Erik and Lyle Menendez Granted Early Parole Hearing Weeks After 37th Anniversary of Parents' Killings

NEED TO KNOW Erik and Lyle Menendez have been granted an early parole suitability hearing A hearing is tentatively scheduled for March 2027 The two brothers were convicted of the 1989 shotgun murders of their parents, Jose and Kitty, in Beverly Hills The California Board of Parole has granted an early parole suitability hearing for Erik and Lyle Menendez, who were convicted of the 1989 shotgun murders of their parents in Beverly Hills. The hearing is tentatively scheduled for March 2027. The siblings were previously eligible for a parole suitability hearing in August 2028, a Menendez family spokesperson tells PEOPLE. 'For almost 40 years, Erik and Lyle have worked to take responsibility for their actions, confront and heal from the unimaginable abuse and trauma they endured, grow as individuals, and dedicate themselves to serving others,' according to a statement from the family of Erik and Lyle Menendez. Lyle and Erik were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole after they were convicted in 1996 of murdering their parents, Jose and Kitty, in August 1989 in their $5 million Beverly Hills home. Lyle, Kitty, Jose and Erik Menendez. abc Attorneys for the brothers filed a habeas corpus petition in May 2023 with the Los Angeles County Superior Court, citing new evidence, which included sexual abuse allegations by former boy band member Roy Rosselló against Jose, whom he claims raped him in the 1980s. In 2025, the brothers were resentenced to 50-years-to-life, which made them immediately eligible for parole because they were under 26 at the time of the killings. Lyle was 21 and Erik was 18 when the murders occurred. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. That same year, a California parole board denied both brothers a chance at parole primarily due to their past behavior in prison. Lyle and Erik have long argued they acted in self-defense because they feared for their lives, claiming Jose had sexually abused them for years with Kitty's knowledge. Prosecutors at the time said the two brothers' motive was greed and cited their lavish spending spree after the slayings. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. 'We will always be profoundly grateful that they have been resentenced and that our family can now imagine a future in which they are once again part of our everyday lives,' according to the family statement. 'Time together is something none of us can take for granted, particularly as the elderly members of our family, including their aunts Joan, Terry, and Marta grow older and face serious health challenges.' 'We are incredibly proud of the men they have become and deeply grateful to the Parole Board for recognizing their efforts and allowing them to advance their parole hearing,' the statement continued. If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text 'STRENGTH' to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.