Who is Erik Menendez? May 17 2021, 13:48 ET ERIK Menendez and his brother Lyle have been thrust back into the spotlight following a movement on TikTok. The pair were convicted in 1996 for the murders of their parents, José Menéndez and his wife, Mary ("Kitty"). 3 Erik Menendez along with his brother Erik were convicted in 1996 for the murders of their parentsCredit: AP:Associated Press Who is Erik Menendez? Erik Lyle Menéndez was born on November 27, 1970 in new York City. His father José Enrique Menéndez was born Cuba and moved to the States at 16 Lyle's mother Mary Louise "Kitty" Andersen. Erik began attending high school at Beverly Hills High and possessed an impressive talent for sports.