In 1989, Lyle and Erik Menendez brutally murdered their parents at their home in Beverly Hills. At the time, Lyle was 21 and Erik was 18. The brothers were arrested in 1990 for the killings of entertainment executive Jose Menendez and his wife, Mary Louise “Kitty” Menendez, as reported by the Los Angeles Times.
Initially, the investigation pointed to potential ties with organized crime. However, attention shifted to the brothers after they made extravagant purchases following their parents’ deaths. Prosecutors suggested greed was the motive, while the defense argued that the brothers had endured years of abuse.
The case has inspired a new Netflix series titled “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story,” which premieres on Thursday and is produced by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan.
The Netflix series features Javier Bardem as Jose Menendez and Chloe Sevigny as Mary Louise “Kitty” Menendez. Nicholas Chavez plays Lyle, and Cooper Koch portrays Erik.
The Menendez brothers were apprehended after authorities received a tip revealing that Erik had confessed to the murders during therapy sessions, which were recorded. Their lavish spending habits following the tragedies also raised suspicions.
Both brothers were convicted of first-degree murder and received life sentences on March 10, 1996, after being tried separately. They claimed that their father had sexually abused them since childhood, and that their mother had been complicit.
Currently, Lyle and Erik Menendez are serving their sentences at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility.