The Menendez Brothers became notorious after the death of their parents. On August 20, 1989, Jose and Kitty Menendez were found dead inside their California home. It was reported that Lyle made a call to 911 about someone killing his parents. The Menendez family lived luxuriously inside their Beverly Hills mansion. However, behind closed doors, it was not so lavish. At first, it was assumed the parents were a mob hit. Soon after their death, the real killers were brought out of the shadows. Erik Menendez admitted to the murders in his therapy sessions, which were then passed on to the authorities. The Menendez brothers were arrested in March 1990, and the case made headlines.
The 1989 Menendez Murders
The Menendez brothers were arrested in 1990 for the murders of their parents in 1989. Their parents were found inside their family room with multiple gunshot wounds. Lyle and Erik told authorities that they found them like that when they arrived home. Afterward, the brothers received their inheritance and sprung for luxurious items and vacations. They supposedly spent close to $700,000 by the time they were arrested. It was never a question of if they killed their parents or not. The question was always why. The prosecution argued they wanted their inheritance while the defense argued the brothers wanted to escape the abuse.
Their trial started on July 20, 1993, and lasted until January 13, 1994, when a mistrial was declared. The jury was hung on whether or not to convict the Menendez brothers of manslaughter or first-degree murder. The second trial did not begin until October 11, 1995, and the manslaughter charge was no longer an option. They were convicted of first-degree murder on March 20, 1996. Almost three years after their trial began, they were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. They are serving their sentences at the RJ Donovan Correctional Facility in California.
The New Evidence
Cliff Gardner, one of the Menendez Brothers’ defense attorneys, claims to have new evidence in their case. Erik wrote a letter to his cousin Andy Cano which is dated December 1988, eight months before the murders. The defense has recently discovered the letter in which Erik mentions the abuse of his father. Andy Cano originally testified on the brothers’ behalf supporting the abuse allegations. However, the prosecution argued his testimony was fabricated. Gardner told 48 Hours, “that new evidence corroborates those long-standing claims and lessens their culpability.”
The other piece of new evidence that has surfaced is concerning former singer Roy Rossello. Rossello was a part of Menudo, a Puerto Rican boy band that was signed to a recording contract with RCA Records. Jose Menendez happened to be an executive member of RCA at the time Menudo was signed. Rossello recently came forward claiming to have been sexually abused by Jose Menendez in the early 80s. In 2023, an affidavit was filed where Roy Rossello states he was raped in the Menendez family home when he was a minor. He also stated two other occasions where he was sexually abused by Jose Menendez.
Final Thoughts
Erik and Lyle Menendez were separated for most of the time they had spent in prison. When the Menendez brothers were sentenced in 1996, that was the last they saw each other. In 2018, they were finally reunited in the same jail after many requests made by Lyle. After new evidence was brought forward, Gardner filed a habeas petition citing the evidence to overturn the ruling. Gardner told 48 Hours, “My hope in the case is that the judge will realize that this new evidence is indeed credible and persuasive, and he’ll vacate the convictions.” If the judge decides to do so, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office could retry the Menendez brothers.
