A breakthrough in the case of Lyle and Erik Menendez, convicted in 1996 for the 1989 murders of their parents, could potentially lead to their release from prison.
Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story has renewed interest in the infamous 1989 murders.
The Ryan Murphy series rose to the top spot on Netflix in several countries.
The controversial series has reignited the debate about the motive behind the murder of Jose and Kitty Menendez.
New evidence, including a previously undiscovered letter and allegations of sexual abuse from another victim, has reignited discussions surrounding the brothers’ claim that they acted in self-defense after years of abuse by their father, Jose Menendez.
Lyle and Erik Menendez have maintained they acted in self-defense after nearly 30 years in prison.
Erik Menendez’s letter supports abuse allegations months before murders
Erik Menendez’s letter, written in December 1988—eight months before the killings—was sent to his cousin, Andy Cano. The letter described the ongoing sexual abuse by their father.
In the letter, published by CBS, Erik expressed fear, saying, “I’ve been trying to avoid dad. It’s still happening, Andy, but it’s worse for me now. … Every night I stay up thinking he might come in.”
During the brothers’ initial trials, the defense argued that they killed their parents out of fear after enduring lifelong abuse, but the court ultimately convicted them of first-degree murder.
The discovery of Erik’s letter adds weight to their long-standing claims, which prosecutors previously dismissed.
Jose Menendez was recently accused of assaulting a Menudo band member
Additionally, in 2023, former Menudo member Roy Rossello accused Jose Menendez of sexually assaulting him as a teenager. Rossello’s allegations, detailed in the Peacock docuseries Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed, revealed that Jose had abused him during a visit to the Menendez home in the 1980s.
Attorney Cliff Gardner, representing the brothers, filed a habeas petition in May 2023, citing the letter and Rossello’s testimony as new evidence that could overturn their convictions. Gardner contends that this new information could have altered the trial’s outcome if it had been available to the jury in the 1990s. He argues that the evidence points to a pattern of predatory behavior by Jose Menendez, supporting the brothers’ claims of fear and self-defense.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office is currently reviewing the evidence presented in the petition, though no decision has been made yet. If the court finds the new claims credible, the Menendez brothers could be granted a new trial, potentially leading to their release after over 30 years behind bars.
As the legal process unfolds, this latest development has once again placed the notorious case in the public spotlight, with the possibility that the truth about the Menendez family’s dark past could finally reshape the brothers’ fate.
All Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story episodes are currently streaming on Netflix.