A judge has ruled that the Menendez brothers, convicted in 1996 of murdering their parents, will be resentenced to 50 years to life in prison.

The decision makes the brothers eligible for parole and could potentially pave the way for them to be released, according to ABC News.

As CrimeOnline previously reported, in 1989, Erik and Lyle Menendez, then 18 and 21, purchased two shotguns with cash and used them to kill their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, at their Beverly Hills home. Investigators originally suspected the mafia was behind the slayings.

However, a break in the case occurred in 1990 when Erik Menendez confessed to a therapist.

After resentencing the brothers, Judge Michael Jesic said he had considered the case deeply, recognizing that they committed an “absolutely horrific crime.”

Still, he noted that he was impressed by the brothers’ behavior in prison, People magazine reports.

“Life without parole gives an inmate no hope, no reason to do anything good,” Jesic said. “I give them a lot of credit. It’s remarkable what they accomplished when they had no hope of getting out.”

Check back for updates.

[Feature Photo: California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation via AP