The Menendez brothers, Lyle and Erik, who killed their parents in 1989, may have a chance for freedom. The brothers confessed to fatally shooting their parents in their family home and were sentenced to life without parole. Now, in the wake of new evidence, they may be resentenced and possibly freed.
Lyle and Erik, 21 and 18 at the time of the killings, are now 56 and 53 years old, respectively. The brothers have each served 35 years and now, new evidence is being introduced. At the original trial, Lyle and Erik’s attorneys brought many witnesses to the stand in order to convince the jury that the brothers had been sexually and physically abused by their father, José Menendez, from a very young age. One of the witnesses in the brothers’ original trial, their cousin Andy Cano, has brought new evidence to the brothers’ attorneys. A letter written about eight months before the murders from Erik Menendez. In this letter, Erik writes, “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. … I’m afraid. … He’s crazy. He’s warned me a hundred times about telling anyone, especially Lyle.”
Another strong piece of evidence to further prove José Menendez’s abusive nature has come to light. José Menendez was an executive at RCA records, signing the boy band Menudo. Former Menudo member Roy Rossello came to authorities in 2023 to describe multiple instances of abuse towards Rossello at the hands of José when he would have been about 14 or 15. The brothers’ attorneys have submitted requests for clemency to the California governor based on this new evidence as well as the brothers’ improvement and work in prison.
October 23, 2024, Los Angeles County DA stated he wants mercy for the brothers. Saying, “I strongly support clemency for Erik and Lyle Menendez, who are currently serving sentences of life without possibility of parole… They have respectively served 34 years and have continued their educations and worked to create new programs to support the rehabilitation of fellow inmates.” The DA, George Gascón has filed a motion that the brothers sentence be changed to from life without parole to 50 years to life with the possibility of parole. A hearing on this resentencing is scheduled for Dec. 11. If granted, the brothers could be eligible for parole immediately.
