On August 20, 1989, Jose Menendez, 45, and his wife Kitty Menendez were found murdered in their Beverly Hills home. The couple were in the den watching television when their sons, Lyle and Erik Menendez, entered armed with shotguns. Jose was shot in the back of the head and killed instantly; Kitty was shot multiple times, including a fatal shot to the face. The scene was described as gruesome, with blood and brain matter across the room.

Initial statements from the brothers said they had discovered their parents’ bodies after returning from a movie, but investigators noted inconsistencies and became suspicious when the brothers made large expenditures in the weeks after the killings. Lyle and Erik were arrested in March 1990 and charged with the murders. The defense at trial argued the brothers had been subjected to years of sexual and emotional abuse by their father; the prosecution said the motive was financial. After an initial mistrial, both brothers were convicted of first-degree murder and conspiracy and in 1996 were sentenced to life without parole.

Does anyone have additional details about the 1989 crime scene or the timeline of events that night?