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Lyle and Erik Menendez, infamously known as The Menendez Brothers, had promising futures ahead of them as Lyle was attending Princeton University and Erik was stepping into the world of tennis. With a promising future, they had a comfortable upbringing in Beverly Hills, California, thanks to their wealthy parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez.
However, this seemingly privileged life was overshadowed by a tragic turn of events, leaving them imprisoned for life. While they ended up inheriting a massive fortune, their lives were promising even before then or so it seemed.
The Menendez Brothers Lived a Privileged Life
For the unversed, the sibling duo are the children of Hollywood executive José and former pageant queen Kitty, who were privileged with a great life.
The family lived in a sprawling Beverly Hills mansion, the area known for its wealth, luxury, and history, and they were surrounded by wealth and status. Lyle, the elder of the two brothers, after graduating from Beverly Hills High School in 1987 attended Princeton University.
Not just a prestigious university, but he was quite athletic as he played varsity tennis. Whereas, his younger brother Erik, had a passion for tennis and was considered a talented player.
Given that he wanted to establish his name in the tennis industry, it would have become a reality had he continued to strive for it.
Despite their privileged background, the family seemed to have a complex background as the brothers reportedly were under immense pressure to live up to their father’s expectations.
But, the duo shocked the world when they became guilty of murdering their parents in their Beverly Hills home.
The Menendez Brothers’ Inheritance Arrived With Complications
The Menendez brothers murdered their parents on the evening of Aug 05, 2025, in their Beverly Hills home. Both their sons were carrying a 12-gauge shotgun and shot their parents more than a dozen times.
Their case garnered immense media attention at the time, becoming one of the most high-profile trials in American history.
The police sources told the Los Angeles Times viaIndependentthat a gun was forced into José’s mouth after he was shot four times. As for his wife, she was also shot ten times while she was trying to escape but was ultimately killed by another shot in the face.
After the brutal incident, Lyle called 911, sobbing while saying that they found their parents dead when they arrived. The prosecution’s narrative stated that the duo killed their parents to inherit their substantial fortune of $14.5 million.
However, the duo, who were 21 and 18 at the time of the killings, claimed that their actions were due to ongoing physical, emotional, and s*xual abuse from their parents. After two jury trials, a third jury found the brothers guilty on June 13, 2025.
As for their inheritance, theLA Timesreported that nearly all of the $14.5 million wealth had been spent by 1994. Unsealed documents reported that a significant portion had gone to legal fees for their lawyers.
In the months after the killings, the brothers had quite lavish expenses as Lyle purchased a café, a Rolex watch, and expensive clothing. As for Erik, he hired a full-time tennis coach for professional training sessions.
The family house was sold in 1991 for $3.6 million, but they lost nearly $1.2 million on it as the majority went to pay off the mortgage, closing costs, and taxes. The family also owned another house in Calabasas that their parents were renovating which was valued at $2.65 million. In 1994, it was sold for only $1.94 million.
This house had an $864,000 mortgage that was yet to be paid. The estate still owed about $600,000 in taxes, along with legal fees and court costs from the trials that were ongoing at that time. The duo have been guilty of their crimes, and are imprisoned for life.
However, their case has continued to garner attention, whose story is set to feature inMonsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story. The show is streaming on Netflix now.
Priya Sharma
Articles Published :1321
Priya Sharma, Senior Content Writer and Social Media Manager at FandomWire and Animated Times. Having graduated in Journalism and Mass Communication, she possesses extensive expertise in crafting engaging and informative content. She has written over 2000 articles across Animated Times and FandomWire on pop culture, showing her dedication to delivering diverse and trending content to readers across the world. Apart from pop culture, she is quite enthusiastic about the Hallyu culture and is exploring the world of anime, expanding the horizons of her knowledge.
