Inside the harrowing true story of Netflix's Monster: Dahmer spin-off based on Menendez murders case
As we gear up for the release of the latest instalment of the Netflix series Monster, we're taking a look at the true story of Lyle and Erik Menendez and the murder of their parents
Netflix's gripping true-crime drama, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, is set to hit our screens in just a few weeks.
The latest instalment in the Monster anthology series, created by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan, delves into the infamous 1989 murders of Jose and Kitty Menendez. The shocking twist?
Their killers were their own sons, Lyle and Erik Menendez.
But what led to that fateful night over 35 years ago, and how did the brothers end up in handcuffs?
Rewinding to the summer of 1976, a visit from the boys' cousin, Diane Vander Molen, would reveal a dark family secret. Lyle confessed to Diane that he was being sexually abused by his father, Jose, reports the Daily Star.
When Diane confronted Kitty with this information, she sided with her husband, dismissing their son's claims as lies.
Fast forward 13 years to the family's Beverly Hills mansion, where Jose and Kitty met their brutal end at the hands of their sons, then aged 21 and 18. Jose was shot six times with a 12-gauge shotgun, including a fatal blow to the back of his head, while Kitty was hit with ten bullets, one of which was a final, devastating shot to the face.
After the whirlwind of violence, the brothers remained in the house, awaiting the arrival of the police. When the authorities finally arrived, Lyle and Erik claimed their parents had been murdered while they were out watching Tim Burton's Batman at the cinema.
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The officers failed to conduct gunshot residue tests, which could have immediately resolved the situation.
In the following months, the Menendez boys lived a life of luxury; globetrotting, buying a restaurant in New Jersey, a Rolex watch and a Porsche Carrera. Erik, an avid tennis player, even hired a full-time coach to compete in tournaments.
It is reported that they splashed out around $700,000 during this time.
Meanwhile, criminal investigators began to suspect the duo as a clear financial motive started to emerge.
Erik's confession came during a routine therapy session with Jerome Oziel, who violated doctor-patient confidentiality by telling his mistress Judalon Smyth about the chilling tale. However, when their relationship ended, Judalon went to the police, leading to Lyle's arrest in March 1990.
Erik surrendered himself just three days later. In August of the same year, Judge James Albrecht ruled that recordings of conversations between Erik and Jerome were indeed admissible evidence. This decision was appealed, causing the trial to be delayed for two years.
The Supreme Court of California eventually ruled that only the tape in which Erik discussed the killings was valid, leading to the brothers being formally charged with murder by a Los Angeles County grand jury.
Their defence lawyer, Leslie Abrahamson, presented a case based on the brothers' claims that they had killed their parents out of fear for their own lives after enduring a lifetime of abuse. Their father, Jose, was portrayed as a paedophile, while their mother, Kitty, was depicted as a drug-addicted enabler.
Two family members, Andy Cano and Diane, testified in support of these characterisations.
The prosecution's theory that the murders of Jose and Kitty were motivated by financial gain was contested by the defence, who argued that the brothers were not even aware that they would receive a substantial inheritance.
Erik testified that several weeks before the tragic night in August '89, he had confided in Lyle about the sexual abuse they were suffering at home, leading to multiple confrontations with their alleged abusers. According to the brothers, their father threatened to kill them if they revealed the truth to anyone, with the final argument occurring just minutes before the shotguns were drawn.
Ultimately, Erik and Lyle were found guilty on two counts of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder, receiving life sentences without the possibility of parole. As of February 2018, they are incarcerated in Mule Creek State Prison's Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility.
In the Netflix dramatisation of the case, Oscar-winning Spanish actor Javier Bardem is set to play Jose; American Horror Story's Chloe Sevigny will portray Kitty; newcomers Nicholas Alexander Chavez and Cooper Koch have been cast as the murderers, and Hollywood comedian Nathan Lane will take on the role of investigative journalist Dominick Dunne.
Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story arrives September 19 on Netflix.