Erik Menéndez Reveals Post-Prison Plans Amid Parole Speculation

Erik Menéndez hopes to get out of prison following the popularity of Netflix's series "Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menéndez Story."

The Menéndez brothers, Lyle and Erik, gained notoriety in the early 1990s after being convicted of the 1989 murders of their wealthy parents, Jose and Kitty Menéndez, in their Beverly Hills home. The case shocked the nation, as the brothers initially claimed they were innocent before eventually admitting to the killings.

During their trial, they argued that they had acted out of fear after years of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse by their father. However, prosecutors portrayed them as motivated by greed, pointing to the family's immense fortune.

In 1996, Lyle and Erik Menéndez were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Netflix's series "Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menéndez Story" is the latest installment in Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan’s Monster anthology series. Following the success of "Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story," the new series focuses on Lyle Menéndez and Erik Menéndez, who were convicted in 1996 for the brutal murders of their parents, José and Kitty Menéndez, in their Beverly Hills mansion.

In the first trial held in 1994, the juries were unable to reach a unanimous verdict after hearing testimony from Lyle and Erik. The brothers claimed they acted in self-defense, arguing that they feared their parents would kill them to prevent the disclosure of the alleged abuse they had endured. This deadlock ultimately led to a mistrial, prompting a second trial where the brothers were eventually convicted.

Renewed interest in the Menéndez brothers’ case, sparked by the Netflix series, has reignited discussions about their potential release from prison.

Erik is preparing for a potential new chapter in Southern Nevada if he is granted release.

According to sources who spoke with TMZ, Erik plans to move in with his wife, Tammi Menéndez, who currently resides in Las Vegas. If he is freed, Erik intends to transition from his structured prison environment to life in the city, where he hopes to reunite with his better half and start fresh​.

It is unclear what Lyle's intentions are if he's released from prison.

Erik and Tammi began communicating through letters in 1993 while Tammi was still married to another man. Initially, Tammi was skeptical about the abuse claims Erik and his brother made against their father, José.

However, her perspective changed when she discovered that her first husband had been sexually abusing her daughter. This revelation led her to believe Erik's account of the abuse he and his brother had endured.

The couple married in 1999, with a Twinkie serving as their wedding cake, and they have remained committed to each other ever since. Despite the lack of conjugal visits allowed in prison, Erik and Tammi have maintained their marriage for over two decades.

Ahead of the official debut of "Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menéndez Story," Erik expressed his dissatisfaction with how he and his brother Lyle are portrayed in the series.

In his statement, he argued that the show misrepresents their claims of childhood abuse and their justification of self-defense in the killings of their parents. “I believed we had moved beyond the lies and ruinous character portrayals of Lyle, creating a caricature of Lyle rooted in horrible and blatant lies rampant in the show," Erik said.

He later emphasized that these inaccuracies distort the truth of their experiences, which they have consistently maintained since the beginning of their legal case​. "I can only believe they were done so on purpose," he added. "It is with a heavy heart that I say, I believe Ryan Murphy cannot be this naive and inaccurate about the facts of our lives so as to do this without bad intent.”

L.A. County District Attorney George Gascón is expected to announce his decision regarding the possible release of Erik and Lyle on Thursday, October 24.

Gascón has two main options: he could either request that a judge resentence the brothers to time served, effectively freeing them, or he could petition the judge to set aside their murder conviction and instead impose a voluntary manslaughter conviction.

In California, the maximum sentence for voluntary manslaughter is 11 years, and since the Menéndez brothers have already served nearly 35 years, this would result in their release if the judge agrees to the change.