Erik Menendez admits 'I won't live much longer' as family push for release

Infamous double-murderer Erik Menendez shot dead his parents with his older brother, but has now provided a shocking life update

Notorious double-murderer Erik Menendez, who shot his parents dead alongside his brother Lyle in 1989, has now revealed that he's not got "much longer" to live.

The Menendez brothers case became one of the most sensational criminal trials in decades when the two were arrested in the 1989 deaths of Kitty and Jose Menendez. They have now served more than three decades in prison over the fatal shooting.

The brothers are currently fighting for their freedom with family and friends issuing a public plea for the notorious killers to be released. Speaking on a new Netflix film, Erik gave a shocking life update: "I'm getting older, I'm not going to live that much longer. So much hasn't been told. And I think that not speaking out doesn't help anyone."

While Erik hinted that his days left on the planet might be numbered, the wider Menendez family have come together to call for the brothers to be released early from prison.

Family, friends and an attorney for the brothers gathered on Wednesday in front of a courthouse in Los Angeles to ask for their release, arguing that the boys endured horrific sexual abuse at the hands of their father and are not a threat to society.

Erik and Lyle Menendez were sentenced to life in prison in July 1996, but down the years have said that the killings came as an act of self-defence after claiming to have been emotionally, physically and sexually abused by their father.

Several of the family members emphasised that in today’s world – which is more aware of the impact of sexual abuse – the brothers would not have been convicted of first-degree murder. Many details of their story of sexual abuse were not permitted in the trial that led to their conviction.

Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Jose Menendez's niece Anamaria Baralt announced unity between both sides of the family in a bid to see Erik and Lyle end their time behind bars, saying: "Both sides of the family are united, sharing a new bond of hope...

"This is about truth, justice and healing... Their continued incarceration serves no rehabilitative purpose." she added.

Meanwhile, Kitty Menendez's sister Joan Andersen VanderMolen, told the press:

"I had no idea the extent of the abuse they suffered at the hands of my brother-in-law. None of us did.

"We know that abuse has long effects, and victims of trauma sometimes act in ways that are very difficult to understand."

Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón told a news conference earlier this month that they would be looking back over the case, with the possibility of either two outcomes possible, the brothers are re-sentenced or they are granted a retrial.

Lyle Menendez, who was then 21, and Erik Menendez, then 18, admitted they fatally shot their entertainment executive father, Jose Menendez, and their mother, Kitty Menendez, in 1989 but said they feared their parents were about to kill them to prevent the disclosure of the father’s long-term sexual molestation of Erik.

Prosecutors at the time contended there was no evidence of molestation. They said the sons were after their parents’ multimillion-dollar estate.

The brothers are currently serving life sentences in state prison without the possibility of parole.

The Menendez Brothers is now available to stream on Netflix.