Lyle Menendez and his wife, Rebecca Sneed, quietly ended their marriage after more than 21 years together, but she remains a key figure in his life despite rumors of a cheating scandal Sneed says are baseless, PEOPLE has learned.

LOS ANGELES - Rebecca Sneed, the wife of Lyle Menendez, is revealing the status of her marriage to the convicted killer. In a social media post, Sneed announced she and Menendez are separated, but emphasized that the two remain "best friends and family.

As Lyle Menendez has been entangled in a cheating scandal with a young university student, his wife Rebecca Sneed has confirmed that they are splitting after 21 years of marriage