Menendez brothers convicted killers Ask the Chatbot a Question More Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/biography/Lyle-and-Erik-Menendez Feedback Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other Your Feedback Submit Feedback Thank you for your feedback Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

　　External Websites Ask the Chatbot a Question Also known as: Lyle and Erik Menendez Written by Tracy Grant Tracy Grant is a senior editor at Encyclopaedia Britannica. She previously served as editor in chief, the first woman to hold that title. Tracy Grant Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Mar 5, 2025 • Article History Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot Quick Facts Also called: Lyle and Erik Menendez (Show more) { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " Who were Lyle and Erik Menendez? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Lyle and Erik Menendez were brothers who brutally murdered their parents, Josu00E9 and Kitty Menendez, in their Beverly Hills mansion on August 20, 1989." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What was the defense argument in the Menendez brothersu2019 trial? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "The defense argued that the killings were in self-defense, claiming that Josu00E9 Menendez had molested them repeatedly and that their mother was aware but did nothing to stop the abuse." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What was the outcome of the Menendez brothersu2019 trials? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "The brothersu2019 first trial resulted in a hung jury for each brother. In a second trial in 1995, Lyle and Erik Menendez were each found guilty of two counts of murder and sentenced to life without parole." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What new evidence emerged in 2023 regarding the Menendez case? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "In 2023 new evidence included an allegation from Roy Rossellu00F3, a former Menudo member, that Josu00E9 Menendez sexually abused him, and a letter from Erik Menendez to a cousin outlining his fatheru2019s abuse." } } ] } Top Questions Who were Lyle and Erik Menendez? Lyle and Erik Menendez were brothers who brutally murdered their parents, José and Kitty Menendez, in their Beverly Hills mansion on August 20, 1989.

　　What was the defense argument in the Menendez brothers’ trial? The defense argued that the killings were in self-defense, claiming that José Menendez had molested them repeatedly and that their mother was aware but did nothing to stop the abuse.

　　What was the outcome of the Menendez brothers’ trials? The brothers’ first trial resulted in a hung jury for each brother. In a second trial in 1995, Lyle and Erik Menendez were each found guilty of two counts of murder and sentenced to life without parole.

　　What new evidence emerged in 2023 regarding the Menendez case? In 2023 new evidence included an allegation from Roy Rosselló, a former Menudo member, that José Menendez sexually abused him, and a letter from Erik Menendez to a cousin outlining his father’s abuse.

　　On August 20, 1989, brothers Lyle and Erik Menendez brutally murdered their parents, José and Kitty Menendez, shooting each of them multiple times in the family’s mansion in Beverly Hills, California. In the decades since there has been little dispute about those facts. But were the killings heinous acts of cold-blooded, privileged murderers or desperate pleas for help from confused, traumatized victims of abuse? The perhaps unknowable answer to that question explains how the case became one of the most notorious of the second half of the 20th century and one that remains unresolved well into the 21st century. Before ...(100 of 1079 words)

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