Page 13 - IAV Digital Magazine #609

35 Years After Murderous Brothers Pumped RoundsFromTwo12-GaugeShotgunsIntoParents
iAV - Antelope Valley Digital Magazine
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The Menendez family home, nes- tled in the heart of ritzy Beverly Hills, was once a symbol of wealth and privilege — but the residence became notorious for the gruesome murders of José and Kitty Menendez.
In the sensational double homicide that horrified the nation, the Spanish-style mansion was the grisly scene where the hus- band and wife
were brutally gunned down by their own
sons, Lyle and Eri k Menendez, over 25 years ago.
The opulent resi- dence, previously owned by celebri- ties like Prince and Elton John, became a haunt- ing reminder of a chilling family tragedy that would dominate headlines and courtroom dra- mas for
years. RadarOnli ne.com can reveal the man-
sion was recently sold for a report- ed $17 million and is now under- going an exten- sive renovation.
In 1988, the Menendez family moved into the lavish mansion, but what was supposed to be a happy home spi- raled into chaos as the brothers' lives unraveled, leading to the grisly murders.
The following year, on the night of August 20,
1989, José and Kitty were on their living room couch watching TV when 21-year- old Lyle and 18- year-old Erik approached from behind and blast- ed the couple with two 12- gauge shotguns. According to the autopsy report, José suffered an "explosive decap- itation with evis- ceration of the brain." His wife was hit in the head, chest, hand, arm and leg. Both died at the scene.
After the brothers brutally fired off multiple shots at their parents in the blood-spat- tered den, Lyle made the now- infamous 911 call, theatrically shout- ing, "Someone killed my par- ents!" Both Lyle and Erik were found sobbing on the lawn, but their suspicious spend- ing spree soon raised eyebrows.
Before his mur- der, José Menendez, a Hollywood execu-
tive, had threat- ened to cut his sons, Lyle and Erik, out of his will. The brothers had struggled with failure — Lyle had been suspended from Princeton, and Erik’s once-prom- ising tennis career floun- dered.
Autopsy reports revealed the hor- rifying extent of the attack, and due to the sheer brutality of the murders, police initially believed the murders were mob-related. The killer brothers capitalized on this, blaming their father’s business dealings for the slayings.
Just months after the murders, Lyle and Erik began spending wildly, burning through nearly $1 million on luxury cars, Rolex watches, and trips abroad — raising suspi- cions about their involvement in the killings.
A breakthrough in the case came
when their thera- pist revealed Erik had confessed to the murders dur- ing therapy. Tapes from these sessions, obtained by the police, played a pivotal role in the brothers' arrests. During the trial, Lyle claimed their father had sexual- ly abused him and he feared José would kill them both. Despite these allegations, the unsealed therapy tapes made no mention of the abuse.
The Menendez brothers were convicted of first- degree murder and sentenced to life without parole. After near- ly 30 years apart, they reunited in 2018 at
a California prison, tearfully embracing in a "remarkable moment." Recently, the blood brothers' chilling story was portrayed in the Ryan Murphy series Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story
iAV - Antelope Valley Digital Magazine