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 Menendez brothers have garnered renewed consideration, largely on account of Ryan Murphy‘s Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, adopted by a Netflix documentary that included beforehand unreleased telephone name recordings between the brothers and director Alejandro Hartmann. Now, the siblings stand an opportunity; after being resentenced, Lyle and Erik have their parole hearings scheduled for August 21 and 22, 2025.
In early October 2024, former Los Angeles County District Legal professional George Gascón introduced that his workplace was reviewing the case after the brothers’ attorneys requested prosecutors to suggest a resentencing, which might probably result in their launch. Nonetheless, the evaluation course of was extended after new DA Nathan Hochman expressed his opposition to the brothers’ resentencing.
As information concerning the Menendez brothers’ case continues to unfold, right here’s a glance again on the brothers on the time of the incident, how previous they’re now, and extra.
How Outdated Had been Lyle and Erik When They Killed Their Mother and father?
Lyle and Erik had been 21 and 18 years previous, 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How Outdated Had been the Menendez Brothers When They Had been Sentenced?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 the moment, Lyle was 28 and Erik was 25.
In February 2025, Erik shared his expertise behind bars throughout an look on TMZ‘s podcast, “2 Indignant Males.” Reflecting on his time in jail at round 29 years previous, he defined, “I used to be picked on, bullied violently, and it was traumatic and it was continuous. These are issues that numerous inmates in jail undergo once they’re not a part of a gang construction and so they are available in and so they’re principally lone wolves, they simply need to be by themselves. Jail may be laborious, and there’s numerous struggling in jail…I’m not gonna battle again, I’m not going to interact, and I had nobody actually to show to for assist, and I used to be separated from Lyle.”
How Outdated Are the Menendez Brothers Now?
As of August 2025, Lyle is 57 years previous. He’ll flip 58 on January 10, 2026. Erik is at the moment 54, and he’ll flip 55 on November 27.
Are the Menendez Brothers Being Launched?
On November 25, 2024, Lyle and Erik appeared in courtroom for the primary time in 28 years to evaluation new proof associated to their case. A resentencing listening to was then set for December 11, 2024, giving new DA Hochman further time to finish his evaluation of the case. California Governor Gavin Newsom additionally introduced he wouldn’t make a clemency resolution, opting to defer to the newly elected district legal professional. Newsom acknowledged that he “acknowledges voters have entrusted District Legal professional-elect Hochman with this duty” and “will defer to the DA-elect’s evaluation and evaluation of the Menendez case earlier than making any clemency selections.”
The Menendez brothers additionally had a courtroom listening to in late 2024, based on Selection, which adopted the invention of proof suggesting that their father, José, sexually abused his youngsters.
“Now we have been given proof, together with a photocopy of a letter allegedly despatched by one of many brothers to a different member of the family, discussing being the sufferer of molestation,” Gascón shared on the time, per the outlet. He additionally talked about, “We’ve acquired proof offered by the protection, together with claims from a member of the Menudo band who alleged he was molested by the daddy.”
Roy Rosselló, a former member of the Puerto Rican boy band sensation Menudo, spoke out within the 2023 Peacock documentary Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed, and he alleged that he was abused by José when he was 14.
The December 2024 listening to was postponed, and the Menendez brothers had been formally resentenced to 50 years to life on Might 13, 2025. This made them eligible for parole, which can be determined throughout their August 21 and 22, 2025, hearings.
In the event you or anybody you already know has been sexually abused, name the Nationwide Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). A educated employees member will present confidential, judgment-free help in addition to native assets to help in therapeutic, recovering and extra.
In the event you or somebody you already know is combating substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Psychological Well being Providers Administration (SAMHSA) Nationwide Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).