The True Crime Story Behind Netflix’s Menéndez Brothers Series

 

The second chapter of Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan’s Monster anthology, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menéndez Story, debuted on Netflix on Thursday, Sept. 19, delving into the shocking case that captivated America long before the O.J. Simpson trial. In 1989, Lyle and Erik Menéndez committed the brutal murders of their parents, José, a prominent record executive, and Kitty Menéndez, in their Beverly Hills home.

The brothers shot Kitty 10 times and José six times before staying in the house and calling 911, claiming they were at a movie theater watching Batman during the murders. At first, law enforcement believed their story—two young men from a wealthy family didn’t seem like plausible suspects. But as the case unraveled, the brothers were arrested and convicted of first-degree murder after two high-profile trials.

Were Lyle and Erik motivated by their parents' fortune, or did years of abuse drive them to kill? Netflix’s series reexamines these questions, looking closely at the complex allegations of abuse and the brothers' ultimate sentencing.

Following the massive success of Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, which garnered over a billion hours viewed, this second true-crime installment dives deeper into the Menéndez case, portraying the brothers’ lives, their claims of parental abuse, and the courtroom drama that ensued.

Star-Studded Cast Brings the Menéndez Case to Life

Javier Bardem and Chloë Sevigny star as José and Kitty Menéndez, while Nicholas Alexander Chavez portrays Lyle, and Cooper Koch plays Erik. With this much-anticipated season now available, let’s explore the terrifying real-life events behind the Monster series.

The Murders of José and Kitty Menéndez

On that fateful August night in 1989, José and Kitty Menéndez were shot multiple times at close range in their Beverly Hills mansion. Lyle placed a frantic 911 call, shouting that someone had killed his parents. Initially, police bought their story, but in the months following the murders, Lyle and Erik’s behavior raised suspicions.

The brothers embarked on a spending spree, burning through nearly $700,000 of their parents' fortune on luxury items, real estate, and businesses, which caught the attention of investigators. Still, it wasn’t their lavish spending that led to their arrest. The breakthrough came from Judalon Smyth, the girlfriend of the brothers' therapist, who tipped off authorities after Erik confessed to the murders in a recorded session.

In March 1990, Lyle and Erik Menéndez were charged with murder. After spending three years in jail, their first trial began in 1993, but ended in a mistrial due to deadlocked juries. In their second trial in 1995, both brothers were found guilty of first-degree murder.

Allegations of Abuse: The Defense’s Shocking Claims

Though the Menéndez brothers admitted to killing their parents, their defense hinged on claims of years of physical and sexual abuse at the hands of their father, José. These allegations became the cornerstone of their argument, suggesting the murders were acts of desperation rather than greed. However, these claims were excluded from the second trial, contributing to the brothers’ conviction.

Decades later, new evidence surfaced. A letter Erik wrote to his cousin Andy Cano, eight months before the murders, mentioned the abuse, reinforcing the defense's longstanding claims. "It’s still happening...I’m afraid," Erik wrote, referring to his father's alleged abuse. This letter, uncovered by investigative journalist Robert Rand, was never introduced as evidence during the trial.

In a recent documentary, Menéndez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed, former boy band member Roy Rosselló accused José Menéndez of sexual assault, further fueling speculation about the abusive environment the brothers endured.

The Brothers’ Fate

Lyle and Erik Menéndez are currently serving life sentences without parole. However, with new evidence coming to light, their legal team holds out hope for a retrial. Attorney Cliff Gardner asserts that the new evidence corroborates the brothers' abuse claims and could reduce their culpability, arguing for a lesser charge of manslaughter instead of first-degree murder.

Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menéndez Story is now available for streaming on Netflix.