The infamous Menéndez brothers are back in the spotlight — thanks to the latest true-crime Netflix series ‘Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menéndez Story.’ Following the success of ‘Dahmer,’ this new installment in the ‘Monster‘ series dives into the harrowing story of two brothers. They went from being seen as cold-blooded killers to potentially victims of their own tragic upbringing.
Lyle and Erik Menéndez were convicted of murdering their parents, José and Kitty Menéndez, in 1989. The brothers argued they were driven by years of abuse. But that didn’t stop them from receiving life sentences without parole.
Who Did Lyle and Erik Menéndez Marry?
Erik Menéndez met his wife, Tammi Ruth Saccoman, in an unconventional way. The two began writing letters while Erik was serving his sentence in prison. As Tammi explained to MSNBC, the connection started through their correspondence.
“We did get very close through letters and then, you know, the relationship moved forward when I did meet him. But it was the correspondence that he became a really good friend of mine and understood what I was going through, and I understood what he was going through,” she said.
Their relationship blossomed, leading to Erik proposing in a prison visiting room. In 1999, they tied the knot inside Folsom State Prison, where Erik was incarcerated at the time.
Despite the challenges, their love remains strong. Tammi even wrote a memoir about their relationship called ‘They Said We’d Never Make It: My Life with Erik Menendez,’ which was the basis of the 2010 A&E documentary ‘Mrs. Menendez.’
Erik has credited his marriage for helping him become a better person. “Tammi’s love was a major step in my choosing life. Having someone who loves you unconditionally, who you can be completely open with, is good for anybody,” he told People. Tammi’s daughter from a previous marriage is also a fan of Erik, with Tammi sharing that her daughter “loves to go visit him” and that Erik is “very good to her.“
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Lyle Menéndez, Erik’s older brother, also found love behind bars. His first marriage, to Anna Eriksson in 1996, was short-lived. Eriksson, a former model, wrote to Lyle during his first trial, and they quickly grew close.
Their marriage dubbed a “proxy wedding,” took place over the phone with Lyle’s lawyer standing in for him. Unfortunately, the marriage didn’t last long, and they split a year later after Lyle was reportedly caught writing letters to other women.
But Lyle didn’t stay single for long. In 2003, he married Rebecca Sneed, a journalist. Unlike Erik’s very public love story, Lyle has kept his relationship with Rebecca relatively private. What we do know is that the two seem to have a strong connection.
Lyle once said, “I have a very steady, involved marriage, and that helps sustain me and brings a lot of peace and joy.” Notably, Rebecca has stuck by Lyle’s side through all the public scrutiny.
Where Are The Menéndez Brothers Now?
Lyle and Erik Menéndez are both serving life sentences without parole at the RJ Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego, California. After their conviction, the brothers were initially separated, with Lyle in Northern California and Erik in San Diego. But after years of trying, Lyle was finally transferred to the same prison as his brother in 2018.
According to journalist Robert Rand, who has been following their story, “They just hugged each other for a few minutes without saying any words.” The bond between the brothers, strengthened by shared trauma, remains strong to this day.
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At the end of the Netflix crime drama, it’s stated that: “Lyle and Erik Menéndez maintain their allegation of sexual abuse at the hands of their mother and father. They continue to serve life sentences without the possibility of parole.”
‘Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menéndez Story‘ is currently streaming on Netflix.
