Who is Roy Rosselló? Why 2023 testimony may see Lyle and Erik Menéndez freed
Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’s discretion is advised.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Lyle and Erik Menéndez, who have spent more than 30 years behind bars for the murder of their parents, remain doubtful about their chances of freedom, despite a new testimony emerging in their favor. Roy Rosselló, a former member of the Puerto Rican boy band Menudo, came forward in 2023, alleging that the convicted brothers's slain father sexually assaulted him as a teenager.
Lyle and Erik Menéndez remain in the news even after three decades of the crime. The case resurfaced with new testimonies and revelations in Peacock's 2023 docuseries 'Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed'. Their infamous case has also inspired Netflix's latest crime anthology series 'Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story'.
Roy Rosselló alleges being raped as a teenager
Peacock's 'Menendez + Menudo' documentary revealed that Roy Rosselló was first abused by Menudo manager Edgardo Diaz in the 1980s. The Puerto Rican pop star claimed that Diaz first noticed him during a visit to his Puerto Rico office and persuaded him to join the boy band which was growing in popularity. "I got caught up in his promises and the promises of his entourage," Rosselló said.
He revealed that he was told, “You will have to do things that you might not want to do." That night, he was sexually abused by Diaz for the first time, Rosselló claimed in the documentary.
Coming to Menendez's connection to the band, Jose Menendez had signed Menudo as an executive at RCA Records. Rosselló said that in 1986, he was raped by Jose Menendez at his home in New Jersey.
"I drank some white wine. I didn't drink wine. I was 13 years old. But that day, Jose Menendez told me, 'Drink the wine because it's amazing and it's very expensive. Drink the whole glass.' So I drank it all," Rosselló recalled in the Peacock docuseries.
He further said, "After I drank the wine, I started to feel tired and heavy. I couldn't move anymore. From that point on, everything looked blurry." He added that when he woke up, he found himself in a hotel room and realised that he had been molested. "I could barely stand the pain. I couldn't even move," he said.
Pointing to Menendez's photo, he said, "That's the man here that raped me. That's the pedophile. It's time for the world to know the truth."
Erik Menendez, son of Jose Menendez, remembered seeing Rosselló visiting their house once. In conversation with reporter Robert Rand in the documentary, he is heard saying, "When they were over at their house, he'd [Jose] have a meeting with the boys one at a time."
"As for what happened behind closed doors, I didn't question what my dad did... with the molestation with my father, I didn't know that it was not supposed to happen. I was just a kid," he added.
Why didn't Roy Rosselló report the crime for over 30 years?
Rosselló, now 54, reveals he didn't open up about the sexual abuse until now because his mother, Miriam, signed a contract with Diaz. As per the contract, Diaz offered a generous amount of money to the then-struggling family.
Rosselló said, "I didn't want to see my mother suffering in a poor neighborhood. I had to do something. I had to make a decision."
Rosselló claimed that Diaz continued to abuse him for years as he performed and toured with the band. He added that the physical abuse and forced silence pushed him into deep depression. Highlighting the consequence of this compromise, he said, "I signed my soul away with that contract... To this day, I still suffer with that."
As he finally spoke up against the molestation, he said, "I knew this moment would come and that through my story others would learn to heal themselves. The mission starts today."
What does Roy Rosselló's testimony mean for the Lyle and Erik Menéndez case?
Lyle and Erik Menéndez were charged with first-degree murder of their parents. After two trials, they were found guilty and were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The brothers have been behind bars for over 30 years and feel that Rosselló's testimony may not help them.
In May 2023, the convicted brothers filed documents seeking a new hearing based on Rosselló's testimony, however, Erik said that the pop singer's allegations are "very validating to me on a personal level. What it means on a legal level, I don't know."
"I'm pretty discouraged by the system at this point," he further added. Meanwhile, Rosselló remains hopeful, citing his desire to see justice served for himself and the Menendez brothers.
Meanwhile, Diaz has been consistently denying allegations of abuse made by Rosselló and he has not been charged yet. One of Kitty Menendez’s brothers, Milton Andersen, has also come forward, challenging Rosselló’s allegations against Jose while adding that Erik and Lyle should not be set free.
“They do not deserve to walk on the face of this earth after killing my sister and my brother-in-law," he was quoted by The New York Times.
How to stream 'Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story'?
'Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story' is a true crime anthology series created by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan. It features Nicholas Alexander Chavez as Lyle Menéndez, Cooper Koch as Erik Menéndez, Javier Bardem as José Menéndez, and Chloë Sevigny as Mary Louise "Kitty" Menéndez.
'Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story' premiered on Netflix on Thursday, September 19. All nine episodes of the series are now available to stream exclusively on Netflix.
'Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story' trailer