Skip to main content

6 shocking revelations from Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed

Even though the stories of the Menendez Brothers and the boy band Menudo don’t seemingly have anything to do with one another, they are inextricably linked. In 1996, brothers Lyle and Erik Menendez were convicted of brutally murdering their parents, Jose and Mary Louise Menendez, in 1989. The prosecution argued it was for money; their father was a wealthy music executive. But the brothers alleged their father had been sexually abusing them for years and it drove them to kill, as they felt it was the only means out.

With Menudomeanwhile, there have long been rumors of sexual abuse of members by the founder and producer of the iconic Latin boy band, Edgardo Diaz. Despite the odd allegation here and there, however, no charges have ever been brought against Diaz.

Recommended Videos

How do these stories intersect? In the 1980s, Menudo signed with RCA Records, where Jose Menendez worked as an executive and became involved with the band. Journalists Robert Rand and Nery Ynclan set out to explore a potential link between the accusations against both Diaz and Menendez. What they unearthed from former band member Roy Rosselló, who is coming forward 35 years later with shocking allegations, is featured in the Peacock true crime docuseries Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed.

The testimony left out of the first trial

The Menendez family in a photo screenshot from Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The Menendez brothers had an initial trial that led to a hung jury, which some people may not recall about the case. During that trial, they were able to call witnesses, including family members and friends. Some of the testimony was shocking, including a cousin who alleges that when Lyle was just 8 years old and she was sleeping over, he came to the basement and asked if he could sleep in the other bed there with her. He told her, she alleged, that his father touched him on his genitals. Another piece of testimony noted an essay one brother wrote in school about a father going to jail for sexually abusing his children, which was also not permitted as evidence in the second trial.

Before the second trial, all such testimony was deemed inadmissible because it had nothing to do with the case. Thus, the jurors who would eventually go on to find the brothers guilty did not hear any evidence of alleged abuse.

Edgardo Diaz’s mother allegedly knew of his alleged abuse

A young Roy Rossello in a screenshot from Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Fans who have followed the band Menudo closely are aware of the sexual abuse allegations against music producer Diaz, creator of Menudo. He was first accused by a former member in 1991, as well as by a photojournalist who worked with the band and suspected something was going on. Another individual, Gabriel Fernandez from the rival band Los Chamos, made allegations as recently as 2021 as well.

But the most harrowing accusations hail from Roy Rosselló, a member of the band from 1983 to 1986. When he discussed first meeting Diaz, who was trying to convince him to join the band, Rosselló alleges that Diaz’s mother pulled her son out of the room and told him “not to do anything to that boy.” He recalls hearing her say “I know your intentions, I know what you’re thinking.” Rosselló alleges that he overheard Diaz tell her not to worry and that if Rosselló said anything, no one would believe him anyway. It was that same night that Rosselló alleges that Diaz raped him. (He alleges that Diaz continued to rape and sexually assault him throughout his entire time with the band). Rosselló says Diaz’s mother was in the next room when it first happened.

Bolivar Arellano’s story

A close-up of Bolivar Arellano via screenshot from Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Bolivar Arellano is a retired photojournalist who worked with the band for many years. At one point, he owned a store selling Menudo souvenirs. When he began to hear rumblings about sexual abuse by management, he decided to check with several past members, who allegedly confirmed to him off the record that it was true. One of these young men was Rosselló, who was not ready to come forward publicly at that time. Even so, a horrified Arellano went public with the allegations.

Nothing was done, and when Arellano appeared on a local talk show to discuss the matter, police showed up on the live set to arrest him. He alleges he went to the courthouse the following day after receiving a summons, but Diaz’s team waited across the street (he later learned) until he left, then declared that he didn’t show up and called him a fugitive. Arellano was eventually accused of defamation and was asked to retract his statements, though he never did. He said the boys he spoke with later told him to forget their names because “they wiped the floor with you.” Imagine, they asked, what these men would do to them. Arellano alleges he later discarded two dumpster containers worth of Menudo merchandise, believing the money he made up to that point was dirty.

Rosselló’s allegations against Jose Menendez

Roy Rossello looking at an old photo with journalist Robert Rand in a scene from Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Much of the series focuses on Rosselló and the alleged abuse he endured at the hands of Diaz. But the shocking tie-in between the band and the 1996 murder trial is that he also claims he was abused by Jose Menendez. Rosselló recalls first meeting Menendez in a limo on route to his home while Menudo was doing a performance in New York. At the house, Rosselló was given wine and alleges that he began to feel strange. He recalls being walked down a long hallway into a bedroom. When he awoke, he was back in his hotel room with no recollection of how he got there.

