Crime

The Menendez Brothers' Mugshots Reveal What They Look Like Today

The Menendez brothers sitting side-by-side during their trial. Ted Soqui/Getty Images
By Tessa Hayley Hellberg

This article includes mention of sexual assault allegations. 

Lyle and Erik Menendez will forever be remembered as the brothers who killed their parents while aged 18 and 21, respectively, and who were placed behind bars in their mid-to-late-20s. That means the Menendez brothers have spent more than half their lives in prison — so it only makes sense that they'd look a little different nearly so many decades on. However, it turns out that's not really the case. 

For starters, as seen in 2024 mugshots, Erik is pretty much identical to how he appeared when he was on trial almost 30 years prior. Of course, he certainly looks like a more mature version of his younger self, but other than that, he's far from unrecognizable. 

Lyle, on the other hand, looks a little different at first glance. Granted, we'd argue that that comes down to his hair (or lack thereof) more than anything else. While Lyle once rocked a thick mop of dark brown hair, these days, he's bald. Even so, his facial features haven't changed one bit, and we don't have to rely solely on mugshots for that. One of the things the older Menendez brother has been up to all these years is updating his Facebook page (through non-jailed loved ones, anyway). And, in the pics shared on the platform, despite the initial surprise of his new 'do, his browbone, eyes, and mouth are a dead giveaway.

Interest in the Menendez brothers has skyrocketed

Lyle Menendez smiling wearing a gray shirt Lyle Menendez/Facebook

Part of what makes it so fascinating to see what the Menendez brothers look like today is the fact that they've been locked away for so long. As such, glimpses of the two are few and far between. However, it's also no secret that two 2024 Netflix projects on Erik and Lyle Menendez have contributed to the increased interest. The first of the two to come out was the September 2024-released "Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story." Though Erik first slammed the show by way of his wife, Tammi Menendez, in an X (previously known as Twitter) post, it seems he ultimately softened, and he even met with Cooper Koch, who played him in the show. Then, there was the documentary, "The Menendez Brothers," which the brothers were actually a part of. In the doccie, Lyle and Erik recount their side of the story via phone calls from prison. 

Prior to the back-to-back Netflix releases in 2024, Peacock also released a documentary that helped play a role in the increased interest in the brothers. "Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed" saw one Menudo member, Roy Rossello, reveal that he had been sexually assaulted by Erik and Lyle's father, Jose Menendez. Of course, Jose's abuse was one of the most harrowing things to come out in the brothers' case, so having another survivor come forward only added to the calls for the Menendez brother's prison sentences to be revisited. 

With clemency, resentencing, and a petition based on Rossello's revelation all being touted as possible avenues for the Menendez brothers to regain their freedom, at the time of writing, there is a ton of focus on the possible release of both brothers. Perhaps, at some point, we won't have to use mugshots to see how much they've changed. 

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

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