin Newsom additionally introduced he’ll delay making a clemency choice, opting to defer to the newly elected district lawyer. Newsom said that he “recognizes voters have entrusted District Attorney-elect Hochman with this responsibility” and “will defer to the DA-elect’s review and analysis of the Menendez case before making any clemency decisions.”
The December 2024 listening to, nonetheless, was postponed. The Menendez brothers at the moment are scheduled for a resentencing listening to on May 13, 2025.
Prosecutors have beforehand submitted a suggestion for the brothers’ resentencing, suggesting they obtain a brand new sentence of fifty years to life. Since they had been underneath 26 years outdated on the time of the crimes, they’d be eligible for parole instantly underneath a California regulation that went into impact in 2018.
The Menendez brothers beforehand had a courtroom listening to set for November 29, 2024, based on Variety, which adopted the invention of proof suggesting that their father, Jose, sexually abused his kids.
“We have been given evidence, including a photocopy of a letter allegedly sent by one of the brothers to another family member, discussing being the victim of molestation,” Gascón shared on the time, per the outlet. He additionally talked about, “We’ve received evidence provided by the defense, including claims from a member of the Menudo band who alleged he was molested by the father.”
Roy Rosselló, a former member of the Puerto Rican boy band sensation Menudo, spoke out within the 2023 Peacock documentary Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed, the place he alleged that he was abused by the music govt when he was 14.
If you or anybody you understand has been sexually abused, name the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). A educated workers member will present confidential, judgment-free help in addition to native assets to help in therapeutic, recovering and extra.
If you or somebody you understand is fighting substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).