Menendez Brothers Case Rekindles Online: The Questions That Keep Resurfacing

Netflix Monsters: The Story of Lyle and Erik Menendez sinks into the unsettling the real crime the saga of the Menendez brothers, who were convicted of murdering their parents in 1989. In the latest chapter from frequent collaborators Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan, monsters revisits the story of two brothers accused of brutally murdering their parents, citing years of abuse from their father, José.

Nine episode series and the subsequent but separate documentary of October 7, The Menendez Brothers, took the platform by storm, breathing new life into a case that first captivated audiences in the late 80s – and still dominates CrimeTok. Conformable shellthe documentary alone attracted 22.7 million views, instantly becoming Netflix’s most-watched film worldwide, while Ryan Murphy’s drama it garnered over 52 million views in its first month.

The actual trial of the Menendez brothers might feel like ancient history, taking place as it were in the pre-internet era of 1993 to 1996, but these recent releases have sparked renewed interest in the case. This, along with new evidence, led the Los Angeles District Attorney to demand the life sentence of the brothers to be re-examined so that they can have a chance at parole.

So, if you’re intrigued by this notorious story, here’s everything you need to know about who the Menendez brothers are, what happened then, and where they are now.

Who are the Menendez brothers?

Lyle and Erik Menendez were born to José Menendez and Kitty Andersen, a strong, seemingly typical couple who met in college in Illinois before starting their family. The two moved to New York in 1963, where their first son, Lyle, was born in 1968. Erik followed two years later, arriving in 1970 after the family settled in New Jersey.

José’s ambitious career saw him rise through the ranks at Hertz, then RCA Records, eventually ending up as CEO of Live Entertainment. This promotion brought the family to Calabasas, California in the early 1980s. But by 1988, the Menendez family moved to Beverly Hills because the burla of burglaries in the brothers’ neighborhood — collecting about $100,000 in cash and jewelry.

During this time before the murders, the brothers claimed that they had she suffered physical and sexual abuse from Joséa “relentless perfectionist” and that their mother was an alcoholic who allowed the abuse. They claim it started when they were toddlers with their father, who turned his attention to Erik after Lyle turned six. An older cousin of the brothers, Diane Vander Molen, also supported their claims, telling ABC in 2017 that Lyle had told her about the abuse when she was 8 years old in 1976.

Murphy’s dramatization leans heavily into this aspect of the Menendez family story, painting an unflinching picture of the brothers’ alleged trauma. However, the show’s creative liberties sparked a backlash: Family members went public slammed the adaptation as “a crass, anachronistic, serial-phobic episodic nightmare”, accusing it of being a “grotesque shock drama”.

Erik also answered the show through his wife Tammi on X (formerly Twitter).

The Tweet may have been deleted

Murphy’s other series from Monster anthology, Jeffrey Dahmer Story, received similar complaints — especially from family members of Dahmer’s victims.

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The murder and trial of the Menendez brothers

On August 18, 1989, Lyle and Erik Menendez purchased two rifles from a local gun store. Two days later, on the night of August 20, they confronted their parents, José and Kitty, who were watching television. The brothers claimed a heated argument broke out, culminating in a violent confrontation. Lyle and Erik would later claim that they acted out of self-preservation, fearing that their father intended to kill them that night.

According to their accountsthe catalyst for the murders came weeks before, when Erik told Lyle about the years of alleged abuse he endured. This revelation led to several confrontations within the family, with José allegedly threatening to kill them if they dared to speak. This alleged fear for their lives became central to their defense, framing the murders as an act of desperation born of years of trauma and intimidation.

Immediately after the murders, Lyle and Erik Menendez say they waited for the police, convinced the noise of the gunshots would prompt a neighbor to call 911. When no one arrived, they took matters into their own hands, disposing of the clothes and guns before going to a festival at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium to establish an alibi.

When they returned home to find the house still undisturbed, Lyle called 911 himself, tearfully telling officers their parents had been killed and suggesting the murders might be mob-related. Remarkably, though not surprisingly, the responding officers failed to perform routine procedures such as testing the brothers for gunshot residue, allowing them to slip under suspicion — at least for a while.

In the months following the murders, as police followed up on clues to an alleged mob connection, Lyle and Erik Menendez threw themselves into their new multimillion-dollar inheritance with reckless abandon. They indulged in luxury apartments and luxury businesses and indulged in Rolex watches, designer clothes and fancy sports cars. Their lavish spending really put them in the public eye; the brothers were seen courtside at a New York Knicks game where they were inadvertently immortalized on a Mark Jackson trading card.

After spending up to $1 million in the months after the murdersthe police began to suspect Lyle and Erik Menendez of a financial motive. However, family members have maintained that their lavish spending is nothing new. Despite the new freedom from parents, Erik’s guilt led him to confess to his psychologist, Dr. Jerome Oziel. When Oziel’s mistress, Judalon Smithlearned of the confession and later broke up with him, she reported it to the police, resulting in the brothers’ arrest in 1990.

The first trial in 1993 captivated TV audiences as Lyle and Erik Menendez claimed they acted in self-defense, believing their lives were in danger after enduring years of abuse from their father. Their accounts were supported by family members, including cousin Andy Cano and aunt Joan Vander Molen. Although each brother was tried separately, both trials ended in hung juries, leaving the case unsolved.

In their 1996 retrial, a stricter judge limited testimony about the brothers’ abuse allegations. This time, the result was final: Lyle and Erik Menendez were convicted of two counts of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder, resulting in sentences of life without the possibility of parole.

Can Lyle and Erik Menendez get clemency?

Today, Lyle and Erik Menendez are serving life sentences, initially in separate prisons, though they were reunited in 2018. Both brothers are married and have filed multiple appeals over the years.

In 2023, they sought a new hearing after former Menudo member claimed Roy Rosselló that José Menendez had sexually assaulted him during his time at RCA Records. Rosselló detailed on today’s show, following the release of the Peacock documentary in 2017 Menendez + Menudo: Betrayed boysthat José drugged and assaulted him when he was 14 at the Menendez home in New Jersey.

With this new evidence, the brothers’ attorney argues that Lyle and Erik should have been convicted of first-degree manslaughter rather than murder — a charge that could have led to their release years ago.

In 2024, new evidence and renewed public interest from Netflix Monster series prompted Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón to review the Menendez brothers’ case. On October 24, Gascón recommended that Lyle and Erik be sentenced to 50 yearsnoting that because they committed the crime under the age of 26, they should have been eligible for parole under current rules.

If a judge accepts that recommendation, the brothers could be free for the first time in more than 25 years.