Lyle and Erik Menendez shot and killed their parents on the night of August 20th, 1989. Their parents were shot and killed with shotguns that the two brothers possessed.
Background – before the murder
Lyle was born on January 10th, 1968 in New York, NY. Erik was born two years later on November 27th, 1970,in New Jersey. Their parents were Jose and Mary Louise “Kitty” Menendez. At the age of their deaths, they were 45 and 47 (article by biography.com editors and Jordan Zakarin).
What did these two brothers go through that drove them to shoot their parents?
These two brothers faced abuse, both sexually and physically, caused by both of their parents. Many believe that their dad was the only one who abused them but so did their mother, Kitty Menendez.
Kitty Menendez was not accused of abusing her sons. However, mentions of Kitty Menendez abusing them were found in her sons’ legal filings. One cousin testified during the Menendez brothers’ first trial that Lyle had told him he was too scared to sleep in his room because his father would come in and touch his genitals. When the cousin told Kitty, she angrily dragged Lyle upstairs by his arm.
It also says that when one of the two brothers were in the room with Jose Menendez, no one was allowed to walk down or near the hallway. But somehow, there was no clear evidence of molestation.
Evidence that shows that Jose Menendez was capable of sexually abusing Lyle and Erik was when Roy Rossello (a former member of a Latin pop group “Menudo”) came forward about his abuse during a docuseries “Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed” saying he was drugged and raped by Jose Menendez twice. Menudo was signed with RCA Records which Jose Menendez headed at that time.
Days before the murder, Erik confessed to Lyle that he’d also been sexually and psychically abused by his mother and father. Lyle went to go confront his parents. Many arguments were followed by this confrontation. The two brothers were convinced they’d be killed to stop the family secret coming out. (Information from an article written by: Tom Geoghegan and James FitzGerald)
August 20th, 1989 – the murder
On the evening of Sunday, August 20th, 1989, Jose and Kitty Menendez were shot and killed in their Beverly Hills estate by Lyle and Erik Menendez with a shotgun. Lyle and Erik fired multiple rounds of bullets at their parents. (information found in an article written by Allicia Tejada)
After they were killed, Lyle and Erik didn’t confess right away. Lyle called the police reporting that someone had killed his parents. But, just eight months later, Lyle was the first to be arrested on March 8, 1990. Erik was in Israel competing in a tennis tournament. Three days later on March 11, 1990 Erik turned himself in.
Trial
Lyle had testified in court that they killed their parents in self-defense. Lyle talked about the sexual abuse he went through as a kid. He mentioned that his sexual abuse stopped at age eight.
When Erik testified, he also talked about the sexual abuse he went through with his father. However, he confessed his abuse never ended for him. This is when 18 year old Erik, confided in Lyle days before the murdering of their parents.
They were tried twice for the same crime because the jury couldn’t decide whether they were guilty or not (hung jury) in the first trial. In the second trial, many details in the story of sexual abuse were not allowed. The district attorney’s office also said back then that the brothers were after their parents’ multi-million-dollar estate and to earn their parents’ inheritance.
The Menendez brothers were found guilty of first-degree murder of Jose and Kitty Menendez and were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
The case as of 2024
Rumors revolving the alleged sexual abuse the Menendez brothers faced were often said to be false, claiming they made it all up. However, new evidence surfaced. A letter written by Erik Menendez to his cousin Andy Cano that was written in December 1988. In one part of the letter, it says: “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.” This proved that abuse took place. Now, The Menendez brothers are awaiting the Judges ruling. Many people have expressed sympathy and hope that they’ll be released, Kim Kardashian has also expressed sympathy for the two by publishing on NBC News stating that it’s time for the brothers to be freed. Kim Kardashian said: “We owe it to those little boys who lost their childhoods, who never had a chance to be heard, helped or saved.” (personal essay by Kim Kardashian). Another person that has expressed sympathy towards their freedom is eighth grader Diana Sanchez, “They should be freed because of what they’ve been through, in my opinion, they did it to escape that nightmare they were living in,” said Diana.
