For years, the stunning mansion on Elm Drive in Beverly Hills has been a magnet for curious onlookers and tourist buses eager to catch a glimpse of celebrity homes. Recently, interest in the property surged, thanks to Netflix’s "Monsters" series chronicling the story of Lyle and Erik Menendez. The mansion’s dark history as the scene of one of the world’s most infamous murders has long fascinated the public.
It turns out the home has a connection to a former Israeli, Sam Delug. Until a few months ago, Delug owned the property and, while he found the endless curiosity puzzling, it didn’t bother him much after the first few years.
“When I first moved in, people wouldn’t just stare from a distance – they’d knock on the door and ask to come inside as if it were a museum,” Delug recalls. “I’d tell them, ‘If you don’t leave my property, I’ll call the police.’ But that only lasted two or three years, and then it stopped.”
Delug, a warm-hearted entrepreneur, lawyer, and philanthropist, was born in Melbourne, Australia. He moved to Israel with his family at age seven and lived there for three years before relocating to New York and eventually settling in Los Angeles.
The tragedy that shocked Beverly Hills and the U.S.
The murders of Jose and Mary Louise “Kitty” Menendez horrified the elite neighborhood of Beverly Hills –and the entire nation. On August 20, 1989, the couple was relaxing in the living room of their mansion, watching television, when their sons entered and fatally shot them. Jose was struck six times, and Kitty was shot 10 times. Later that night, the brothers called the police, claiming they had found their parents dead.
Initially, suspicion turned toward external threats, including the local mafia. But the brothers drew attention when they began spending millions of dollars from their inheritance soon after the murders. Investigators eventually tied them to the crime when Erik confessed to his psychologist, who alerted the authorities.
During their high-profile trial, the Menendez brothers claimed they had suffered years of sexual abuse at the hands of their father, which drove them to commit the murders. Despite their defense, they were convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison.
From infamous crime scene to renovated haven
The mansion changed hands for the first time in 1991 and was sold two years later to William Link, co-creator of the TV series "Murder, She Wrote." In 2001, Sam Delug purchased the home for $3.7 million. Before buying, Delug visited the house with his three children, then young adults, to gauge their feelings.
“I wanted to make sure they felt comfortable,” he says. “My youngest was 19 at the time, and none of them lived with me anymore, but I still wanted each of them to have a room to call their own when they visited. They told me, ‘Dad, it’s just another house. We’re fine with it.’”
Built in 1927, the house was dated by the time Delug moved in, so he hired an interior designer to renovate the entire property. The exterior, however, was left untouched, maintaining the structure’s historic charm. The infamous living room where the murders occurred was transformed into a bright, welcoming TV room with doors leading to the garden.
“Most people wouldn’t believe such a tragedy took place in that space,” Delug says. “It’s now light, inviting and peaceful.”
After the renovation, Delug began hosting charity events at the mansion, primarily for Jewish and pro-Israel organizations. Groups like Stand With Us, AIPAC, and the Maccabiah Games regularly benefitted from his gatherings. The mansion also became a venue for other causes, such as fundraisers for Beit Halochem and Israel Bonds.
“I’m 100% a Zionist,” Delug says proudly.
A legacy of community and philanthropy
Over the years, Delug’s home became a hub for philanthropy. Notable speakers, such as Yoseph Haddad, an activist for Israel’s image abroad, and Micky Kubi, a former senior Shin Bet investigator, have shared their stories at events there.
“I started getting involved in the community 20 years ago, and for the past 15 years I’ve hosted four to five major events a year,” Delug says. “Altogether, I’ve probably hosted about 75 events, including a break-fast meal after Yom Kippur. Anyone without a place to go is welcome. That’s my first mitzvah of the year.”
Delug visits Israel twice a year and has a deep connection to the country. After arriving for a visit shortly before October 7, 2023, he found himself stranded in Israel due to the outbreak of war.
“I was supposed to leave on October 11 and meet my son in Italy, but I couldn’t go,” he recalls. Earlier in the year, he returned to Israel with a Stand With Us delegation, organizing a barbecue for soldiers and bringing musicians to perform for them. “They appreciated it so much,” he says.
Saying goodbye to Elm Drive
After 22 years in the Elm Drive mansion, Delug decided it was time to move on. “To be honest, I was tired of people referring to it as ‘the Menendez house.’ Nobody could just say I lived in Los Angeles. Well, now they can’t say that anymore,” he says, half-jokingly.
During his time there, Delug says he never felt any negative energy in the home. On the contrary, it became a vibrant space filled with joy and purpose. Still, leaving wasn’t easy.
“This house holds some of the best memories of my life,” he admits. “But I believe in creating new memories.”
The seven-bedroom, nine-bathroom estate sold earlier this year for approximately $17 million, closing a chapter in its long and storied history.
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