Upamanyu Biswas
In the second season of the Netflix anthology series titled, ‘Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story,’ a spotlight is shone on the 1989 murders of José and Kitty Menéndez, who were murdered by their sons, Lyle and Erik. During the ensuing trial, the brothers claimed that the killings were an act of self-defense owing to the fear that their parents were going to kill them if they revealed the years of alleged sexual abuse they endured at the hands of their father. Diane Vander Molen, the cousin of Lyle and Erik, testified at their first trial regarding the molestation allegations, defending the brothers’ position.
Diane Vander Molen Testified About Lyle and Erik’s Alleged Sexual Abuse
Diane Vander Molen played a critical role in the Menéndez brothers’ trial. She spent several summers with the Menéndez family and testified about the alleged molestation that the boys were suffering in the household. In her testimony, Diana said that when she came to stay with them during the summer of 1976, Lyle told her that his father, Jose, would often touch him inappropriately. “One night, I was in my room changing the sheets in my bed, and Lyle came in,” she told ABC News. “He became very serious about asking me if he could sleep in the other bed next to mine and saying that he was afraid to sleep in his own bed because his father and him had been touching each other down there, indicating that it was his genital area.”
Diane added that she subsequently reported this to the boy’s mother, Kitty, who, she alleged, dismissed the accusation. The subject did not crop up again, and Diane stated that she thought Kitty had dealt with the matter. The cousin described the house’s atmosphere as tense and unsettled, highlighting the “weird” sexual behaviors and dysfunctional dynamics. She further narrated an alleged incident that took place when she was at the Menendez household again to babysit her cousins, Lyle and Erik, when they were 15 and 12.
One night, during a playful wrestling match, Diane alleged she was tied up and stripped of her clothes by the brothers. “They got me down to my bra,” she said, adding that she stopped them. She further alleged that while watching TV one night, “without any words spoken, Lyle climbed on top of me and began fondling my breasts. I froze,” and “it stopped.” Her testimony during Lyle and Erik’s first trial mostly revolved around Lyle’s conversation with her about his father. It ended in a mistrial, and in their second trial in 1996, Erik and Lyle were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Diane Vander Molen Still Believes the Menéndez Brothers Were Abused
Years after her testimony at the Menéndez brothers’ trial, Diane Vander Molen insisted that Lyle and Erik’s accounts of sexual abuse were real and the primary reason for them killing their parents. In a 2017 interview with ABC’ she said, “I know that they would never, ever have done what they did unless they felt that they had no choice — that it was either them or their parents. I believe that very strongly.” Diane even recalled her testimony from the court trial during the interview, detailing the conversation she had with a young Lyle about his father’s alleged molestation.
In hindsight, the woman expressed a sense of regret for not being stronger about what Lyle was telling her and also doing more to help him. She insisted that his fear when he was telling her the story convinced her that he was “100 percent” being abused by his father. Diane has since kept a relatively low profile about her whereabouts while the Menéndez brothers serve out their life sentences. However, it does appear as if she used to be happily married but is now sadly a widow, so she prefers to go by Diane Hernandez. We should also mention this Metropolitan State University of Denver graduate is now a retired teacher, seemingly trying to make the most of her life in Surprise, Arizona, while surrounded by loved ones.
Read More: Lyle and Erik Menéndez Beverly Hills House: What Happened to it? Where is it Located?
