ERIK Menendez’s daughter has shared a cryptic post about her father after rumors swirled about his brother’s alleged love life while behind bars.
Convicted murderer Lyle Menendez faces accusations he cheated on his second wife with a 21-year-old British university student.
Lyle’s second wife, Rebecca Sneed, has denied the allegations on a Facebook page she runs – claiming the pair have been separated for a while.
But Talia Menendez, the daughter of Erik’s wife Tammi, uploaded a cryptic post to her Instagram Stories.
“I feel compelled to share something important,” it started.
“I want to make it clear that Erik and Lyle are two separate individuals.
“The decisions of one brother shouldn’t overshadow the truth about the other.”
Talia, who is not Erik’s biological daughter, explained her family “is going through a lot.”
“I’d appreciate it if people would consider my dad for who he is, and not based on the actions of someone else,” the post continued.
Talia urged people to research before sending hate.
She then shared a black-and-white image of the brothers, taken in November 1989 on the steps of their Beverly Hills home.
Erik and Lyle remain holed up in prison after being sentenced to life behind bars in 1996.
They were convicted of killing their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, who were found dead with several gunshot wounds in August 1989.
Their conviction came following a second trial, which began in 1995—more than two years after the first trial was ruled a mistrial.
Both are serving their sentences at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego.
Lyle has reportedly been in a relationship with student Milly Bucksey since the start of the year.
Erik and Lyle Menendez have been serving a life imprisonment sentence without the possibility of parole since July 1996.
The brothers were convicted of shooting their parents to death in their Beverly Hills home in August 1989.
Timeline:
August 20, 1989 – José and Kitty Menendez are found dead from multiple shotgun wounds.
March 8, 1990 – Lyle is arrested outside his parents’ Beverly Hills mansion.
March 11, 1990 – Erik turns himself in to police after flying back into Los Angeles from Israel.
July 20, 1993 – The highly publicized trial of Lyle and Erik begins and ends weeks later in a mistrial.
October 11, 1995 – Lyle and Erik’s second trial begins.
March 20, 1996 – The Menendez brothers are convicted of two counts of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder.
July 2, 1996 – Lyle and Erik are sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole and sent to separate prisons.
February 2018 – Lyle is transferred to the San Diego prison, where Erik is held.
April 4, 2018 – Lyle was moved into the same housing unit as Erik – the first time the brothers were reunited in over 20 years.
May 2023 – The attorney representing Lyle and Erik files a habeas petition after Roy Rosselló, a member of the Puerto Rican boy band Menudo, made sexual abuse allegations against Jose Menendez.
September 19, 2024 – Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story releases on Netflix.
October 3, 2024: Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón said his office was reviewing new evidence in connection with Lyle and Erik’s convictions.
October 7, 2024 – The Menendez Brothers documentary film comes out on Netflix.
October 16, 2024 – Family members of the Menendez brothers hold a press conference begging for the siblings to be released from prison.
October 24, 2024 – Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón recommends the brothers be resentenced.
December 11, 2024 – The Menendez brothers are set to go before a judge in a scheduled hearing.
He came across Milly when he spotted she was in a Facebook group that was run by his wife.
The Daily Mail reported that Lyle had contacted Milly using a cell phone, which had been seized by cops.
Lyle then used a second device to continue communicating with the student.
Milly studies at the University of Manchester and has reportedly traveled several times to see Lyle.
“Lyle adores Milly,” a source told the Daily Mail.
Lyle has reportedly told Milly he wants to divorce his wife, Rebecca Sneed.
He tied the knot with Sneed in 2003.
A post on the Lyle Menendez Facebook page has vehemently denied any speculation about any scandal.
“Lyle and I have been separated for a while now but remain best friends and family,” it said.
“I continue to run his Facebook pages, with input from him, and I am forever committed to the enduring fight for Lyle and Erik’s freedom, as has been so evident over the years.
“Please keep this page as the abuse survivor support page Lyle wants it to be.
“I’ll continue to update you all on the progress of the case because I believe we all have the common goal of seeing the guys walk free!”
Lyle has been married twice.
His first marriage was with the model Anna Eriksson, and the pair tied the knot in 1996.
They became close after she wrote him a sympathy letter after the first trial was ruled a mistrial.
In 2001, Eriksson filed for divorce after she accused Lyle of being unfaithful.
Lyle was 35 at the time he tied the knot with Sneed.
Lyle gushed about Sneed in an interview with People magazine in 2017.
“She has the courage to deal with the obstacles,” he said.
The Menendez brothers are currently serving life without parole, but in October, George Gascon, the then Los Angeles District Attorney, filed a motion that could see the duo resentenced.
During the initial trial, the Menendez brothers claimed they were sexually abused.
And Gascon sent California Governor Gavin Newsom letters that explained the allegations were credible.
A letter written by Erik to his cousin Andy Cano detailed the alleged abuse.
Erik told Cano, who testified in the brothers’ first trial, that he had tried to avoid his father, Jose.
“It’s still happening, Andy, but it’s worse for me now,” he claimed.
“I can’t explain it. He’s so overweight that I can’t stand to see him. I never know when it’s going to happen, and it’s driving me crazy.
“I need to put it out of my mind. I know what you said before, but I’m afraid. You just don’t know dad like I do.”
In the chilling account, Erik described his father as crazy.
The letter was just one piece of evidence that Gascon was reviewing at the time.
A hand written letter Erik Menendez wrote to his cousin about his dad's alleged abuse has sparked a review of the case that could set him and his brother free from jail.
Erik’s letter was written in December 1988, eight months before the double murders in August 1989.
The letter reads in full:
“I’ve been trying to avoid dad. It’s still happening, Andy, but it’s worse for me now. I can’t explain it. He so overweight that I can’t stand to see him.
“I never know when it’s going to happen and it’s driving me crazy. Every night I stay up thinking he might come in.
“I need to put it out of my mind. I know what you said before but I’m afraid. You just don’t know dad like I do. He’s crazy!
“He’s warned me a hundred times about telling anyone, especially Lyle.
“Am I a serious whimpus? I don’t know I’ll make it through this. I can handle it, Andy. I need to stop thinking about it.”
But Gascon has since been voted out of office, and his successor will be Nathan Hochman.
Hochman will be sworn into office on December 2 and will be reviewing the Menendez case.
Newsom will not be deciding on any clemency motion until Hochman has reviewed the files.
“I think it’s the right thing to do to hear from the new D.A. before I make any decisions, and so I’ll be deferring to his review, his analysis and recommendation,” the governor explained on his podcast, ‘Politickin.’
“I think [it] is important under the circumstance, out of respect not just to him, the new incoming D.A., but those that elected him rather overwhelmingly in Los Angeles.”
