Erik Menendez hospitalized with 'serious medical condition,' lawyer says

Erik Menendez, one of the two brothers convicted in the 1989 murders of their parents, has been hospitalized due to a "serious medical condition," his attorney confirmed to several US news outlets. While the nature of his illness has not been officially disclosed, some reports suggest a potential kidney issue, though this remains unconfirmed.

Menendez, 54, was transferred from a San Diego prison to an external medical facility on July 18. According to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, he is currently in "fair condition," but no further details were provided. His hospitalization comes just weeks before he and his brother, Lyle Menendez, 57, are set to appear before a parole board, scheduled for August 21. 

In 1989, Erik and Lyle Menendez shot and killed their parents at their family home in Los Angeles. The siblings were later convicted of murder and sentenced to life without parole. 

Now, decades later, their case is back in the spotlight. On May 13, a judge from the Los Angeles County Superior Court ruled to resentence the Menendez brothers to life with the possibility of parole. So how real is the prospect of the two men enjoying freedom anytime soon, and what exactly were the circumstances leading up to that terrible night some 35 years ago? 

Click through this gallery to revisit the shocking story of the Menendez brothers.

Who are the Menendez brothers?

Erik and Lyle Menendez, pictured here in the late 1980s, grew up in California. Their parents, José and his wife Mary "Kitty," had moved from New Jersey to Calabasas after José had secured an executive position first with the Hertz Corporation and later RCA Records.

Crime scene

The Menendez home was a million dollar-plus mansion (the house is pictured here in the 1990s, the new owners' cars parked in the driveway). On the evening of August 20, 1989, José and Kitty were watching television in the den of their plush property.

Arrest

Detectives initially investigated Lyle's suggestion the murders might be business related, implying mob-related activity. But in the months after the slayings, the brothers spent an estimated US$700,000 of their wealthy father's fortune—hardly the sort of activity expected of two young men who had found their parents dead in a brutal, bloody murder scene. Their suspicions aroused, police arrested Lyle on March 8, 1990, while Erik turned himself in three days later.

First court appearances

The Menendez brothers were charged with two counts of first-degree murder. They made their first appearance in court for a series of pretrial hearings. From day one the proceedings were broadcast live by Court TV.

Nationwide notoriety

The case immediately attracted nationwide notoriety. It had all the ingredients of a primetime soap opera: a wealthy family torn apart by scandal, a truly grisly crime, and, center stage, two handsome and beguiling young men.

Sensational accusations

Then in a sensational accusation, both brothers said that they'd been subject to emotional and physical abuse at the hands of their father for years.

Physical assault

Lawyers acting on behalf of the brothers painted a damning picture of their parents. José, they alleged, had physically assaulted Erik in an intimate fashion just days before the murders. When Lyle confronted his father about his conduct, he took José's furious reaction as a death threat.

Mistrial

The first trials lasted for six months, and the juries retired. After a month of deliberations, the proceedings ended in a mistrial due to the two deadlocked juries. A retrial was quickly ordered.

More allegations of abuse

Lyle did not testify in the second trial. Erik, though, testified over 15 days about allegations of abuse. The judge ruled there was insufficient evidence that José had abused his sons, which was central to the defense's claim that the brothers had killed their parents out of fear.

The shots fired

The brothers always maintained that they feared their parents were going to kill them to prevent stories emerging about the alleged abuse of their sons. During the trial, mannequins were used to illustrate bullet wounds to both Kitty and José. Kitty was shot 10 times, José six times.

Motive

However, the judge did allow the defense to argue that the brothers shot José in the heat of passion, but not their mother Kitty. Elaborating, he concluded there was enough evidence to suggest that José might have provoked his sons into committing homicide, but not enough to indicate that Kitty did.

Marriages

Both brothers tied the knot while serving their sentences. In July 1996, Lyle married Anna Eriksson by proxy over the telephone, but the couple divorced in April 2001. Erik married his current wife, Tammi Saccoman (pictured), at Folsom State Prison in June 1999. In November 2003, Lyle wed Rebecca Sneed in a ceremony at Mule Creek State Prison. On November 22, 2024, Sneed announced their separation after 21 years of marriage.

Legal appeals

In the decades since their incarceration, multiple legal appeals of their convictions have been rejected by reviewing judges.

Case review

The Netflix anthology series 'Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story' and 'The Menendez Brothers,' the latter a true crime docuseries also distributed by Netflix, have prompted further calls for the case to be reviewed. On October 16, 2024, Joan Andersen VanderMolen, Kitty Menendez' sister, called for the release of the brothers during a press conference outside the Criminal Courts Building in Los Angeles.

Real-life case

The series chronicles the notorious case of the real-life brothers who were convicted in 1996 for the murders of their mother and father. The story, however, has drawn accusations of "dishonesty" from Erik Menendez.

New court hearing

In the wake of a hit Netflix docuseries, a new court hearing for Erik and Lyle Menendez was set for April 17–18, 2025, nearly 30 years after their conviction. On March 10, LA County’s district attorney opposed their resentencing, citing their repeated lies. Family members pushed back, and, on May 13, Judge Michael V. Jesic ruled in favor of resentencing, granting the brothers life with the possibility of parole.