Menendez brothers timeline: From the 1989 murders to their new fight for freedom
Erik and Lyle Menendez have been behind bars for nearly 35 years for the gruesome double murders of their parents -- and the sensational case is still riveting the nation.
Here's the full timeline, from the trials to the brothers' new fight for freedom:
1989
On Aug. 20, 1989, music executive Jose Menendez and his wife, Kitty Menendez, were gunned down with shotguns at their Beverly Hills, California, home.
Their sons, Lyle Menendez, then 21, and Erik Menendez, then 18, called 911 and said their parents were killed by intruders.
1990
In March 1990, Erik and Lyle Menendez were arrested for first-degree murder.
1993
Erik and Lyle Menendez went on trial in 1993, with each brother having his own jury.
Prosecutors alleged the brothers -- who went on a spending spree after the slayings -- killed their wealthy parents for financial gain.
The defense argued the siblings acted in self-defense after enduring years of sexual abuse by their father.
1994
The juries for Erik and Lyle Menendez deadlocked and mistrials were declared for both cases.
1996
In 1996, at the end of a second trial -- in which the judge barred much of the sex abuse evidence -- Lyle and Erik Menendez were convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to two consecutive life prison terms without the possibility of parole.
The brothers were separated and sent to separate prisons.
1999
Erik Menendez married his wife, Tammi, in a ceremony in prison in 1999 after the two connected as pen pals.
The couple is still married and Tammi is an outspoken advocate for the brothers' release.
2003
Lyle Menendez married Rebecca Sneed at Mule Creek State Prison in 2003.
Sneed announced in November 2024 she and Lyle "have been separated for a while now but remain best friends and family."
"I am forever committed to the enduring fight for Lyle and Erik’s freedom," Sneed said in a statement.
2018
In 2018, Lyle and Erik Menendez were reunited for the first time since 1996, when Lyle Menendez was moved to Erik Menendez’s prison: the R.J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego.
When they came face to face for the first time, the brothers "burst into tears immediately," according to Robert Rand, a journalist who consulted for NBC's 2017 TV series on the brothers.
"They just hugged each other for a few minutes without saying any words to each other," Rand said. "Then the prison officials let them spend an hour together in a room."
2023
After spending decades behind bars, in 2023, the brothers filed a habeas corpus petition for a review of new evidence not presented at the original trial.
One piece of evidence is allegations from Roy Rosselló, a former member of the boy band Menudo, who revealed in the 2023 docuseries "Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed" that he was raped by Jose Menendez.
The second piece of evidence is a letter Erik Menendez wrote to his cousin eight months before the murders detailing his alleged abuse. The cousin testified about the alleged abuse at trial, but the letter -- which would have corroborated the cousin's testimony -- wasn't unearthed until several years ago, according to the brothers' attorney.
Through the habeas corpus petition, the court could reverse the conviction or reopen proceedings.
September 2024
In September 2024, Ryan Murphy's fictional series, "Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story," premiered on Netflix, bringing new attention to the infamous murders.
October 2024
Weeks later, on Oct. 7, a documentary on the Menendez brothers was released on Netflix. The two Netflix programs gained a following online from a younger generation who empathized with the brothers' alleged abuse and started advocating for their release.
On Oct. 16, nearly two dozen Menendez family members added to that momentum when they united at a news conference to urge Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón to recommend resentencing.
"If Lyle and Erik's case was heard today, with the understanding we now have about abuse and PTSD, there is no doubt in my mind their sentencing would have been very different," Anamaria Baralt, niece of Jose Menendez, told reporters.
Behind bars, the brothers "have sought to better themselves and serve as a support and inspiration for survivors all over the world," Baralt said. "Their continued incarceration serves no rehabilitative purpose."
On Oct. 24, Gascón announced he was recommending the brothers' sentence of life without the possibility of parole be removed, and they should instead be sentenced for murder, which would be a sentence of 50 years to life. Because both brothers were under 26 at the time of the crimes, they would be eligible for parole immediately with the new sentence.
The DA's office said its resentencing recommendations take into account many factors, including rehabilitation in prison, and abuse or trauma that contributed to the crime. Gascón praised the work Lyle and Erik Menendez did behind bars to rehabilitate themselves and help other inmates.
November 2024
On Nov. 5, Gascón lost his race for reelection to Nathan Hochman.
Hochman, who is set to take office on Dec. 2, said he wants to review all of the evidence -- including prison records and trial transcripts -- before deciding if he'll recommend resentencing.
"I look forward to thoroughly reviewing all the facts and the law to reach a fair and just decision, and then defend it in court," Hochman said in a statement.
The brothers have also submitted a request for clemency to California Gov. Gavin Newsom, but the governor said on Nov. 18 that he'll defer to Hochman's "review and analysis of the Menendez case prior to making any clemency decisions."
What's next?
The next hearing regarding the brothers' resentencing recommendation is set for Jan. 30 and Jan. 31.
If Hochman recommends resentencing, the final decision then goes to the judge, and the parole board must also approve.
