The Menendez brothers' dad had a lucrative job. We strive for accuracy and fairness. 30 Years After Menendez Brothers Murders - People Erik said that he fired first, but in the end Lyle fired best: He landed the bullet in the back of Joses head, and shot the fatal blow into Kittys face. The therapy sessions continued and Oziel ultimately got both Erik and Lyle on tape, confessing to the murders. Opinions nationwide were divided over whether they deserved to live and die behind bars. They were shot multiple times at close range with a shotgun and rendered unrecognizable. After Joseph Lyle Menendez was born in 1968, the family moved to New Jersey, where, Jose was 35 when he became executive vice president at Hertz, a subsidiary of Radio Corporation of America, more commonly known as RCA. Even now, 30 years since the murders first took place, the brothers crime continues to fascinate and perplex. Pointing to a picture of Jose in the preview, To learn more about the case and all of its key players, watch Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed, premiering May 2 on. READ MORE: Why the Menendez Brothers Killed Their Parentsa Look Inside Their Murder Case. Although the Menendez brothers were not immediately suspected, Erik couldnt take the guilt and confessed his involvement to his psychotherapist, Dr. L. Jerome Oziel. Netflix and Ryan Murphy's 'Monster' Anthology to Focus on Menendez Unlike other endlessly popular true-crime storiesJonBenet Ramsey, O.J. Lyles hysterical whine of Someone killed our parents! in his 911 call would later be lampooned in a Jim Carrey movie. Streaming Schedule, Season 5, Part 2 Debut Info, 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved, Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders, 'American Horror Story' Season 12 Casts Michaela Ja Rodriguez and Cara Delevingne, Patti LuPone Blasts Kim Kardashian for Newly Booked 'American Horror Story' Role: "What Are You Doing With Your Life? Oziel's mistress overheard the taped session, and she went to police. LYLE Menendez and younger brother Erik are serving life sentences for the 1989 murder of their parents. Ex-Menudo Singer Says He Was Raped by Father of Menendez Brothers The mere appearance of host John Malkovich wearing the royal blue sweater on the stand was enough shorthand for a studio audience to begin laughing. Erik was playing tennis in Israel at the time but came home voluntarily, and was arrested on March 11. It wasnt until April 17, 1996, that a third and final jury found the brothers guilty together. The brothers, featured on ABC's 20/20 in April of 2021, have a new generation of defenders - on Instagram and TikTok. HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate. Over three decades later, some TikTok users believe that they were actually the victims. The Menendez Brothers' History of Sexual Abuse Is Complicated The brothers were convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. But they werent arrested until half a year after the murdersand the boys painted Los Angeles red in the interim. Its not unfathomable, then, to think that in the present climate, Lyle and Eriks charges would have sounded more plausible than they did at the timeand that no judge would have dared limit testimony about their alleged sexual abuse, as was the case in their second trial, when they were found guilty. The True Story of Why the Menendez Brothers Killed Their Parents Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the US and other countries around the globe. Stream It Or Skip It: There There on Hulu, A Talky Compendium of Short Scenes with a Clever Visual Trick, Stream It Or Skip It: 'The Nurse' On Netflix, A Danish Drama About A New Nurse That Suspects That A Colleague Is Killing Patients, Stream It Or Skip It: 'One More Time' On Netflix, A Swedish Time Travel Comedy About Getting To Re-Live Your Best Day, PSA to David Bowie Fans, 'Moonage Daydream' Is Now Streaming on HBO, Joy Behar and Stanley Tucci Bond Over Italian Stereotypes on 'The View': "Innately Evil", Stream It Or Skip It: 'Secrets of the Elephants' on Disney+, a Typically Gorgeous and Informative Documentary Series, James Brolin Spooked by Son Josh's Nude Photo on 'The View': "Oh My God! Lyle and Erik Menendez were convicted in 1996 of murdering their mother, Mary Louise, a former beauty queen who went by Kitty, and their father, Jose, a music executive, despite defense arguments. The investigation eventually turned to Lyle and Erik. Prosecutors argued that the brothers murdered their parents, Jose and Kitty, with a shotgun in their Beverly Hills home to gain control of the couple's $14 million estate . In between, the Menendez murders became one of the most famous criminal cases of the late 20th century thanks to its potent mix of family drama, Hollywood connections, dramatic testimony and cable TVs ability to blanket the airwaves with coverage. Enter a date in the format M/D (e.g., 1/1), The Menendez brothers murder their parents, Why the Menendez Brothers Killed Their Parentsa Look Inside Their Murder Case, https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-menendez-brothers-murder-their-parents, 17-year-old becomes youngest to hit MLB home run, First enslaved Africans arrive in Jamestown, setting the stage for slavery in North America, Russian revolutionary Leon Trotsky assassinated in Mexico, First around-the-world telegram sent, 66 years before Voyager II launch, United States decides to support Ngo Dinh Diem, Corps of Discovery suffers its only death, Valley of the Dolls author Jacqueline Susann born, Horace Greeleys The Prayer of Twenty Millions is published. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox.