Inside the Menendez brothers’ ‘celeb’ lives
Erik and Lyle Menendez have spent 35 years in jail for the brutal murders of their parents. Here is their extraordinary story.
They became infamous for the brutal murders of their parents in August 1989 at their plush Beverly Hills mansion and have spent 35 years behind bars.
Now Erik and Lyle Menendez - whose case was highlighted in a recent Netflix drama and documentary - could soon be freed after a district attorney recommended that the brothers be resentenced, The US Sun reports.
The pair have been locked up since they were arrested for slaughtering Jose and Kitty Menendez after an intense argument over their father’s alleged sexual abuse.
Defence lawyers at their 1996 trial claimed their abusive father had threatened to kill them and, subsequently, the charge should have been downgraded to manslaughter.
After several appeals, Los Angeles’ district attorney George Gascón is now asking for them to be given 50 years to life, meaning they would be immediately eligible for parole because they were under 26 at the time of the murders.
It follows an emotional press conference held last week by their parents’ families, who called for the brothers’ release. Celebrities such as Kim Kardashian have also advocated on their behalf.
Behind prison walls, they have built relationships, married, taken up jobs and even secured university degrees.
They have also received countless bizarre letters from hoards of women who have been captivated by their case from the start.
Robert Rand, the brothers’ close friend who has played a major role in their efforts to be released, told The Sun: “They’ve both become very valuable members of their inmate community.
“Both brothers lead some classes, including their victim impact classes, and also both brothers are enrolled in a college program through the University of California Irvine.
“Lyle Menendez just got his BA degree a couple of months ago, and Erik Menendez will be finished with the program in a few more months.
“And besides all of that, they also privately counsel other inmates who have been sexually molested when they were children.
“They’ve been doing that the entire 34 years and six months that they’ve been in prison because they obviously understand what an abuse survivor goes through.”
Lyle, now 56, and Erik, 53, have also taken the lead in other aspects of their prison community, including the setting up for a huge mural.
Robert added: “Erik is the lead painter and chief architect of the mural that’s being painted on the interior wall — this giant interior wall of the prison where both brothers are housed.
“In addition to the mural, which I just went and saw a couple of months ago, they’re also going to take the centre of the yard, which is just a patch of dirt, and it’s going to be converted into a beautiful garden.
“All the materials have been donated by private groups, so taxpayers paid for nothing.
“Several people, including the comedian and actress Rosie O’Donnell, have donated $100,000 to his mural garden project that will definitely be unique in California.
“The prison officials believe it will be the largest mural inside of a prison in the world.”
Romance behind bars
Despite their incarceration, both Erik and Lyle went on to marry, with the latter tying the knot twice.
On July 2, 1996 - the day he and his brother were sentenced to life imprisonment for the murders of their parents - Lyle, then 28, married model and salon receptionist Anna Eriksson.
Anna began corresponding with Lyle in 1993 during his first trial, which ended in a mistrial.
She later relocated to California in 1994 to support him and attended his lengthy retrial, which started in 1995 and ended with their convictions in March 1996.
Although the couple could not exchange vows in person, they proceeded with a ceremony over speakerphone.
Lyle said his vows in custody. Meanwhile, Anna was in the office of defence attorney Leslie Abramson. Lyle’s aunt Marta Cano was also present.
But their marriage did not last. In 2001, Anna filed for divorce after reportedly discovering Lyle had been cheating with other women - by writing to them from his cell.
Two years later, he married his newfound love, journalist Rebecca Sneed. Their relationship had developed over a decade, beginning with letters and progressing to in-person visits.
Rebecca was a well-known journalist and had covered the brothers’ case.
This time, Lyle was able to say his vows in person. They wed at the Mule State Prison in Sacramento, where he was housed until he was moved to the same facility as Erik.
Speaking about their communication in 2017 People interview, Lyle said: “Our interactions are generally free from the usual distractions and we probably share more intimate conversations than most married couples, whose lives are filled with interruptions.”
At the time, Rebecca could visit him weekly as she lived near Sacremento.
In the interview, he added: “We talk on the phone daily, sometimes multiple times. This steady, involved relationship brings me peace and joy, counterbalancing the unpredictable, stressful environment of prison.”
He also spoke about the challenges Rebecca had “endured” to be with him.
“She’s endured a lot, but she has the courage to handle the obstacles,” he said. “It would be easier for her to walk away, but I’m profoundly grateful she hasn’t.”
Erik has been married to Tammi Saccoman since 1999. When she first started communicating with Erik, Tammi was still married to her husband Chuck, a successful real estate developer.
In an interview, she recalled watching his trial on TV. “I could see the pain in his eyes,” she said. “I felt so sorry for him.”
Although she had some doubts about Erik’s abuse claims they began a romantic relationship after Tammi made the traumatic discovery that her husband had been abusing her 15-year-old daughter, his stepdaughter.
Chuck later turned himself into the police and killed himself two days later, leaving behind the couple’s daughter, nine months.
She said: “I reached out to Erik. He comforted me; our letters started taking on a more serious tone.”
She said she later “concluded” that she “never wanted to be without Erik”.
Describing how nervous she was when they met for the first time in August 1997, she said: “Erik had no idea what I looked like; I’d only sent him a tiny, 1-by-1 picture.
“But when he walked into the room, he was so full of life, he hopped down the stairs. It was like I was meeting an old friend.”
While prisons in California allow conjugal visits, prisoners serving life sentences without the possibility of parole were exempted from the privilege.
Although the rules were changed in 2016, Lyle and Erik are still not allowed as they committed a violent offence against a family member.
