Erik Menendez, one-half of the infamous Menendez brothers, is giving a rare glimpse into his unconventional relationship with his wife of more than two decades, Tammi. Erik and his brother Lyle are currently serving life sentences at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in California, for the murders of their parents — Jose and Kitty Menendez — in 1989. The brothers were convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to two consecutive life sentences without parole. They have now spent 35 years behind bars. In a recent episode of the podcast 2 Angry Men from the TMZ Audio Network, hosts Harvey Levin and Mark Geragos interviewed the brothers via a phone call from prison. Among the topics of conversation were their case, how they have changed throughout the years, and what their plans are if they’re ever released. “My first goal is to reconnect with family and be with family,” Erik answered, further explaining how his relationship with his wife helped him throughout the challenges he faced in prison. I was very alone, afraid and prison was hard for me. I faced a lot of bullying, trauma. It was a dangerous environment. And, fortunately, I had the love of a woman that came into my life and brought a little precious daughter.” Erik and Tammi began corresponding through letters in 1993 while Erik was in prison but had not yet been convicted. At the time, Tammi was married to Chuck Saccoman and had been following the Menendez brothers’ case on TV. Feeling sympathy, she asked for her husband’s permission to write Erik but didn’t expect a response. According to Erik, he “felt something” about Tammi’s letter, and he set it aside among the many letters he received. From there, their friendship grew. Chuck died in 1996, leaving Tammi to care for their 9-month-old daughter. It wasn’t until 1997 that Tammi and Erik met in person for the first time, and their friendship turned to romance. They married in prison in 1999 and have been together ever since. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tammi Menendez (@therealtammimenendez) Tammi and her daughter Talia — whom Erik considers his own daughter — often visit in prison. During the podcast interview, Erik shared that his relationship with Tammi helped him heal from “self-hate and self-loathing,” making him realize that he, too, deserved to love and be loved. He attributes the changes within himself to Tammi and Talia, sharing that he strives to “be a better person every day” to make his family proud. I want my daughter to be proud of me and my wife to be proud of me and my extended family to be proud of me and my brother to be proud of me. That’s who I am today.” In Oct. 2024, then-L.A. District Attorney George Gascon recommended that the brothers be resentenced to 50 years to life, automatically giving them a chance for parole as they have already served 35 years. The original hearing date was scheduled late last year but was moved to Jan. 2025. However, it was pushed back a second time due to the California wildfires. The new date is scheduled for Mar. 20 and 21. Erik is hopeful for a release, saying, “I have a wife that stood by me for 26 years and she deserves me home,” he said.