Erik and Lyle Menendez's Aunt Was Hospitalized Days After the Family Received Good News
Terry Baralt visits her nephews as often as possible, and cries every time she leaves.
Published April 14 2025, 2:18 p.m. ET
It has been a long road to possible freedom for the Menendez brothers, who are seeing a faint light at the end of a tunnel. Erik and Lyle Menendez have been behind bars since their initial arrest in March 1990. They were convicted of brutally killing their parents and were handed a life sentence without the possibility of parole. Since then, they have used their time in prison to participate in volunteer work, college, and even facility beautification projects.
During this time, their family has been incredibly supportive, with most members believing the story Erik and Lyle told on the stand during their trials. The brothers alleged that they killed their parents in self-defense after suffering years of abuse at the hands of their father, while their mother did nothing to stop it. In April 2025, Erik and Lyle received excellent news during a court proceeding that resulted in their aunt being rushed to the hospital. What happened? Here's what we know.
Here's what we know about the Menendez brothers' aunt.
Terry Baralt is the sister of José Menendez, who is Erik and Lyle's father. The 85-year-old has colon cancer, but that didn't stop her from attending the resentencing hearing on April 11. According to TMZ, who first reported the news, Baralt was found "unresponsive" in her Los Angeles hotel room two days after the hearing. Bryan Freedman, a lawyer representing the Menendez family, told People that Baralt was "rushed to the hospital and remains in critical condition."
Freedman went on to blame the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office, suggesting in a statement that the "disturbing and reckless decision" to show images of the crime scene, including José's body, during the proceeding was too much for Baralt to handle. He said this retraumatized the family in attendance, which led to Baralt's medical incident. Prior to showing the photos, deputy district attorney Habib Balian gave no warning to those in the courtroom.
The Los Angeles District Attorney's Office responded to the accusation in a statement to TMZ. "To the extent that the photographic depiction of this conduct upset any of the Menendez family members present in court, we apologize for not giving prior warning that the conduct would be described in detail not only in words but also through a crime scene photo," they said. They also said the photos were necessary to show the brutality of the crime.
Terry Baralt thinks her nephews should be released from prison.
Many members of the Menendez brothers' family have been outspoken regarding their release. Baralt has not spoken publicly in 35 years, but the night before the resentencing hearing, she was interviewed by ABC News. "They are like the boys that I didn't have," she told the outlet. "It's time — 35 years is a long time," she said. She also said that so much of her family is gone, and the ones that remain are still paying for the murders.
Baralt lives in New Jersey and visits her nephews as often as she can. She told ABC News she's worried she won't live to see the day they walk out of prison. "When kids are little, and they come to you, you fix the problem. I can't help them. ... There is nothing I can do — just go visit them and cry when I leave."