Lyle Menendez and his second wife, Rebecca Sneed, have separated after 21 years of marriage. The 56-year-old, who is currently serving a life sentence in prison alongside brother Erik Menendez after being convicted of killing their parents in 1989, is now doing so as a single man.
“Lyle and I have been separated for a while now but remain best friends and family,” Sneed wrote in a statement on Nov. 22 on her official Facebook page, which was verified by the brothers’ attorney to NBC News. “I continue to run his Facebook pages, with input from him, and I am forever committed to the enduring fight for Lyle and Erik’s freedom, as has been so evident over the years.”
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Sneed continued, “I’ll continue to update you all on the progress of the case because I believe we all have the common goal of seeing the guys walk free! I will never stop fighting for them,” confirming, “This is NOT a cheating scandal.”
Sneed’s separation announcement came just two weeks after Lyle referenced their marriage in an amended resentencing request memo dated Nov. 7. “This coming November will be my 20th wedding anniversary,” Lyle wrote in the statement obtained by NBC News. “Learning to be a husband and a partner from inside a prison has been challenging. It has also changed my life in so many positive ways.”
He continued of Sneed, “Her unwavering support and belief in me is something I am most grateful for and has played no small part in my journey to be a better person.”
The Menendez brothers’ case has come under scrutiny once more following the recent release of Ryan Murphy’s Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story and Netflix’s subsequent Menendez Brothers documentary. The newfound attention for Lyle and Erik’s case resulted in Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón’s call to have the brothers resentenced shortly before he lost his reelection bid to former U.S. Assistant Attorney General Nathan Hochman.
Now, California Governor Gavin Newsom has sent the case back to the District Attorney’s office to be handled by Hochman. “The Governor respects the role of the District Attorney in ensuring justice is served and recognizes that voters have entrusted District Attorney-elect Hochman to carry out this responsibility,” Newsom’s office said Nov. 18 in a statement. “The Governor will defer to the D.A.-elect’s review and analysis of the Menendez case prior to making any clemency decisions.”
