At the time of their arrest for the murder of their parents, Lyle and Erik Menendez were seen as the epitome of Beverly Hills glamour. Dressed in designer clothes, driving fast cars, and sporting Rolex watches, the brothers had no trouble attracting attention with their toned bodies and stylish brunette hair.
However, after being sentenced to life imprisonment for the 1989 murder of their parents, the brothers’ appearances has drastically changed from their playboy image 35 years ago. Both men now look significantly older.
While Erik still has a full head of hair, his brother Lyle is completely bald. Despite spending over three decades in prison, they appear surprisingly upbeat in their prison photos, both smiling widely while dressed in blue prison uniforms.
Netflix’s Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez story – what crime did brothers commit?
After the murder of Jose and Kitty Menendez, who were shot dead in their LA home, the brothers went on a shopping spree using their inheritance. They were subsequently sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
However, 34 years later, new evidence could potentially lead to their release, reports the Mirror.
The tragic scene unfolded as Lyle and Erik returned to their Beverly Hills mansion, finding their parents brutally shot multiple times. Initially, they feigned innocence, but the brothers’ dark secret was exposed when they unbosomed themselves to their psychiatrist in 1990a confession that prosecutors argued was motivated by avarice, whilst defense attorneys contended it was born out of a harrowing fear of patricide due to years of alleged abuse.
Now, with TikTok users reexamining the case and even Kim Kardashian weighing in on the side of the brothers, the spotlight is back on this decades-old nightmare. Newly surfaced evidence, including a pre-murder missive from Erik alleging abuse, casts doubt on the original narrative, while shocking new claims about Jose Menendez emerge including accusations of assaulting a member of boy band Menudo.
Amidst this renewed scrutiny, both Lyle and Erik’s fate hangs in the balance, with a potential retrial on the horizon that could see them walk free. George Gascon, Los Angeles County district attorney, has voiced his stance: “After a very careful review of all the arguments made … I came to a place where I believe that, under the law, resentencing is appropriate and I’m going to recommend that to a court tomorrow. I do believe the brothers were subjected to a tremendous amount of dysfunction in the home, and molestation. They have been in prison for nearly 35 years. I believe that they have paid their debt to society.”