Most shocking is that Rosselló says he was bleeding badly and in pain for weeks following the incident. While his claims against Menendez aren’t as detailed as those against Diaz, and Rosselló does not mention if he ever had future encounters of abuse with Menendez, it’s an important recollection that speaks to the elder Menendez’s alleged character. It’s also one that the Menendez brothers’ lawyer believes could have made a difference in Lyle and Erik’s trial back in the ’90s, corroborating their sexual abuse claims.

The group thought Rosselló and Diaz’s relationship was consensual

Raul Reyes and Roy Rossello talking on a couch in a scene from Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The series mentions the more recent tragic death of former Menudo member Ray Reyes from a heart attack. He was reportedly preparing to come forward with allegations just before his death, and his brother Raul thinks the desperation to tell the truth led to his passing. During Raul’s conversations with Rosselló, he admits that the group did not welcome Rosselló openly. Rosselló joined without having auditioned and the member he was replacing, Miguel Cancel, didn’t even get a proper send-off. What’s more, Raul was expecting that spot to be his, joining his brother in the band.

They believed the relationship Rosselló had with Diaz was voluntary and consensual, and resented him because he was the obvious favorite. “We didn’t consider,” says Raul, “that he was a young boy, a child, a minor who had been tricked.”

The current situation

Roy Rossello standing outside looking into the distance in a scene from Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The Menendez brothers’ cousin Diana, who lived with the family at one point for just over a year, recalls speaking to Lyle and telling him she felt horrible about them being in prison. He stopped her and told her not to be because he’s “happier than I’ve ever been.” She realized at this point that he felt better and safer living in prison than he did living with his parents. Their lawyer is filing a petition to have their case looked at again in light of the new evidence about Jose Menendez’s character based on Rosselló’s accounts.

Meanwhile, Rosselló filed official charges in Los Angeles against Diaz in November 2022. However, the case is still being investigated, with the need for corroborating evidence by other members or individuals. No criminal charges have been brought against Diaz.

Christine Persaud
Christine has decades of experience in trade and consumer journalism. While she started her career writing exclusively about…
Is Gladiator streaming? How to watch the Oscar-winning epic before Gladiator II
Connie Nielsen and Russell Crowe as Lucilla and Maximus in Gladiator.

The wait for Gladiator II is almost over, as Ridley Scott's epic sequel opens in theaters on Friday. Before the weekend, fans can relive the original saga that started in Gladiator, which isnow streaming on Paramount+ and Pluto TV.

Gladiator stars Russell Crowe as Maximus Decimus Meridius, a Roman general betrayed by the Emperor's son, Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) and sold into slavery. Commodus kills his father and orchestrates the murders of Maximus' wife and son. Hell-bent on vengeance, Maximus trains as a gladiator and becomes a legend in the arena, winning over the crowd as he plots his revenge against Commodus and the empire.

Read more
How AI can help new filmmakers create movies without replacing human creativity
A group of people shooting a scene outdoors.

Cutting-edge technology and filmmaking have always gone hand in hand, with the industry often at the forefront of adopting new ways to bring stories to life on the big screen. From the integration of sound in the late 1920s to the invention of CinemaScope in the 1950s and the surge of popularity of IMAX in the 21st century, new technology has always been embraced by the film industry as a way to tell old stories in new ways.

It’s no different with artificial intelligence (AI), which is quickly becoming an integral part of the several stages of film production. Recent advancements in AI and other emerging technologies have proven beneficial for filmmaking, particularly in lowering the barriers to entry into the complex, and often expensive, art form.
How is AI currently being used across the industry?

Read more
The Studio teaser trailer: Seth Rogen is a struggling Hollywood executive in Apple TV+ comedy
Seth Rogen raises his eyebrow and stares in The Studio.

In the first teaser trailer for The Studio, Seth Rogen's Matt Remick learns that running a movie studio is far from glamorous.

Matt is the new head of the embattled Continental Studios. "I got into this because I love movies," Matt tells Catherine O’Hara's character. As Matt quickly learns, the job is much harder than originally thought. From disasters on set and behind-the-scenes fights to unruly actors and pretentious artists, Matt's dream job might destroy him in the long run.

Read more