Nearly 30 years after Lyle and Erik Menendez were convicted of murdering their parents, their case is back in court — and this time, they may have a chance at freedom.
It began amid renewed public interest, sparked in part by Netflix’s Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story. On October 24, 2024, former Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón held a press conference addressing the potential resentencing of the Menendez brothers. Though Gascón was later replaced by Nathan Hochman, who opposed a new trial and attempted to reverse the motion supporting resentencing, the court proceedings remain underway.
Hollywood Life has the latest update on Lyle and Erik’s resentencing below.
Were Lyle & Erik Menendez Resentenced?
During an October 24, 2024, press conference, former Los Angeles DA Gascón announced that he had “decided to move forward” with a review of Erik and Lyle Menendez’s case. He also formally recommended that the brothers be resentenced and made immediately eligible for parole.
BREAKING: Los Angeles County DA recommends resentencing the Menendez brothers for the 1989 killings of their parents. https://t.co/5rQdUbS17D pic.twitter.com/xJcx3Wg2OB
— NBC News (@NBCNews) October 24, 2024
Gascón explained that resentencing under California law does not necessarily revisit the original crime, but rather evaluates whether the inmate has been rehabilitated and can be safely released into the community.
“There was no excuse for murder,” Gascón said, referencing the 1989 killing of José and Mary Louise “Kitty” Menendez. “Because even if you get abused, the right path is to call police, seek help.” Still, he acknowledged the desperation that many abuse victims experience, noting that some, particularly women, “who have been battered for years … sometimes will murder their abuser.”
“I believe they have paid their debt to society,” Gascon added.
The Menendez brothers were scheduled to return to court on March 20, 2025, for a hearing to determine if they should be resentenced. However, DA Hochman announced he had asked the court to reject Lyle and Erik’s request for a new trial.
“We looked again at the credibility of the letters, particularly this Andy Cano 1988 supposed letter weighed in the continuum of lies, and it calls into drastic question whether this is in fact a 1988 letter written by Erik Menendez to Andy Cano about this sexual abuse,” Hochman said.
Judge Michael Jesic held a hearing on April 11 to announce that resentencing proceedings would continue on April 17 and 18, 2025. However, on the day the hearings were set to begin, the prosecution argued that a recently completed risk assessment — conducted by the California Board of Parole Hearings at the request of Governor Gavin Newsom — was necessary before the case could move forward. As a result, a new hearing has been scheduled for May 9.
When Will Lyle & Erik Menendez Be Released?
It’s still unclear when the Menendez brothers could be released from prison.
When the brothers shot their parents in August 1989, Erik was 18, and Lyle was 21. The brothers are now 54 and 57, respectively.
Do the Menendez Brothers Still Have Money?
After more than 30 years behind bars, Lyle and Erik reportedly exhausted any money they once had. Their net worths are currently unknown.
Some still believe that the siblings killed their parents to inherit their money — an accusation that both Lyle and Erik have called inaccurate.
Why Did the Menendez Brothers Kill Their Parents?
Erik and Lyle have maintained the reason for fatally shooting their mother and father. During their 1990s trials, the brothers described the alleged emotional, physical and sexual abuse that they endured during their childhoods. During both of their trials, Erik and Lyle detailed what José allegedly did to them when they were children.
Throughout the trials, defense attorney Leslie Abramson maintained both Erik and Lyle’s claims about the alleged sexual abuse they faced. Although Judge Stanley Weisberg sentenced them to life without the possibility of parole in 1996, Erik and Lyle sought rehabilitation behind bars, which District Attorney Gascón pointed out in October 2024. Additionally, new evidence was handed over to the court for further review. The evidence included two key pieces of information: a letter that Erik had written to his cousin Andy Cano months before he and Lyle killed their parents, admitting how fearful he was of José, and an allegation from former Menudo band member Roy Rosselló, who claimed that he was sexually abused by José when he was a minor.
If you or anyone you know has been sexually abused, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). A trained staff member will provide confidential, judgment-free support as well as local resources to assist in healing, recovering and more.
