The second chapter of Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan's Monster anthology series, which premiered on Netflix on Thursday, September 19, dives into the infamous Menéndez brothers case that captivated America. Long before O.J. Simpson’s high-speed freeway chase became a media spectacle, Lyle and Erik Menéndez were at the center of a national frenzy. In August 1989, the brothers brutally murdered their parents, José (a successful music executive) and Kitty Menéndez.
Lyle and Erik shot their mother, Kitty, ten times and their father, José, six times. Afterward, they remained at the family home, calling 911 and claiming to have discovered the bodies after returning from a Batman movie. Initially, investigators believed the brothers' story—after all, it seemed inconceivable that two privileged young men, Lyle (21) and Erik (18), could commit such a horrific act.
However, as the investigation progressed, the brothers were eventually arrested. Following two trials, they were convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. The question remains: did Lyle and Erik kill for their parents' wealth, or were their actions a response to years of abuse? Netflix’s new series reexamines the case in detail.
Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menéndez Story follows the massive success of Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, which has amassed over a billion viewing hours. This second installment explores not only the crime itself but also the allegations of abuse that shaped the brothers' defense and the resulting verdict.
Javier Bardem and Chloë Sevigny lead the cast as José and Kitty Menéndez, with Nicholas Alexander Chavez playing Lyle and Cooper Koch as Erik. As the series launches, it’s worth revisiting the real-life horror that inspired Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menéndez Story.
The Menéndez Murders
José and Kitty Menéndez were shot multiple times at close range in the family room of their Beverly Hills mansion, according to CBS News. The weapons used were two 12-gauge shotguns. Lyle’s frantic 911 call shortly after the murders, in which he screamed, "Someone killed my parents," initially led police to believe the brothers’ claims of innocence.
However, the brothers' behavior in the months following the murders raised suspicions. Law enforcement noted their extravagant spending, which totaled around $700,000 in their parents’ money—equivalent to $1 million today. By October 1989, Lyle had already charged over $90,000 to José’s American Express card. The brothers bought Rolex watches, real estate, and invested in businesses, which added to investigators' growing doubts.
The real break in the case came when Judalon Smyth, the girlfriend of the brothers' therapist Jerome Oziel, tipped off authorities. Erik had confessed to Oziel, and the confession was recorded. In March 1990, Lyle and Erik Menéndez were charged with the murders. After spending three years in jail, their first trial in 1993 ended in a mistrial. A second trial in 1995 resulted in their conviction for first-degree murder.
Allegations of Abuse
While the brothers never denied committing the murders, they claimed their actions were driven by years of physical and sexual abuse by their father, José. This defense, however, was not admitted as evidence in their second trial, which led to their conviction. Decades later, a letter from Erik to his cousin Andy Cano, discovered by journalist Robert Rand, surfaced as potential proof of the abuse.
Written eight months before the murders, Erik’s letter detailed his fears about his father: "It's still happening, Andy, but it's worse now... I stay up every night thinking he might come in. He’s crazy! You just don’t know Dad like I do." Although this letter wasn’t included in either trial, it adds weight to the brothers’ longstanding abuse claims.
In 2023, the Peacock docuseries Menéndez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed explored another layer of abuse allegations. Roy Rosselló, a former member of the boy band Menudo, claimed José Menéndez had sexually assaulted him when he was a child, further complicating the narrative.
Where Are the Menéndez Brothers Now?
Lyle and Erik Menéndez are currently serving life sentences without the possibility of parole. However, the emergence of new evidence, like Erik’s letter, has fueled hopes for a retrial. According to attorney Cliff Gardner, this evidence corroborates the brothers’ abuse claims and could reduce their culpability, potentially reclassifying the crime as manslaughter rather than first-degree murder.
Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menéndez Story is now streaming on Netflix, offering a closer look at this notorious case.
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