The Menendez Brothers Wives: Where Are They Now? (Updated 2025)

The Menendez brothers, Lyle and Erik, have been subjects of intense public fascination for over three decades, yet the women who chose to marry them while they serve life sentences have often remained in the shadows. This exclusive look, updated for late December 2025, reveals the current status of these complex relationships, including a major, recent split and the enduring bond of a decades-long prison marriage. The narrative of the Menendez case is not just about the 1989 murders of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, but also about the bizarre and often controversial lives they have built behind bars, centered around their wives.

The concept of "prison wives" is a true-crime phenomenon that sparks endless curiosity, and the Menendez brothers' marital lives offer a compelling, real-world example. Lyle has been married twice while incarcerated, and his second marriage to a prominent attorney recently ended in a highly publicized separation. Meanwhile, Erik's marriage to his wife, Tammi, has become an unlikely portrait of resilience, enduring for over 20 years despite the walls and wire that separate them. This article dives into the lives and current status of the three women who have chosen to stand by—or ultimately leave—the notorious siblings.

The Wives of Lyle and Erik Menendez: A Complete Profile

The Menendez brothers have had a total of three wives between them since their 1996 conviction. Lyle has had two wives, while Erik has been married once. Their marital histories are as dramatic and complex as the case itself, each woman bringing a unique background and perspective to her life as a "prison wife."

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• Lyle Menendez (Currently 57)
• First Wife: Anna Eriksson
• Profession: Former Model.
• Marriage Dates: Married 1996; Divorced 2001.
• Current Status: Divorced from Lyle. She has since remarried and gave a rare interview in late 2024, reflecting on her relationship with Lyle.
• Second Wife: Rebecca Sneed
• Profession: Defense Attorney, Author, Editor, and Philanthropist.
• Marriage Dates: Married 2003; Separated November 2024.
• Current Status: Separated. Sneed announced the split in November 2024 amid reports of alleged infidelity on Lyle's part.
• Erik Menendez (Currently 55)
• Current Wife: Tammi Menendez (née Saccoman)
• Profession: Author and Advocate.
• Marriage Dates: Married June 12, 1999; Still Married (over 26 years).
• Current Status: Still married to Erik, a staunch supporter, and actively involved in his parole and resentencing efforts.

The Shocking Split: Lyle Menendez and Rebecca Sneed’s 21-Year Marriage Ends

One of the most significant and recent updates in the Menendez saga came in November 2024, when Lyle Menendez’s wife, Rebecca Sneed, announced their separation after 21 years of marriage. The news sent ripples through the true-crime community, as their union was one of the most high-profile "prison marriages" in recent history. Sneed, a defense attorney, author, and editor, married Lyle in 2003 in a maximum-security visiting area at Mule Creek State Prison. This was Lyle’s second marriage while incarcerated.

The separation announcement was made by Sneed herself, confirming that the couple had split "a while" ago. Reports quickly surfaced suggesting the separation was prompted by allegations of Lyle’s infidelity. The revelation that a man serving a life sentence could allegedly be unfaithful to his wife—who dedicated two decades of her life to him—added a new, dramatic layer to the Menendez narrative. Rebecca Sneed, who had built a quiet, professional life in California before her connection to the case, had previously maintained a low profile, making her public announcement all the more significant.

Lyle’s first prison marriage to former model Anna Eriksson also ended in divorce in 2001, reportedly after Eriksson discovered Lyle was corresponding romantically with another woman—the woman who would later become his second wife, Rebecca Sneed. The pattern of alleged infidelity, even under the extreme constraints of a life sentence, highlights the volatile and often challenging nature of these behind-bars relationships.

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Tammi Menendez: The Enduring Bond with Erik

In stark contrast to his older brother's turbulent marital history, Erik Menendez has maintained a single, decades-long marriage to his wife, Tammi Menendez (née Saccoman). The couple met after Tammi began writing to Erik in jail in 1993, and they married in 1999 at Folsom Prison. Their wedding was a humble affair, with a Twinkie serving as their wedding cake, a detail that has become infamous in the true-crime world.

Tammi has consistently been Erik’s most vocal and loyal supporter. She is the author of the book *They Said We'd Never Make It: My Life With Erik Menendez*, a memoir that chronicles their unusual relationship, her husband’s painful life, and the brutality of his incarceration. The title itself speaks to the intense skepticism and judgment their relationship has faced from the public and media.

Despite the challenges of a prison marriage—which includes no conjugal visits in California—Tammi remains a central figure in Erik's life. She has been present and outspoken during the brothers’ recent legal developments, including the resentencing and parole hearings. The brothers became eligible for parole after a Los Angeles judge reduced their sentences in May 2024 from life without parole to 50 years to life. However, both brothers were denied parole in August 2025 due to incidents of rule-breaking and deception, a decision Tammi publicly criticized as a "complete setup."

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Tammi’s commitment is a powerful example of the "hybristophilia" or "prison wives" phenomenon, where individuals are drawn to criminals. For Tammi, however, the relationship appears to be rooted in a deep belief in Erik's capacity for good and a shared focus on the abuse they claim to have suffered at the hands of their parents, which they cite as the reason for the murders. Her ongoing support, shared through social media updates and interviews, keeps Erik's story and their relationship in the public eye.

The Future of the Menendez Brothers and Their Wives

The Menendez brothers' future remains uncertain. Though they were resentenced and became eligible for parole, their applications were denied in August 2025. This means their wives must continue to navigate the difficult reality of a life behind bars, with the next parole hearing a distant hope.

For Erik and Tammi Menendez, their marriage has defied the odds for over two decades, making them a testament to enduring love under the most restrictive circumstances. Tammi’s public advocacy and her book ensure their story continues to be told. Conversely, Lyle Menendez faces his future as a newly separated man, his second prison marriage having collapsed spectacularly in late 2024. The end of his relationship with Rebecca Sneed, an attorney who fought for his cause for years, adds another layer of complexity to his public image.

The stories of Anna Eriksson, Rebecca Sneed, and Tammi Menendez are intertwined with one of America's most infamous true-crime cases. They represent the emotional, legal, and psychological toll of loving men convicted of a heinous crime, highlighting the intense dedication, public scrutiny, and ultimate heartbreak that comes with being a "Menendez wife." The continuous updates, from a divorce announcement in late 2024 to an ongoing parole fight in 2025, ensure that the Menendez saga—and the women who married the brothers—will remain a compelling subject for years to come.