Erik Menéndez Returns to Prison After Hospitalization Ahead of Parole Hearing

Erik Menéndez Returns to Prison

Hospitalization Before Key Hearing

Sentence Reviewed After 35 Years

According to ABC, Erik Menéndez, one of the brothers convicted of murdering their parents in 1989, has been returned to prison following a prolonged hospitalization.

Sources close to the case confirmed to ABC News that he was re-incarcerated just weeks before his upcoming parole hearing.

The 54-year-old had been hospitalized on July 22, during a sensitive moment in the legal process that could determine his potential release.

According to ABC’s Los Angeles affiliate KABC, Erik was admitted due to complications related to kidney stones.

The Menéndez Brothers: Prison, Trial, and Media Fame

Erik Menendez doesn’t seem like he’s getting the prison furlough he was hoping for, because he’s back behind bars after painful kidney stones sent him to the hospital.

Read more: https://t.co/9M99JMSZp7 pic.twitter.com/rJVt7sqW6t

— TMZ (@TMZ) August 4, 2025

During his hospital stay, he remained under watch but was removed from the prison environment of the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego.

This is the facility where he serves his sentence alongside his older brother, Lyle Menéndez, who is now 57.

Both were originally sentenced to life without parole for the brutal murder of their parents, José and Kitty Menéndez.

The crime occurred in their Beverly Hills home in 1989, when Lyle was 21 and Erik just 18 years old.

Erik Menéndez Parole Hearing

Erik Menéndez Returns to Prison After Hospitalization – PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

Since then, the Menéndez brothers have become widely recognized figures in American pop culture, with numerous documentaries and shows about their case.

During the trial, the brothers claimed they acted in self-defense after enduring years of physical and psychological abuse from their parents.

However, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman has dismissed that version, calling it a «litany of lies.»

Hochman has been one of the strongest opponents of the brothers’ release, repeatedly asserting that the murder was premeditated and financially motivated.

Support, Resentencing, and Legal Outlook

Erik Menéndez Returns to Prison – PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

Despite this, the Menéndez brothers have received support from more than 20 family members who back their plea for parole.

Judicial authorities included the recent review of their sentence as part of a broader reevaluation of certain historical cases in California.

This past May, both brothers were resentenced to 50 years in prison with the possibility of parole.

This change opens the door to a new legal opportunity, although it does not guarantee immediate release.

Erik Menéndez Awaits Final Decision

The parole hearing is scheduled for August 21 and will be a crucial moment for his future.

The Menéndez defense team argues that the brothers have demonstrated good behavior and rehabilitation during their more than three decades behind bars.

Various voices have pointed out that, in the context of criminal justice reforms in the state, the authorities should consider their case in light of advances in restorative justice.

Erik’s return to prison comes amid that complex legal landscape and heightened expectations.

Is Erik Menéndez’s Release Near?

Recent weeks have drawn attention to his health, but sources confirm that he is now stable.

Although details of his medical treatment have not been released, prison health personnel closely monitored his condition.

Supporters of the brothers have intensified their campaigns on social media, promoting the idea of a second chance.

Some advocates argue that the justice system failed to adequately consider the potential abuse the young men endured before the crime.