Speaking about the lack of intimacy, Tammi told MSNBC in 2005: “A kiss when you come in, a kiss when you leave. You can hold hands, and that part of it is very difficult, and people don’t understand.”
Prison life
After the brothers were sentenced, they were devastated when they were separated and taken to different facilities.
Despite many appeals, they remained apart for 22 years before they were finally reunited at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in 2018.
At the time, Robert Rand told ABC News: “They just hugged each other for a few minutes without saying any words to each other.
“Then the prison officials let them spend an hour together in a room.’ Now they get to see each other every day during meals and in recreation time.”
Speaking about the reunion in a Netflix documentary premiered this year, Lyle said: “I feel like it was finally the chance to heal. And it was starting on that day.”
Erik added: “When suddenly this prayer of being able to see my brother again was answered, the joy of seeing him again and being able to wrap my arms around him and give him a hug was overwhelming. It was just happiness.”
The brothers are categorised as group A inmates, who have the most privileges when it comes to visits and phone calls within California’s prison system.
Although phone calls were pricey for most of their incarceration, they became free for prisoners and their families from January 2023, thanks to the Keep Families Connected Act.
Prisoners in the state also began getting electronic tablets in 2021. Erik and Lyle’s prison started receiving them just last year.
The tablets cannot access social media or internet browsers but allow inmates to keep up with the news and read magazines.
In addition to free emails and phone calls, prisoners are also given limited minutes for video calls and text messages. They can also pay for more.
Their prison unit offers activities such as yoga, guide dog training, and art lessons. One of the facility’s most unique features is the Echo Yard.
It is a designated space for inmates committed to personal growth, rehabilitation and maintaining positive behaviour.
Known for its calmer atmosphere compared to other prison yards, it encourages inmates to engage in transformative programs, including educational courses, vocational training and therapeutic services.
This environment aims to reduce violence, foster community, and prepare individuals for eventual reintegration.
New wave of fans
Robert says the brothers are very much aware of the outpouring of support they have received since the release of the recent Netflix drama Monster, a documentary and the TikTok movement to free them.
“They know about the Menendez support all over the world. Besides posting videos all over social media, the Menendez supporters are writing them lots of letters.
“They are getting more letters than they ever got during the 90s. They were getting 1000 letters a week. Half of those letters were from groupies who wanted to meet them.”
A 1990 basketball card featuring Mark Jackson of the New York Knicks gained notoriety when fans noticed the Menendez brothers sitting courtside in the background.
It was taken shortly before their arrest. The card became a true-crime collector’s item. In recent months, fans have sent numerous copies of the card to prison for the brothers to sign.
‘Entitled’ jibe
Although the brothers have been described as model prisoners, their time behind bars has not been without trouble. In 2005, Lyle opened up about the physical confrontations he’s had in prison.
He said: “I have gotten into fights… many fights. But I never fight first. You have to learn to be smart. There is a perpetual state of fear that exists as background noise.
“You always have to be aware of who is around you. You have to continually hone your survival instincts.”
According to Us Weekly, Erik also claims that he was bullied when he was first sentenced to prison. He also found it difficult to adjust to the “violent noises” in prison.
The brothers have often split opinions among the inmate population. While some have praised them for being inspirations and mentors, one prison guard slammed them for being “entitled.”
An ex-inmate, Anerae ‘X-raided’ Brown, who spent time with both brothers in the prison system said in an interview: “Lyle was the guy who started teaching me the value of utilizing my popularity to my advantage in a way where I can be influential for positive things.
“He was the first person to say, ‘Hey man, I think you should sign up for these classes, there’s another way to do your time.’”
Horrific crime
In 1989, the Menendez family appeared to be the picture of success. Jose Menendez was a wealthy entertainment executive, and his wife, Kitty, raised their two sons, Lyle and Erik, in Beverly Hills.
But on August 20, that image shattered when Lyle, 21, and Erik, 18, shot their parents with shotguns in the family’s mansion.
The brothers initially claimed their parents were murdered in a mob hit, but six months later, they confessed to the killings in therapy, which eventually led to their arrest.
The initial trial in 1993 became one of the most sensational of the decade, capturing worldwide media attention.
Defence attorneys argued that the Menendez brothers had endured years of severe physical, sexual, and emotional abuse by their father.
They alleged that Jose Menendez was controlling and violent and had molested his sons from a young age.
Their mother, Kitty, was portrayed as complicit, indifferent, or overwhelmed by her husband’s abuse.
The brothers’ defence argued they acted out of a mix of fear and desperation, believing their parents planned to kill them to keep the family’s secrets hidden.
Prosecutors, however, contended that the murders were premeditated acts of greed, carried out so the brothers could inherit their parents’ fortune.
After two trials, Lyle and Erik were sentenced to life without the possibility of parole, a verdict that has remained controversial.
Resentencing hope
This week, it was revealed that the Los Angeles County district attorney had recommended that the brothers be resentenced.
Their life in prison without the possibility of parole sentence was asked to be replaced with 50 years to life in prison, meaning they would be available for parole immediately.
The new development came after the review of new evidence that was not previously submitted to the court.
Robert Rand, who recently uncovered Erik’s letter to his cousin Andy, told The Sun: “It’s a five-page letter. I was going through documents in Andy’s dresser, and it was probably about halfway through the second page.
“He wrote a paragraph where he started complaining about the abuse by his father, and that every night he was afraid that his father would come into his room, and he didn’t know what to do about it.
“And I was reading this, and I was shocked to see it because I realised that it was a physical piece of evidence. It wasn’t just somebody saying something, but a real physical piece of evidence.
“And I realised this could have a major impact on the brother’s case and their attempt to reopen the case.”
This story first appeared in The US Sun and has been republished with permission.
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