Menendez Brothers' Bizarre Basketball Cameo Goes Viral

A Mark Jackson NBA trading card is making the rounds online, with fans stunned to learn that the notorious Menendez Brothers can be seen on the coveted collectable.

As with many basketball stars, Jackson was immortalized on an NBA Hoops card—specifically a 1990 release.

In the front and center of the card, the athlete can be seen mid-play, passing the ball with the crowd behind him.

However, vigilant sports fans and true crime lovers may have spotted two other notable characters in the crowd—Lyle and Erik Menendez. A post shared to X, formerly Twitter, where the image was shown has proven hard to process for some.

The Menendez brothers made headlines in 1989 for shooting and killing their parents, Jose and Mary Louise, while they watched TV in their California residence.

At the time, Lyle was 21, and Erik was 18. Jose was shot multiple times in the head, and Lyle shot Mary, who tried to crawl away to safety in the face with a shotgun.

During their first trial, they cited that their father had emotionally and sexually abused them. They were finally convicted of murder and sentenced in 1996 following a long legal process. They are both incarcerated at California's RJ Donovan Correctional Facility.

With the brothers' horrific past known, social media account Morbid Knowledge (@Morbidful) shared an image of the card on X, with a close-up shot of the brothers next to it.

The image was accompanied by a long caption about their history, which started: "Two killers can be seen in the background of Mark Jackson's Hoops basketball card from 1990."

It also went on to say: "In May 2023, the brothers submitted legal documents requesting a new hearing, presenting recently uncovered evidence suggesting that their father had allegedly molested boy band member Roy Rosselló."

For many, it was the first time they had noticed them in the card's background, with others sharing that they also had the NBA Hoops card and could now spot them.

"This is outrageous," a shocked onlooker shared with a second adding: "These are two perverted weirdos."

An owner of the card wanted to get rid of it: "I have that card. Mint condition. Anyone want to buy it?"

Defending them, a social media user said: "They aren't killers. Their father was sexually assaulting them and deserved it. Their mother, on the other hand, was the enabler. They were only defending themselves. The only 'killers' I would defend."

A second backed them up: "They deserved better, so many people knew the type of man their father was and still let them sit," and another said: "The system failed them. The dad was a true SICKO."

There has been a big push by those who want the brothers to be freed based on how their parents allegedly treated them.

Newsweek has reached out to Jackson via social media for comment.