‘Monsters’ Season 2: Who Are the Menendez Brothers?

The true crime drama series ‘Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story’ premieres on Netflix on 19th September. This marks the second season of the popular anthology series, which began with ‘Dahmer: Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story’. Created by Ryan Murphy, the new season will release all nine episodes simultaneously, allowing viewers to binge-watch the entire series or enjoy it at their own pace.

The first season of ‘Dahmer’ quickly became one of Netflix's most-watched English-language series, leading to its expansion into an anthology format. In November 2022, Netflix announced that the focus of the second season would shift to the Menendez brothers, known for the gruesome 1989 murders of their parents in Beverly Hills.

Image Courtesy: Netflix

‘Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story’ will dramatize the shocking events surrounding the murders of Jose and Kitty Menendez. The nine-episode series will cover the murders, the police investigation, and the subsequent trial. On the night of 20th August, 1989, Lyle, 21, and Erik, 18, entered their parents' home carrying shotguns. Jose was shot six times, including a fatal shot to the head, while Kitty was shot ten times. Initially thought to be a mob hit, the case took a turn when the brothers reported the crime, claiming they had discovered their parents dead after briefly visiting their home.

The investigation revealed that Lyle and Erik had spent approximately $700,000 of their inheritance within six months of the murders. This spending led authorities to suspect they had killed their parents for their wealth. After their arrests, Lyle and Erik's trials, which began in 1993, were delayed due to debates over the admissibility of their taped confessions.

Image Courtesy: Netflix

The trials were broadcast on Court TV, known for its future coverage of the O.J. Simpson trial. The prosecution argued that the brothers were motivated by greed, while the defence claimed they acted in self-defence after enduring severe abuse from their father. The initial trials ended in hung juries, leading to a retrial in 1995. This time, cameras were banned from the courtroom, and the judge rejected the defence's self-defence argument. In March 1996, Lyle and Erik were convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Currently, Lyle and Erik Menendez are serving their life sentences at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego. Although initially separated, they were reunited in 2018. Lyle, now 56, was previously married to Anna Eriksson, while Erik, 53, married his pen pal Tammi Saccoman in 1999. Both brothers continue to seek release after more than three decades behind bars.

–Farheen Ali