Upamanyu Biswas
Netflix’s ‘Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story’ chronicles the 1989 murders of José and Kitty Menéndez, who were murdered by their sons, Lyle and Erik. The show follows the events surrounding the incident, what led to it, and its aftermath through the point of view of the Menéndez brothers. A glimpse is also provided into the brother’s affairs following their trial, including Lyle’s relationship with a woman named Anna Eriksson. Despite the weight of controversial public opinion swimming around the brothers, Lyle and Anna managed to connect while navigating the intricacies of the former’s murder charges.
Anna Eriksson is a Former Model Who Got Close to Lyle Menéndez Through Letters
Before entering the life of Lyle Menéndez, Anna Eriksson was a former model who hailed from Chicago. Eriksson’s parents had divorced when she was nine, which caused her to move to Colorado with her mother after the split. She began modeling as a teenager after posing in an ad for Lord & Taylor, subsequently picking up several modeling gigs across Europe, including prime hotspot cities like London and Paris. She even featured as a Playboy Playmate. In 1987, Eriksson returned back to Colorado to work as a receptionist at a salon named Shear Productions. As reported by the Sun, Janet Lombardi, the owner, called Eriksson “an intelligent and energetic young woman, a very compassionate gal.”
Lombardi also stated that Eriksson had “never found the right guy. They took advantage of her because she was such a caring girl.” Eriksson first came across Lyle Menendez by watching him on TV during his trial. She wrote a letter to him after noticing that his brother had received more letters of support than him. Eriksson explained, “I was watching the lawyers thanking people for all these letters of support Erik got. I thought to myself, ‘What about Lyle?'” Eriksson sent him a letter after the first trial saying, “Hang tough.” After Lyle replied, the two established regular correspondence that quickly blossomed into a more intimate relationship.
In 1994, Eriksson got a job as a contract administrator for a record company in Los Angeles to be closer to Lyle. “All I can say is that we’ve connected, even though we’ve never touched,” the former model told People magazine. During a 1996 interview with Barbara Walters, Lyle acknowledged that he was in love with Eriksson. At the time, the media referred to her as Rapunzel because of her long blonde hair. On the day that Lyle was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole, Anna Eriksson broke down in tears, citing it as a feeling of immense relief. Lyle smiled and waved at her from across the courtroom after hearing his penalty.
Anna Eriksson’s Marriage With Lyle Menéndez Ended Abruptly
Anna Eriksson and Lyle Menéndez tied the knot on their relationship on July 2, 1996. The marriage took place over a speakerphone while the latter was still in prison. During the ceremony, Eriksson called Lyle her “guardian angel,” while he called it the “best day” of his life. The couple exchanged their vows in what Robert Rand, the author of ‘The Menéndez Murders,’ described as a proxy marriage with Judge Nancy Brown officiating. Their bond continued to deepen from that point on as the pair tried to find ways of establishing a relationship that was as normal and healthy as possible.
In a later interview, Eriksson revealed that the lack of physical intimacy in their relationship was something she did not necessarily view as a challenge. Eriksson also stated that Lyle got her a phone through which they would regularly converse on a day-to-day basis when she was at work. The moment her shift was over, the couple would switch over to speaking through her landline telephone. Occasionally, Lyle would even help her navigate the ins and outs of Los Angeles, particularly when she was new to the city. She also described her first physical meeting with Lyle as a profoundly touching moment, adding that their first kiss was awe-inspiring, specifically because they had not been in a relationship with anyone for such a long time.
Five years after their marriage, Anna Eriksson and Lyle Menéndez’s relationship came to an end after the former found out that he had been allegedly cheating on her with another pen pal. They divorced on April 1, 2001, soon after the secret was out. According to the LA Times, the California Department of Corrections did not recognize their wedding as a legal marriage because it took place over the phone. Following the end of her high-profile relationship with Lyle, Eriksson receded from the limelight, choosing to keep her whereabouts private. Meanwhile, Lyle Menéndez got married to Rebecca Sneed in November 2003.
Read More: Leslie Abramson: Where is Erik Menendez’s Lawyer Now?
