What Did the Menendez Brothers Do? All About Lyle & Erik’s Crimes

Image Credit: Soqui Ted

Infamous convicted brothers Lyle Menéndez and Erik Menéndez will see their case on the silver screen. Netflix has adapted their case into a season in the Monsters anthology, titled Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story. But what exactly did the criminals do that made them go down as two of the famous criminals in modern history?

Who Are Lyle and Erik Menendez?

Lyle (real name: Joseph Lyle Menéndez) and Erik were born two years apart from each other, with Lyle being born in January 1968 in New York City, and Erik in 1970 in New Jersey. They lived with their parents, José Enrique Menéndez and Mary Louise “Kitty” Andersen, in the Hopewell Township of New Jersey.

What Did the Menendez Brothers Do?

Lyle and Erik shot and killed their parents in August 1989 with shotguns. The brothers ended up shooting them 14 times at their Beverly Hills home. Upon investigating the crime scene, police initially believed that the mob was involved due to how violent José and Mary’s murders appeared.

Although authorities didn’t initially suspect the brothers, police received a tip from Erik’s psychologist, Dr. Jerome Oziel, who told his mistress at the time, Judalon Smyth, that Erik had confessed to murdering his and Lyle’s parents. In 1990, Erik and Lyle were arrested. A judge ruled that tapes between Erik and his doctor were acceptable forms of evidence because Erik’s doctor claimed his patient threatened him, which violated their doctor-patient privilege.

Erik and Lyle were formally charged in 1992 with the murders of their mother and father, and their 1993 trial became nationwide news. During their trial, both brothers claimed they shot their parents after being subjected to abuse throughout their childhood. Lyle and Erik accused their late father of sexual abuse and their late mother of alcoholism and drug addiction.

Where Are Lyle and Erik Menendez Now?

Since both Lyle and Erik received life sentences without the possibility of parole, they’re both behind bars at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego, California.

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.

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).