Lyle Menendez’s whirlwind marriage to pen pal lover-turned-wife Rebecca Sneed as she breaks silence on cheating claims

LYLE Menendez has been behind bars for almost 30 years after he and his brother were convicted of murdering their parents – but that hasn’t stopped him from finding love.

The older Menendez brother has been married twice and is now reportedly in a relationship with a British student.

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Lyle Menendez and his wife, Rebecca Sneed[/caption]

AP:Associated Press

Lyle’s first wife Anna Eriksson[/caption]

His second wife, Rebecca Sneed, who knew Lyle for 10 years before they tied the knot in 2003, has spoken out amid rumors of infidelity.

But, Lyle’s first marriage was with former salon receptionist Anna Eriksson.

The brothers’ first trial ended in a mistrial, and Eriksson told People in 1996 that she had sent Lyle a note urging him to hang tough.

She reached out to Lyle after she watched coverage of his first trial on TV.

At the time, she lived in Colorado before moving to Los Angeles.

Lyle and Eriksson’s first face-to-face meeting was at the Men’s Central Jail in Los Angeles before he started calling her regularly.

“He was always concerned about me, asking about my life,” Eriksson recalled.

Lyle and Eriksson married over the phone on July 2, 1996 – the day he and his brother were sentenced over the murders of Jose and Kitty Menendez.

Jose and Kitty were found with gunshot wounds in their Beverly Hills mansion in August 1989. Lyle and Erik were 21 and 18 at the time of their parents’ deaths.

Erik was Lyle’s best man while the brother’s defense lawyer Leslie Abramson put the ring on Eriksson’s finger, according to The New York Times.

Author Robert Rand wrote in his book The Menendez Murders that Eriksson called Lyle a guardian angel.

However, California officials didn’t recognize the marriage as legal.

Lyle and Eriksson divorced in 2001 as their marriage came to a close.

But, during that time, Lyle had been getting to know journalist Rebecca Sneed.

Sneed was known to visit Lyle in prison, and the pair exchanged letters.

Sneed, then 33, married Lyle, 35, in November 2003 in a ceremony at the Mule Creek State Prison near Sacramento, California.

They had known each other for around 10 years before their nuptials were held.

She visited Lyle in prison, and the pair wrote letters to each other.

Their wedding ceremony was held in front of around a dozen friends and family in a high-security visiting area.

But as Lyle was serving a life sentence, prison laws banned conjugal visits, meaning the couple couldn’t spend lengthy periods of time together.

A ‘STEADY’ MARRIAGE

In 2017, Lyle opened up on the state of their marriage in an interview with People magazine.

He explained that the pair tried to talk on the phone every day and described his marriage as “steady.”

“It’s a counter to the unpredictable, very stressful environment here,” he admitted.

Lyle admitted Sneed has had to put up with a lot, but hailed her courage.

“It would be easier to leave, but I’m profoundly grateful that she doesn’t,” he said.

Sneed has stood by her husband for decades in his legal fights.

In October, George Gascón, the Los Angeles District Attorney at the time, confirmed his office was reviewing pieces of evidence – 35 years after they were sentenced.

His team was probing allegations that the brothers had been sexually abused, including a letter Erik penned to his cousin.

Throughout the trials, Erik and Lyle referred to the alleged abuse they faced.

Gascón, who was ousted from his role in November, believed resentencing was the most appropriate option.

He said he believed the brothers had paid their debts to society.

But, it has since emerged that Lyle has been in a relationship with Milly Bucksey since the start of the year.

She is a student at the University of Manchester.

Lyle has reportedly been communicating with her on the phone.

Cops seized the first phone, which was recorded in Gascón’s resentencing memo, but he has been using a second device.

Bucksey has traveled from Manchester, England, to see Lyle behind bars, according to Daily Mail reports.

She apparently describes Lyle as her boyfriend.

Sneed has commented on the reports on a Facebook page in Lyle’s name.

“Guys! This is NOT a cheating scandal,” a statement said.

“Lyle and I have been separated for a while now but remain best friends and family.

“I continue to run his Facebook pages, with input from him, and I am forever committed to the enduring fight for Lyle and Erik’s freedom, as has been so evident over the years.”

Sneed vowed to continue fighting for the brothers.

Meanwhile, Talia Menendez, the daughter of Erik’s wife, Tammi, posted a cryptic message on her social media.

“The decisions of one brother shouldn’t overshadow the truth about the other,” she said.

“I’d appreciate it if people would consider my dad for who he is, and not based on the actions of someone else.”

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Lyle (left) and Erik (right) with their parents Jose and Kitty[/caption]

The Mega Agency

Lyle Menendez grinning in his mugshot[/caption]