Lyle and Erik Menendez‘s uncle who opposed their release from prison has died.
Their cousin Anamaria Baralt confirmed Milton Andersen‘s death on TikTok Sunday evening, saying he passed from cancer. Furthermore, an obituary was shared by the Thompson & Kuenster Funeral Home in Illinois on March 4.
Anamaria — who recently spoke to TMZ in favor of Lyle and Erik’s release — told fans that no one should celebrate Milton’s death despite him being the only living family member advocating for their continued imprisonment.
She explained she always felt “great empathy” for Milton as the brother of Kitty Menendez — who as you’re aware, was infamously murdered by her sons alongside their father and her husband, Jose Mendendez, in 1989.
Milton most recently spoke against his nephews’ release through his attorney Kathy Cady in 2024. Though the rest of his family members argue Lyle and Erik killed their parents over their father sexually molesting them, Milton said it was pure greed that motivated them … and therefore, should stay locked up.
He and his late brother Brian also testified against their nephews in the death penalty phase of their murder trial in 1996 after multiple family members banded together to support them. They are currently serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
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Now that Milton has passed, no other Menendez family members publicly oppose Lyle and Erik’s anticipated resentencing and possible release.
The brothers were slated to appear in court later this month for a resentencing hearing … but California Governor Gavin Newsomshort-circuited the process by ordering the state’s Board of Parole Hearings to conduct a “risk assessment investigation” … which was a potential outcome for the hearing anyway.
TMZ.com
The investigation can take a few months … so for now, Newsom asked the Menendez family to sit tight.
As for Milton … he was a U.S. Army veteran with 26 years of service and will lie in state on Monday at the All Saints Lutheran Church in Orland Park, Illinois at 10 AM local time.
He is survived by his three remaining children, his wife, 18 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren.
