Erik and Lyle Menendez VINCE BUCCI/AFP via Getty Images
Ryan Murphy‘s Monsters elicited a divided response about how Erik Menéndez and Lyle Menéndez‘s murder trial was portrayed in the Netflix series — but it isn’t the only show that covers the controversial case.
After their parents, José and Kitty Menéndez, were murdered in 1989, Erik and Lyle became the prime suspects. They were arrested in 1990 on two counts of first-degree murder each. What came next was two high-profile trials that had everyone weighing in on what caused Erik and Lyle to kill their mother and father. The siblings, for their part, accused José and Kitty of physical, emotional and sexual abuse.
Their first trial began in 1993 where the brothers were tried separately. The case ended in a mistrial after the jury was unable to reach a unanimous decision. A retrial began in 1995 but the prosecution successfully objected to most of the evidence surrounding the abuse which meant Erik and Lyle — who were now being tried together — needed to present a new defense.
Lyle refused to take the stand during the second trial to prevent cross examination following the release of The Private Diary of Lyle Menendez: In His Own Words! The Menendez brothers were ultimately found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to life without parole in 1996. They continue to appeal the decision and were granted a new hearing for their case in October 2024 after the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office cited new evidence indicating that their father allegedly molested them. The Los Angeles District Attorney’s office recommended later that month that Erik and Lyle’s sentence be reduced.
Netflix’s Monsters series is facing backlash for how it depicted Lyle Menéndez and Erik Menéndez — specifically inaccurate details about the events leading up to their murder case. The limited series, which was released on September 19, centered around Lyle (Nicholas Alexander Chavez) and Erik (Cooper Koch), who were convicted for the 1989 murder of […]
Their case received renewed support in September 2024 after becoming the focus of Murphy’s Monsters series. Nicholas Alexander Chavez brought Lyle to life while Erik was played by Cooper Koch. José and Kitty, meanwhile, were portrayed by Javier Bardem and Chloë Sevigny, respectively.
Monsters came under fire for several scenes alluding to an incestuous relationship between Lyle and Erik. The younger Menéndez brother publicly addressed the series when he slammed it one day after it was released.
“I believed we had moved beyond the lies and ruinous character portrayals of Lyle, creating a caricature of Lyle rooted in horrible and blatant likes rampant in the show,” read a statement from Erik that was shared via Lyle’s Facebook page. “I can only believe they were done so on purpose. It is with a heavy heart that I say, I believe Ryan Murphy cannot be this naive and inaccurate about the facts of our lives so as to do this without bad intent.”
In response, Murphy urged the Menéndez brothers to watch the show before forming an opinion.
“I think it’s interesting that he’s issued a statement without having seen the show. It’s really, really hard — if it’s your life — to see your life up on screen,” he shared with Entertainment Tonight in September 2024. “If you watch the show, I would say 60 to 65 percent [of the content centers] around the abuse and what they claim happened to them. And we do it very carefully and we give them their day in court and they talk openly about it.”
Viewers have ended up split on whether they support how Monsters portrayed Erik and Lyle — but it isn’t the only project about the case. Keep scrolling for a guide to several other TV shows and documentary specials that highlight the Menéndez case:
‘Truth and Lies: The Menendez Brothers’ (Apple TV+)
ABC released a special in 2017 which examined the evidence that potentially pointed to what caused Erik and Lyle to kill their parents. Friends and family of the Menéndez brothers were interviewed for Truth and Lies: The Menéndez Brothers more than a decade after their sentencing.
‘The Menendez Murders: Erik Tells All’ (Prime Video)
While Erik has appeared in the public eye less after starting to serve out his time, he spoke with A&E for a five-part documentary. The conversations over several phone calls offered Erik’s perspective on the murders and the aftermath.
The Menendez Murders: Erik Tells All special showed never-before-seen photos and new interviews with prosecutors, law enforcement, loved ones and medical experts about the case. Erik said the information he gave to the docuseries was the most comprehensive public conversation that he has had since the crime made headlines.
Ramey Photo/Mega Agency; Miles Crist/Netflix Ryan Murphy‘s Monsters received backlash for a multitude of inaccuracies about Lyle Menéndez and Erik Menéndez‘s murder case — but what did the show actually get right? Season 2 of the hit Netflix series, which was released on September 19, featured a star-studded cast including Nicholas Chavez, Cooper Koch, Javier […]
‘Law & Order: True Crime — The Menéndez Murders’ (Apple TV+ or Prime Video)
The eight-part special was a spinoff of the Law & Order franchise, which depicted the murder, investigation, arrest and trials of the Menéndez brothers. Law & Order: True Crime – The Menéndez Murders cast Miles Gaston Villanueva to play Lyle, while Gus Halper was brought on to bring Erik to life. Edie Falco earned an Emmy nomination for her portrayal of defense attorney Leslie Abramso.
When the special premiered in 2017, Lyle’s family and friends showed their support. Lyle later spoke to Megyn Kelly and called Law & Order: True Crime — The Menéndez Murders “surprisingly accurate” even though he didn’t consult on the show.
‘Menendez: Monsters or Misjudged?’ (Max and Discovery+)
In 2022, Menendez: Monsters or Misjudged? was released as an examination of the support the Menéndez brothers have gotten in the years since the murder. Eric Philips was cast to reenact certain scenes in the film as Erik.
Erik and Lyle Menéndez‘s murder case was thrust back into the spotlight with Ryan Murphy‘s Monsters — and now there is a chance their life without parole sentences could be reduced. The Menéndez brothers’ parents, José and Kitty Menéndez, were found dead at their Beverly Hills home in 1989. After Lyle called the police, they […]
‘Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed’ (Peacock)
Erik and Lyle Menendez Ted Soqui/Sygma via Getty Images
The 2023 Peacock docuseries offered a platform for former Menudo member Roy Rosselló to address his past with Erik and Lyle’s father, José. Rosselló alleged he was drugged and raped when he was a teen by José. The accusations from the singer were included in a petition filed with Los Angeles County Superior Court in an effort to overturn their case.
The court documents requested a retrial while citing new evidence in the case such as Rosselló’s allegations against José and a newly discovered letter Erik wrote to his cousin Andy Cano describing his father’s alleged sexual abuse months before the murders.
‘The Menendez Brothers’ (Netflix)
Less than one week after Monsters was released, Netflix announced that Lyle and Erik were interviewed for The Menéndez Brothers documentary. The special, which is set to be released in October 2024, includes footage from conversations with juror Betty Oldfield, Kitty’s sister Joan Vander Molen and prosecutor Pamela Bozanich.