On a hot August night in 1989, the silence of a Beverly Hills neighborhood was shattered by the sound of 15 shotgun blasts. Inside a mansion on North Elm Drive, Jose and Kitty Menendez lay dead. Their sons, Lyle and Erik—then 21 and 18—were the ones who called 911, screaming that someone had killed their parents.
For months, the world believed them. They played the part of grieving orphans, though their grief looked a lot like buying Rolexes and Porsche Carreras.
Fast forward to 2026, and the question of what did the Menendez brothers do isn't just a matter of history; it’s a living, breathing legal battle. We aren't just talking about a 90s true crime relic anymore. With recent resentencing hearings and parole denials making headlines in late 2025 and early 2026, the case has shifted from "cold-blooded killers" to a much more "it’s complicated" reality.
The Night Everything Changed
It was August 20, 1989. Jose Menendez, a high-powered RCA executive, and his wife Kitty were watching The Spy Who Loved Me in their den.
Lyle and Erik didn't just walk in and shoot. They used 12-gauge Mossberg shotguns. They shot Jose in the back of the head at point-blank range. Kitty tried to run. She was shot ten times, eventually taking a final, fatal blast to the face while she was crawling on the floor.
Honestly, the crime scene was so grisly that police initially thought it was a professional mob hit. The brothers helped that narrative along. They dumped the guns (which were never found), went to a movie theater to buy alibi tickets for Batman, and then "discovered" the bodies later that night.
The Money, the Psychologists, and the Arrest
For about seven months, they got away with it. They went on a $700,000 spending spree. Lyle bought a restaurant. Erik hired a full-time tennis coach. This wasn't exactly "laying low."
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The cracks started showing when Erik, consumed by guilt, confessed to his therapist, Dr. Jerome Oziel. But here’s where it gets weird: Oziel’s mistress, Judalon Smyth, was eavesdropping. When she and Oziel had a falling out, she went to the cops.
Lyle was arrested in March 1990 while leaving the mansion. Erik turned himself in a few days later after flying back from a tennis tournament in Israel.
What Really Happened: Self-Defense or Greed?
The first trial in 1993 was a media circus. It was one of the first cases to be broadcast live on Court TV, and it captivated the nation.
The brothers admitted they pulled the triggers. They didn't deny the killings. Instead, they argued "imperfect self-defense." They told horrific stories of years of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse at the hands of their father. They claimed Kitty knew and did nothing—or worse, participated in the psychological torture.
The prosecution laughed it off. They called it "the abuse excuse." They pointed at the Rolexes and the inheritance. They said the brothers killed because they were about to be cut out of the $14 million will.
That first trial ended in a hung jury. People couldn't agree. Was it a tragic reaction to trauma or a cold-blooded hit?
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The Second Trial and the Life Sentence
The second trial in 1995 was different. Judge Stanley Weisberg restricted the defense’s ability to present the abuse testimony. Without that context, the jury saw two young men who killed their parents in cold blood.
In 1996, they were convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. For nearly 30 years, that seemed to be the end of the story.
Why the Menendez Case is Blowing Up Again
You’ve probably seen the TikToks or the Netflix series. Our culture views trauma very differently now than it did in the 90s.
In 2024 and 2025, two major things happened:
- The Rossello Evidence: Roy Rossello, a former member of the band Menudo, came forward claiming Jose Menendez also sexually assaulted him when he was a teen.
- The Letter: A letter Erik wrote to his cousin, Andy Cano, surfaced. It was dated eight months before the murders and explicitly mentioned the abuse.
This new evidence suggests the brothers weren't just making it up for the trial. It corroborates their story in a way that didn't exist in 1996.
The 2026 Legal Reality
In May 2025, a Los Angeles judge finally resentenced the brothers to 50 years to life. Because they were under 26 at the time of the crime, this made them eligible for "youth offender" parole.
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However, freedom hasn't been easy. In August 2025, both brothers were denied parole. The board cited concerns about "deception" and past rule-breaking in prison. As of early 2026, they remain at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego.
Lyle is now 57. Erik is 54.
Understanding the "Why"
When people ask what did the Menendez brothers do, the "what" is easy: they killed their parents. The "why" is the part that still haunts the justice system.
If they were truly being abused, the law today might have treated them as victims of "battered child syndrome." Back then, they were just seen as spoiled rich kids.
What you should know about the current state of the case:
- The Parole Status: Despite the resentencing, the California parole board has the final say. They recently ordered Lyle to wait another three years before his next hearing.
- The DA's Stance: The current Los Angeles DA, Nathan Hochman, has been more skeptical than his predecessor, arguing the brothers haven't fully "come clean" about the financial motives.
- The Family Support: Interestingly, almost the entire extended Menendez family—on both the Jose and Kitty sides—supports their release. They believe the abuse happened.
Actionable Insights for True Crime Followers
If you're following this case, don't just rely on TV dramatizations. The legal documents tell a much grittier story.
- Read the Habeas Petition: The 2023 petition filed by Cliff Gardner contains the actual text of the newly discovered letter. It's a heavy read but vital for understanding the "new evidence."
- Watch the Parole Hearings: Transcripts and summaries of the 2025 hearings show exactly why the board is still hesitant to let them go, focusing on their behavior inside prison rather than just the crime itself.
- Follow the Youth Offender Laws: This case is a landmark for how California treats people who commit crimes as "emerging adults." It could change how hundreds of other cases are handled.
The Menendez brothers did something terrible. No one disputes that. But as we move through 2026, the world is still trying to decide if they are monsters or victims who have finally served their time.
Keep an eye on the upcoming 2026 court filings regarding their habeas corpus petitions. If the court decides the original trial was fundamentally unfair due to the exclusion of abuse evidence, we might see a total vacation of their convictions, which is a much bigger deal than just getting parole.