Menendez Brothers’ Uncle Passes Away at 91 Amid Family Controversy

Milton Andersen, the staunch critic of the Menendez brothers’ potential release from prison, has passed away at the age of 91.

His death, confirmed by his niece, Anamaria Baralt, was shared via TikTok on Sunday. Baralt revealed that Andersen succumbed to cancer, following the announcement of his passing in an obituary posted by Thompson & Kuenster Funeral Home in Illinois on March 4.

Andersen’s passing marks the end of an era of vocal opposition to the Menendez brothers’ parole, as he was the last living relative who publicly advocated for their continued imprisonment.

While Baralt, a cousin to the brothers, has expressed her support for their release, she clarified that no one should take joy in Andersen’s death. In a heartfelt message, she shared her “great empathy” for the uncle who had endured profound personal loss, having tragically lost his sister Kitty Menendez and her husband, Jose, in 1989, when the brothers murdered them in a brutal attack.

Andersen, a lifelong opponent of the brothers, remained firm in his belief that their motives were driven by pure greed, not trauma as some family members have argued.

This view was in direct opposition to the widespread belief within the Menendez family that the killings were the result of years of sexual abuse by their father. In the years following the murders, Andersen became one of the loudest voices against their release.

His legal representative, Kathy Cady, made his stance clear in 2024, when he publicly opposed any moves to free Lyle and Erik Menendez, despite growing support from others within the family.

This family divide extends back to the brothers’ trial, where Andersen’s late brother, Brian, stood alongside him in condemning their nephews. In 1996, both uncles testified during the death penalty phase of the trial, arguing that the brothers were motivated by financial gain rather than self-defense.

Now, with Milton Andersen’s death, the voice of opposition to the Menendez brothers’ release has fallen silent.

While the brothers’ supporters and those in favor of their release see it as a time for reflection, Andersen’s legacy as the last vocal opponent to their release will undoubtedly remain a poignant part of this ongoing story of tragedy, family division, and the quest for justice.