Well, y’all, Ryan Murphy has done it again. Except this time his very scary scripted show of the season focuses on real-life “Monsters,” Lyle and Erik Menendez, which has the world taking a second look at the major ’80s case. The Menendez brothers made history in 1989 when they murdered their parents, Jose and Mary Louise, in cold blood. The Beverly Hills homicides triggered an international panic about spoiled children killing their parents, but the complicated case (which first led to a mistrial before ultimately leading to a double conviction) showed there was more to the story than the media first exposed. Despite the brothers’ spending of their parents’ money after their deaths raising initial alarm bells and ultimately becoming the prosecution’s primary motive for the murders, Lyle and Erik claimed they suffered long-term sexual abuse at their father’s hand. They also said their mother, whose nickname was Kitty, allowed the abuse to happen. This led to two hung juries and two hard-fought convictions of first-degree murder by the end of the second trial. So where are the Menendez brothers now after being sentenced to life in prison with a chance of parole? Find out the case update below.
Where are the Menendez Brothers, Lyle and Erik, today?
Lyle and Erik are both currently serving life sentences in two separate prisons. Erik is in Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego while Lyle is Mule Creek State Prison in Ione, CA . New evidence found by their lawyer, Cliff Gardner, in 2023 has allowed their defense to recently file a habeaus corpus petition. The key failure of their defense in the original trials was being unable to prove the brothers’ claims of physical and sexual abuse. A letter written to Menendez cousin Andy Cano recently discovered in 2023 details Erik’s fear of continued abuse. Erik wrote how he worried “every night” his “crazy” father “might come in.” The letter also states Erik was warned “a hundred times” by José not to tell “anyone, especially Lyle.” The letter was written eight months before the Menendez parents were killed. Cano did previously testify on behalf of his cousins, but his testimony was weakened by the prosecutions assertion he was altering the truth to help them out.
Is the Netflix show about the Menendez brothers a true story?
Yes, Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan’s anthology series “Monsters” is based on historically accurate events. From first trailer, it’s apparent that Monsters season 2 puts a stylized focus on Erik and Lyle’s bond and love for the high life. Yet the second trailer highlights José’s (played by Javier Bardem) alleged abusive rule over his sons, while Kitty Mendendez (played by Chloe Sevigny) says she “hates” her “parasitic” children who stopped her from becoming a “movie star like Kim Novak.” This fictionalized version of Kitty drinks excessively and says she won’t tell anyone what her husband has “going on” with the boys, referring to the sexual abuse.
When does Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez story come out?
Season 2 drops in full on September 19, according to Netflix.
