What happened to the Menendez house?

The high-profile case of the Menendez brothers was put back in the spotlight thanks to Ryan Murphy’s true crime anthology series wherein he explored the story of this dysfunctional four-person family while nevertheless applying his own subjective filter and an extra dose of salaciousness.  

Murphy decided to toot his own horn and tell the world that the Menendez brothers ought to be sending him flowers. Even though this comment is a bitter pill to swallow, the filmmaker may be right in his belief that his series revived the chatter surrounding Kitty and José Menendez’s murder and their alleged prolonged abuse of their two sons.

While some people believe the brothers got what they deserved, many others have been vocal in advocating for their release. The public outcry has gotten so loud that, on Oct. 3, LA District Attorney George Gascón announced the case was going to be looked at once more.

With the renewed attention the 1989 double murder and subsequent trials are getting, some people are looking at an important piece of the story: the crime scene, the Menendez’s house.

What’s the house’s story? Does anyone still live there?

Located at 722 North Elm Drive, Beverly Hills, California, the Mediterranean-style mansion was bought for $4 million by the Menendez family in 1988, the year before Kitty and José were killed. Originally built in 1927, the house was renovated in 1974, and the rooms were made soundproof, which may have contributed – although we cannot be sure – to the neighbors not having called the police when shotgun shots were fired inside the living room on the first floor.

Multiple real estate websites describe the two-story, 9063 square feet property as:

“Elegant Mediterranean-style villa is located in the coveted Beverly Hills flats. This flawless 7-bed, 9-bath family home boasts high ceilings, a grand entry with a dramatic circular staircase, imported Italian limestone flooring, a gourmet kitchen complete with high-end appliances, and a walk-in pantry. The massive primary suite is complete with double baths and designer closets. The pool is surrounded by park-like grounds and a two-story guest house.”

This is not the same house in which Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story was filmed, even though one could easily assume it was due to its likeness. Instead, the production took place at a lookalike location.

Also surprisingly, considering what happened in 1989, the house sold in 1991 for $3.6 million, 400 thousand dollars below the price the Menendez parents paid to purchase it. It was resold in 1993 to detective series Murder, She Wrote co-creator William Link. Link lived there for 8 years. He died in 2020 at 87 years old.

The house was repurchased in 2001 by Sam Delug, a telecommunications executive, who paid $3.7 million for the property and spent additional money on renovations. Delug listed the house for sale at nearly $20 million in December 2023. It was acquired in March of this year, for $17 million. The buyer remained undisclosed for a while but, according to Realtor.com, the new homeowners are the Lahijanis, a wealthy Iranian family who have since begun extensive renovations, as reported by TMZ.

On Oct. 16, multiple family members of Lyle and Erik held a press conference and pled for the brothers’ release, asking the public to sign their petition at justiceforerikandlyle.org.