Joseph Lyle Menendez and Erik Galen Menendez colloquially referred to as the Menendez brothers, are American brothers who were tried for the murder of their parents, José and Mary Louise "Kitty" Menendez, at their Beverly Hills home in 1989. 
Following the murders, Lyle and Erik claimed that unknown intruders were responsible for the murders, framing it as a potential mob killing. Police initially investigated this claim, but grew suspicious of the brothers' lavish spending of their multimillion-dollar inheritance, and their hiring of a computer expert to delete their father's recently updated will. The brothers confessed to the murders in sessions with their psychologist, citing desire to be free of a controlling father with high standards, which led to their arrests months later. Lyle and Erik were charged with two counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances for lying in wait, making them eligible for the death penalty, and charges of conspiracy to murder.