True story behind Menendez murders that inspired Netflix show

Gripping '90s case turned into nine-part series by duo behind Jeffrey Dahmer docudrama

Erik Menendez, left, and his brother Lyle during a pre-trial hearing in 1992 in Los Angeles. AFP

On the night of August 20, 1989, brothers Lyle and Erik Menendez walked into their Beverly Hills mansion and murdered their parents in cold blood. Their father, Jose, was hit six times, while their mother, Kitty, was shot 10 times.

While initially not suspects, the brothers were eventually arrested six months later after Erik, then only 19, confessed to his psychologist about the killings. Lyle, who was 22 at the time, was first arrested, with Erik later turning himself in.

The Menendez Murders, as their trial came to be known, became a media sensation, owing to the allegations the brothers levelled against their father, who they claimed sexually and physically abused them for years. They accused their mother of turning a blind eye to their suffering and enabling their father.

The murders are now the subject of a new Netflix series, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story. Created by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan, the show is the second in their Monsters anthology series, which began with Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, which broke streaming records when it was released in 2022.

Who were the Menendez brothers?

Lyle, who was born Joseph Lyle Menendez, was the first child of Jose and Kitty. Deciding to use his middle name early in life, he was an average student and was even put on probation in university owing to his low grades. Erik was also a low performer in school, however, he flourished as a tennis player and travelled across the country and abroad for various tournaments.

Jose, a Cuban immigrant, was a successful executive working in the entertainment industry. As a result, the family lived a comfortable life. Kitty, who had aspirations of becoming an actress, became a full-time housewife after their sons were born.

According to court documents, the boys' cousin Diane Vander Molen, testified that Lyle told her in 1976 that he was being sexually abused by his father. Vander Molen then reportedly told Kitty who accused Lyle of lying.

During the trial, another cousin, Andy Cano, also testified that Erik told him about being sexually abused by his father. When Erik told Lyle about the abuse, the boys confronted their father, which reportedly led to an altercation. They later testified that their father threatened to kill them if they told anyone.

How were Lyle and Erik arrested?

After killing their parents, both Lyle and Erik remained in the house until the police arrived, claiming they had been to a movie and had returned to find their parents shot dead. Prosecutors said the brothers then began to spend extravagantly and travelled extensively, with Lyle even buying a restaurant.

But as the police narrowed their investigation, the brothers soon became the main suspects, owing to their new-found fancy lifestyle – but were still unable to pin the murders on them. A breakthrough arrived when a woman having an affair with Erik's psychologist told police he had admitted to the killings. Judalon Smyth reported his confession, given to Jerome Oziel, and the pair were arrested in 1990, six months after the murder.

What happened at the trial?

The trial began in 1993 and was broadcast live. Lyle and Erik, who were tried separately, both admitted to killing their parents but said they did so in self-defence. By the time the trials ended in 1994, both juries were deadlocked, resulting in a mistrial.

At the second trial, which began in 1995, the brothers were tried together, with no cameras allowed in the courtroom. Prosecutors accused the brothers of being "vicious, spoiled brats" who had killed their parents so they could get their hands on the family fortune. The brothers' lawyer argued that, after years of abuse, Lyle and Erik both believed their lives were in danger, which led them to kill.

Lyle and Erik were found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to two consecutive life sentences in 1996.

Appeals and life in prison

Lyle and Erik have filed many appeals over the years, with state courts as well as the US Supreme Court, all of which have been denied. Last year, the brothers filed documents to request another hearing, with their lawyer saying they had the testimony of another man who claims to have been raped by their father in the 1980s.

Lyle, now 56, has been married twice, first in 1996 and then in 2001. Erik has been married since 1999 and has a daughter.

Who's in the cast of Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story?

Oscar-winning actor Javier Bardem plays Jose while Chloe Sevigny plays Kitty. General Hospital star Nicholas Chavez portrays Lyle and newcomer Cooper Koch plays Erik.

Nathan Lane is set to play an investigative journalist and Ari Graynor is the Menendez brothers' lead lawyer. Other cast members include Leslie Grossman as Judalon Smyth and Dallas Roberts as the boys' therapist, who becomes inextricably linked to the murders.

Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story begins streaming on Thursday