The Menendez brothers, Lyle and Erik, are back in the public eye following the release of Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story.
The series is the second season of Netflix’s Monster series, which debuted in September 2024.
The show reignited interest in their 1989 crime when they murdered their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, in their Beverly Hills home.
At the time, Lyle was 21, and Erik was 18. They claimed the killings were in self-defense after years of sexual abuse by their father, allegations that played a significant role in their defense during their trial.
Despite their claims of abuse, the prosecution argued that the brothers’ real motive was financial, as their parents had amassed a significant fortune.
The first trial ended with two hung juries, but during a second trial in 1996, the brothers were convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Erik and Lyle are in the same prison after decades apart
Now in their 50s, the brothers are serving their sentences at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego, California, according to Mail Online.
They were separated for over two decades but were reunited in 2018 when Lyle was transferred to the same housing unit as Erik. Over the years, they have maintained relationships and married women they met while in prison. Lyle has been married to Rebecca Sneed since 2003, while Erik married Tammi Ruth Saccoman in 1999.
In recent years, the Menendez brothers have made several attempts to appeal their convictions, all of which have been denied.
Their latest legal effort in May 2023 involved a petition based on new evidence, including a letter from Erik to a cousin detailing the abuse he suffered and allegations that their father had also abused Roy Rossello, a former member of the boy band Menudo.
Kim Kardashian meets the Menendez brothers in prison
Kim Kardashian visited the two brothers serving life sentences for the notorious murder of their parents in California 35 years ago. According to entertainment outlet TMZ, Kardashian met with the brothers while discussing prison reform at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego County.
Both men are involved in a rehabilitation initiative known as Greenspace, which encourages inmates to enhance prison yard environments.
Kardashian was said to be accompanied by her sister Khloe, their mother Kris Jenner, and Cooper Koch, the actor portraying Erik Menendez in Netflix’s Monster series.
Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story is currently streaming on Netflix.