TRIAL OF BROTHERS LYLE & ERIK MENENDEZ, PARRICIDES (Photo by Ted Soqui/Sygma via Getty Images)
Image Credit: Sygma via Getty Images

Erik and Lyle Menendez gained national attention for their 1993 trial, in which they were convicted of murdering their parents, José and Mary Louise “Kitty” Menendez on August 20, 1989. The brothers shot and killed their parents, claiming they had endured emotional and sexual abuse during their childhood.

While incarcerated, both brothers have found love. For the younger sibling, his relationship has even led to fatherhood. Learn more about his stepdaughter and their relationship below.

6/12/99 Folsom, CA. EXCLUSIVE. Tammy Saccoman, photographed at Folsom Prison, on the day she was said to be marrying convicted parent killer Eric Menendez, in a jailhouse ceremony. Chris Morton/Online USA, Inc. JUNE 12, 1999 - SACRAMENTO, CA - Convicted parent-killer Erik Menendez has married a wealthy widow while behind bars. Erik, 28, tied the knot with 37-year-old Tammi Saccoman inside California's Folsom Prison. The bride wore a white trouser suit and the groom wore standard prison garb - a light blue shirt, blue jeans and boots. Erik and his brother Lyle are serving life sentences without parole for the 1989 shotgun murders of their parents in their Beverly Hills mansion. The newlyweds are allowed only to hold hands and exchange a quick kiss during visiting hours, four days a week. So much for a honeymoon. Tammi first fell in love with Erik while watching television coverage of his murder trials. After he was sentenced, Tammi made several trips from her home in Minnesota to visit Erik. She moved to Folsom two years ago to be near him and opened a pet store which she runs - incredibly - with the wife of another convicted killer - "Billionaire Boys Club" leader Joe Hunt. Amazingly, Erik's brother Lyle ALSO got married while behind bars. Lyle Wed Anna Eriksson by proxy over the telephone in 1996. She divorced him a year later and the average prison marriage lasts just 2-1/2 years. Chris Morton/Online USA, Inc.
6/12/99 Folsom, CA. EXCLUSIVE. Chris Morton/Online USA, Inc.

Who Is Erik’s Wife?

Erik Menendez has been married to his wife, Tammi Saccoman, since 1999.

Tammi was first married to Chuck Saccoman, and they lived with her teenage daughter from a previous relationship when she began watching the Menendez brothers’ trial on TV in 1993. With her husband’s consent, she started writing letters to Erik, and the two slowly developed a friendship.

In 1996, Tammi discovered that Chuck was allegedly raping her teenage daughter, beginning when she was 15 years old. Chuck turned himself in to the police and died by suicide two days later. At the time of his death, Tammi and her then-husband shared a 9-month-old daughter, Talia.

After Chuck’s death, Tammi and Erik’s correspondence became more serious. They met for the first time in August 1997. Tammi then moved to Sacramento to be closer to Erik and visited him four times a week. The couple got engaged the following year and married in 1999.

Who Is Talia?

Tammi’s daughter, Talia, is now in her 20s and prefers to keep her personal life private. However, she is active on social media, particularly through her Instagram account, @seterikmenendezfree, where she raises awareness about Erik’s case and advocates for his release from prison.

What Is Talia’s Relationship with Erik Like?

On her Instagram account, Talia occasionally shares glimpses of her life with Erik, alongside her focus on the case.

Like her mother, Talia and Erik bonded through letter writing, with Erik offering comfort after the death of her biological father. Today, she refers to Erik as “Dad.”

In 2020, Talia posted a photo of herself with Erik, captioning it: “My dad was more of a dad than most out in the real world.”

If you or anyone you know has been sexually abused, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). A trained staff member will provide confidential, judgment-free support as well as local resources to assist in healing, recovering and more.





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