Erik previously became eligible for parole in May 2025 after a judge reduced both his and Lyle's sentences from life in prison without the possibility of parole to 50 years to life. However, after Erik virtually appeared in the hearing on Aug. 21, a California parole board denied his release.
"While we respect the decision, today's outcome was of course disappointing and not what we hoped for," a spokesperson for the brothers said at the time. "But our belief in Erik remains unwavering and we know he will take the Board's recommendation in stride. His remorse, growth, and the positive impact he's had on others speak for themselves. We will continue to stand by him and hold to the hope he is able to return home soon."
Lyle will have his own hearing on Aug. 22. After Erik's parole was denied, their spokesperson said they "remain cautiously optimistic and hopeful" that Lyle's hearing will have a different outcome.
Erik and Lyle were sentenced in 1996 for killing their parents in their Beverly Hills mansion in August 1989. After the brothers were charged with the murders, they alleged that they acted in self-defense and were trying to escape their father's years of abuse. Meanwhile, prosecutors claimed that they killed their parents to get their multimillion-dollar inheritance.
Here's everything to know about why Erik Menendez was denied parole and what that means for his older brother, Lyle Menendez.
Erik and Lyle were convicted of killing their parents at their home in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Aug. 20, 1989. Although Erik and Lyle initially denied the crime and claimed that a third party had murdered their parents, they were eventually arrested after Erik confessed to the murders to his psychologist.
In March 1990, Erik and Lyle were arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder. The brothers eventually went to trial, where their attorneys argued that they acted in self-defense after dealing with years of alleged sexual, physical and emotional abuse from their father, with their mother aware of the alleged abuse.
However, prosecutors argued that the abuse never occurred, and instead, they acted out of greed to inherit their father's multimillion-dollar fortune after they thought they were cut out of the will.
The first trial ended in a mistrial with separate juries who couldn't reach a verdict. However, during their second trial in 1996, they were found guilty and convicted on two counts of first-degree murder.
The brothers were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Erik began serving his sentence at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego, Calif., while Lyle reunited with him at that same prison in 2018.
After years of appeals and dozens of documentaries, true crime shows and podcasts and Ryan Murphy's hit Netflix adaptation Monsters, Erik and Lyle's sentences were adjusted to 50 years to life. The resentencing immediately made them both eligible for parole, since they were both under the age of 26 when they committed the crime.
On Aug. 21, Erik appeared via videoconference from prison to attend his parole hearing. However, after nearly 10 hours, a California board denied Erik parole with the thought that he still posed a risk to the public.
During the hearing, both Erik and his loved ones spoke about his rehabilitation, while representatives from the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office advised against the early release.
The board ultimately ruled against Erik and claimed that he would continue to "pose an unreasonable risk to public safety," according to CNN.
The parole commissioner, Robert Barton, later explained that he ruled against Erik because of his behavior in prison and "serious violations" against prison rules -- including alleged violence and illicitly using a cell phone and a lighter.
"I believe in redemption, or I wouldn't be doing this job," Barton told Erik, according to the BBC. "But based on the legal standards, we find that you continue to pose an unreasonable risk to public safety. Contrary to your supporters' beliefs, you have not been a model prisoner and frankly, we find that a little disturbing."
Erik will become eligible for parole again in three years, and Gov. Gavin Newsom can also decide to pardon the brothers.
The California board weighed several factors before denying Erik's parole. In addition to discussing Erik's violations in prison, the board also factored in Erik's original motive to kill his parents and whether or not he could accept responsibility.
Unlike past hearings and trials, Erik denied that he acted in self-defense and said that he had "no justification" for the killings, per CNN. He did, however, maintain his prior claims that they killed their parents out of fear after years of abuse by their father.
During the hearing, Erik alleged that he didn't seek help from authorities over the abuse because of how "terrifying my father was." He claimed that he felt that "running away was inconceivable. Running away meant death."
Meanwhile, the attorneys from the Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney's office called out Erik for "never" accepting responsibility and creating a "false self-defense narrative."
Although Erik broke several rules during prison, he still received support from several correction staff members who wrote that he was a "model inmate."
Erik's family members also got the opportunity to speak on behalf of his rehabilitation, and over a dozen relatives advocated for him at the hearing. The family members explained that they had forgiven both Erik and Lyle for their crimes and saw how the alleged abuse affected them.
"To say that our family has experienced pain does not quite capture what the last 35 years have been like ... It has divided us. It has caused us panic and anxiety. It has led to many of us retreating," Kitty's great-niece Tiffani Lucero-Pastor said, per CNN.
Kitty's niece, Karen Mae Vandermolen-Copley, added in her statement that her aunt’s lack of intervention led to an “absence of protection,” which “deepened their fear and confusion.”
After the commission denied Erik’s parole, Barton explained that he was thankful for the statements, but they did not outweigh Erik’s suitability.
"Two things can be true. They can love and forgive you, and you can still be found unsuitable for parole," Barton said.
Just one day after Erik attended his parole hearing, Lyle will also appear before a California board. After Erik was denied parole, their family spokesperson explained that they were ready to take on Lyle’s case and hoped for a better outcome.
"Tomorrow, we turn our attention to Lyle's hearing," the spokesperson said. "And while it is undoubtedly difficult, we remain cautiously optimistic and hopeful that the commissioner will see in Lyle what so many others have: a man who has taken responsibility, transformed his life, and is ready to come home."
Lyle's board hearing will be separate from his brother's, but he will also address several factors -- including his motive for the murders and rehabilitation behind bars. Lyle has fewer violations than his brother, but he has also lied about some aspects of the murder and his father's alleged abuse during the trials.