Lyle and Erik Menendez have been denied parole after more than three decades behind bars for the notorious 1989 murders of their parents.
The decision, delivered this week, came as a shock to the brothers and their supporters, following last year’s recommendation that they be considered for resentencing. Both were hoping for a chance at early release — but parole boards rejected the applications, ruling that they still pose a risk to public safety.
The infamous case
The Menendez brothers were 21 and 18 when their parents, José and Kitty Menendez, were found shot dead in the family’s Beverly Hills mansion. Investigators later determined that the pair stood to inherit millions of dollars, a motive prosecutors used to secure their convictions.
During their sensational trial, however, both Lyle and Erik alleged that their father had sexually abused them for years. Several relatives corroborated the claims, though the jury ultimately found the brothers guilty of murder.
Renewed attention through TV drama
The case resurfaced in the cultural spotlight in 2023 when producer Ryan Murphy adapted the story into Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story. The series starred Cooper Koch as Erik and Nicholas Alexander Chavez as Lyle, sparking backlash for its portrayal of the brothers’ trauma and insinuations of incest.
Audiences accused Murphy of confusing abuse trauma with sexuality, despite no evidence supporting such depictions. Lyle himself testified during the trial that he had never had any sexual relationship with his brother.
High-profile visits to the prison — including by Kim Kardashian and actor Cooper Koch — kept the Menendez brothers in the public eye throughout the show’s release.
Calls for leniency fall flat
Last year, Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón had recommended resentencing, stating:
“I believe they have paid their debt to society.”
But this week, the tide turned. On Thursday, Erik was denied parole, with officials citing his behaviour in prison and his failure to take responsibility for the crimes. On Friday, Lyle faced the same outcome, with his parole deferred for another three years.
For now, both men will continue serving life sentences without parole at the R.J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego.
