Menendez Modernized

The infamous home 35 years later.

Homes.tastrophes
November 04, 2024

This week’s 7-bed, 9-bath Beverly Hills, CA mansion once belonged to one of the most famous true-crime cases of the 1980s: the Menendez family.

722 N Elm Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210

Some people say they want a home with “history” or “character”, but I’m not sure if they mean this.

The exterior hasn’t changed much since 1989:

Regardless of its history (which is hard to nudge aside), this is a stunning Mediterranean-style villa.

It still has the same high ceilings, large windows and even crown molding. I mean, they’re very pretty features of the home, hence why only the decor and railings have seemed to change.

Before you ask: here is the scene of the crime. Eerily, not much has been changed, just slightly updated.

Out of respect for the deceased, I will not provide the crime scene photos – but I will note that the Menendez family had an L-shaped couch in the exact same spot.

A peek throughout the rest of the home shows us more modern additions, including the wood furnishings and imported Italian limestone flooring.

I can’t wrap my head around wanting to own this home. Yes, it is/was gorgeous and a tear-down would be ungodly expensive in Los Angeles. At the same time, existing in the space where a murder took place… feels unsettling. Maybe the previous owners weren’t aware of the incident, but what if they were?

In the state of California, you only need to disclose a death in the home within 3 years of its occurrence. Is it unethical to sell this home without disclosing its well-known history? Or to manipulate its pricing? There’s a lot of grey area here.