Erik and Lyle Menendez MIKE NELSON/AFP via Getty Images Erik Menéndez and Lyle Menéndez's murder case has played out in the public for over three decades from two high-profile trials to a life sentence - and a renewed chance at freedom. After their parents, José and Kitty Menéndez, were found dead in 1989, Erik and Lyle became the prime suspects. The brothers were both arrested in 1990 on two counts of first-degree murder. Two subsequent trials resulted in Erik and Lyle's conviction and a life sentence without the possibility of parole. Erik and Lyle, meanwhile, have maintained that their mother and father were physically, emotionally and sexually abusive and that their actions were that of self-defense. The Menéndez brothers remained behind bars as their case continued to be referenced in episodes of Law & Order, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and The Sopranos. Erik and Lyle were also cited several times on the FX drama The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story in 2016, which Ryan Murphy executive produced. Murphy officially explored the Menéndez story in September 2024 with his Monsters series. Nicholas Alexander Chavez brought Lyle to life while Erik was played by Cooper Koch. José and Kitty, meanwhile, were portrayed by Javier Bardem and Chloë Sevigny, respectively. How Netflix's 'Monsters' Cast Compares to Real-Life Menendez Family The executive producer has since pointed out how his show created renewed interest in Erik and Lyle - despite their disapproval over how they were portrayed. "They are now being talked about by millions of people all over the world. There's a documentary coming out in two weeks about them, also on Netflix. And I think the interesting thing about it is it's asking people to answer the questions, 'Should they get a new trial? Should they be let out of jail? What happens in our society? Should people be locked away for life? Is there no chance ever at rehabilitation?'" he told Variety in September 2024. "I'm interested in that, and a lot of people are talking about it. We're asking really difficult questions, and it's giving these brothers another trial in the court of public opinion. From what I can tell, it's really opened up the possibility that this evidence that they claim that they have, maybe that there is going to be a way forward for them." Erik and Lyle were granted a new hearing for their case one month later after the Los Angeles District Attorney's office cited new evidence indicating that their father allegedly molested them. The Los Angeles District Attorney's office recommended in October 2024 that Erik and Lyle's sentence be reduced. They were resentenced to 50 years in May 2025, which made them eligible for parole in the future but Erik's request was ultimately denied. Keep scrolling for a complete timeline of events in Erik and Lyle's case, from the initial arrest to their new chance of being released from prison: 1989 José and Kitty were found dead at their Beverly Hills home in 1989. After Lyle called the police, authorities discovered José was shot six times and Kitty was shot 10 times. Lyle and Erik weren't initially named persons of interest, as the police pursued other avenues including a potential Mafia hit. Erik and Lyle Menendez's Murder Trial: Where Are The Key Players Now? 1990 Erik and Lyle Menendez Ted Soqui/Sygma via Getty Images In the months after their parents' deaths, Erik and Lyle confessed to the murders to their therapist, Jerome Oziel. Oziel recorded their conversations, where they discussed the crimes, and the siblings were later arrested after the authorities were tipped off about the tapes. At the time of the murder and brothers' confessions, Oziel was having an affair with Judalon Smyth. Oziel told his mistress about the sessions with the Menéndez brothers. Smyth was the one to report what she knew to the police after Oziel ended their relationship. (Oziel subsequently lost his license to practice in 1997 for violating patient confidentiality and after being accused of having sex with female patients, according to the Los Angeles Times.) Oziel told Bustle in 2017 that claims of his professional impropriety were "flatly and completely false." Lyle and Erik were arrested in 1990 on two counts of first-degree murder each. 1992 Erik and Lyle Menendez VINCE BUCCI/AFP via Getty Images It took years before a trial was set due to the tapes potentially violating doctor-patient confidentiality. After much litigation, Judge James Albrecht subsequently ruled that tapes of the conversations between Erik and Oziel were admissible evidence since Oziel claimed Lyle threatened him, which violated his privilege as a patient. The ruling was appealed, leading to a two-year delay in legal proceedings. The Supreme Court of California ruled in 1992 that most of the tapes were admissible except one, in which Erik discussed the murders. A Los Angeles County grand jury ultimately issued indictments later that year that charged the brothers with the murde