Will Erik or Lyle Menendez Get Engaged in 2025?

Infamous brothers Erik and Lyle Menendez have been imprisoned in California for over 30 years for the 1989 murders of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez. While behind bars, both brothers got married, Erik to Tammi Saccoman in 1999 and Lyle to Rebecca Sneed in 2003. As we approach 2025, questions arise about the status of the brothers’ marriages and whether an engagement might be on the horizon.

The Menendez Murders and Trials

Erik and Lyle Menendez admitted to shooting their parents to death in the family’s Beverly Hills mansion in 1989 but said they did it out of fear after years of abuse. Their first trial ended in a mistrial with hung juries, but their second trial in 1996 ended with convictions of first-degree murder and life sentences without parole.

In 2023, the brothers’ attorney filed a habeas petition citing new evidence he says proves the killings were manslaughter, not murder. The evidence includes a letter showing Erik told someone about his father’s abuse years before the murders. In October 2024, the Los Angeles District Attorney recommended Erik and Lyle be resentenced to make them eligible for parole. A judge has the final say.

Erik Menendez’s Marriage to Tammi Saccoman

Erik and Tammi began writing letters in 1993 after she saw his trial on TV. They met in 1997 when she visited him in prison. Her husband had recently died by suicide after she discovered he was sexually abusing her teenage daughter. Erik and Tammi married in 1999.

Tammi was forced to defend her relationship with a convicted killer and said she believed Erik was a good person capable of redemption. Erik called his wife a “lifesaver” for her unconditional love. The couple has never consummated their marriage since California prohibits conjugal visits for lifers. Tammi lives near the prison and visits Erik regularly. She keeps a low profile.

Could being released from prison disrupt their marriage, leading to an affair and a new engagement? 22bet.com are offering odds of 4/1 and think there is a 25% chance it could.

Lyle Menendez’s Marriages

Lyle married his first wife, model Anna Eriksson, in 1996 after they corresponded by mail during his trial. They divorced in 2001 with her claiming Lyle cheated. In 2003, Lyle married Rebecca Sneed, a magazine writer. She eventually became a lawyer and lives near Lyle’s prison, visiting weekly. Lyle says their marriage focuses on conversation more than physical intimacy. Rebecca, like Tammi, maintains a very private life.

Possibility of an Engagement in 2025

If the judge accepts the D.A.’s recommendation to resentence the Menendez brothers, making them eligible for parole, it could fundamentally shift their prison lives and marriages. They would have a real chance at release, possibly within a few years. However, neither Tammi nor Rebecca has given any public indication their relationships are in trouble or that they would leave their husbands.

Tammi has already proven her commitment to Erik by marrying him amid public scorn and spending decades traveling long distances to visit him weekly. It seems unlikely she would end her marriage just as freedom becomes possible. The same goes for Rebecca’s dedication to Lyle over 20 years. Therefore, while Erik or Lyle renewing wedding vows is plausible, an engagement or new marriage appears highly improbable.

Erik Shows Little Interest in Remarrying

Considering Erik has already called Tammi a “lifesaver,” credited her with bettering him as a person, and described meeting her as the most beautiful experience of his life, he appears fully content in his marriage. Erik has also emphasized valuing emotional intimacy over sex, making conjugal visits irrelevant. With resentencing giving him hope of release to finally live with Tammi, Erik has no evident reason to end his marriage.

Lyle’s History Points Against Engagement

While less effusive about his marriage than Erik, Lyle has had nothing but praise for Rebecca and her loyalty. However, he already went through one prison marriage ending in a bitter divorce amid infidelity accusations. If Lyle was unfaithful once, stifled by prison life, a resentencing could test him again. But with Rebecca showing resolute devotion, a second divorce seems unlikely. And with possible freedom on the horizon, Lyle has little incentive to make a drastic move like a new engagement.

Despite facing major life changes if resentenced, neither Erik nor Lyle Menendez appears likely to get engaged in 2025. Both express gratitude for their supportive wives. And with parole possible after decades in prison, they would want to finally experience married life with the women who have stuck by them through their darkest days. While you can never rule anything out, an engagement seems far-fetched. Tammi and Rebecca’s unwavering commitment indicates they will continue standing dutifully by their infamous husbands as the next chapter unfolds.