The Menendez brothers’ case dominates the Internet: Questions that continue to emerge

Netflix’s Monsters: The Story of Lyle and Erik Menendez you enter the true crime syndicate of the Mendez brothers, who were convicted of murdering their parents in 1989. In a recent chapter from regular contributors Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan, Monsters revisits the story of two brothers accused of brutally murdering their parents, citing years of abuse by their father, José.

Nine episode series and a subsequent but separate documentary by Oct. The Menendez Brothers, took the stage by storm, breathing new life into a case that first captivated audiences in the late ’80s — and still dominates CrimeTok. In accordance with Wrapping upthe documentary alone drew 22.7 million views, quickly becoming Netflix’s most-watched film worldwide, while the Ryan Murphy drama drew more than 52 million views in its first month.

The original case of the Menendez brothers may sound like ancient history, taking place in the pre-Internet era of 1993 to 1996, but this recent release has sparked renewed interest in the case. That, along with new evidence, has prompted the Los Angeles County District Attorney to ask for the brothers’ life sentences to be reconsidered for a chance at parole.

So, if you’re fascinated by this infamous story, here’s everything you need to know about who the Menendez brothers are, what happened then, and where they are now.

Who are the Mendez brothers?

Erik Menendez, left, and his brother Lyle, in front of their home in Beverly Hills.
Credit: Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Lyle and Erik Menendez were born to José Menendez and Kitty Andersen, a seemingly dynamic couple who met in college in Illinois before starting their family. They both moved to New York in 1963, where their first son, Lyle, was born in 1968. Erik followed two years later, arriving in 1970 after the family settled in New Jersey.

José’s distinguished career saw him rise through the ranks of Hertz, then RCA Records, eventually becoming CEO of Live Entertainment. This promotion brought the family to Calabasas, California, in the early ’80s. But in 1988, the Menendez family moved to Beverly Hills because of the brothers’ burglary spree in the area – swiping around $100,000 in cash and jewelry.

During this time before the murder, the brothers alleged that they were physically and sexually abused by José, “a person who does not want to be perfect,” and that their mother was an alcoholic who caused them to be abused. They suspect it started when they were young children with their father, who turned his attention to Erik after Lyle turned six. The brothers’ older cousin, Diane Vander Molen, also supported their allegations, telling ABC in 2017 that Lyle told her about the abuse when she was 8 years old, back in 1976.

Murphy’s acting leans heavily on this aspect of the Menendez family story, painting a consistent picture of the siblings’ alleged trauma. However, the show’s creative freedom caused a backlash: Family members publicly criticized the adaptation as a “nightmare, bad, storyless, sequel,” accusing it of being a “horrible horror drama.”

Erik also responded to the show through his wife Tammi on X (formerly Twitter).

The Tweet may have been deleted

Another series by Murphy on A monster anthology, Jeffrey Dahmer The storyreceived similar complaints – particularly from family members of Dahmer’s victims.

The murder and trial of the Mendez brothers

On August 18, 1989, Lyle and Erik Menendez bought two guns at a local gun store. Two days later, on the night of Aug. 20, faced their parents, José and Kitty, who were watching TV. The brothers say that there was a heated argument, which ended in violence. Lyle and Erik would later say they were defending themselves, fearing their father intended to kill them that night.

According to their reports, the cause of this murder came a few weeks ago when Erik confided in Lyle about the years of alleged abuse he endured. This revelation led to many quarrels in the family, José is suspected of killing them if they dare to speak. This alleged fear for their lives became the essence of their defense, naming the killing as an act of desperation born of years of trauma and intimidation.

Erik Menendez, left, and his brother Lyle, wearing prison uniforms, are brought into court. June 15, 1990.
Credit: Larry Davis / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Shortly after the murders, Lyle and Erik Menendez said they waited for the police, confident that the sound of gunshots would prompt a neighbor to call 911. When no one came, they took it upon themselves, threw away their clothes and the gun. guns before going to a party at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium to establish an alibi.

When they returned home and found the house intact, Lyle called 911 himself, crying and telling the police that their parents had been killed and suggested that the killings might be Mafia-related. Notably, though not surprisingly, the responding officers failed to perform routine procedures such as testing the brothers for gunshot residue, allowing them to slip under suspicion – temporarily, at least.

In the months following the murders, as police chased down the trail of a suspected mobster, Lyle and Erik Menendez walked into their new multimillion-dollar estate with reckless abandon. They indulged in luxury apartments and high-end businesses and indulged in Rolex watches, designer clothes, and luxury sports cars. Their spending a lot of money put them in the public eye; the brothers were seen courtside at a New York Knicks game, where they accidentally died with Mark Jackson’s trading card.

After spending up to $1 million in the months after the murders, police began to suspect Lyle and Erik Menendez of a financial motive. However, family members said their spending spree was nothing new. Despite the freedom they had just received from their parents, Erik’s case led him to confess to his psychiatrist, Dr. Jerome Oziel. When Oziel’s wife, Judalon Smyth, learned of the confession and later separated from him, she reported it to the police, which led to the brothers’ arrest in 1990.

The first trial in 1993 drew a TV audience as Lyle and Erik Menendez claimed to be defending themselves, believing their lives were in danger after enduring years of abuse by their father. Their accounts are supported by family members, including cousin Andy Cano and aunt Joan Vander Molen. Although each brother was tried separately, both cases ended in hung juries, leaving the case unsolved.

At their retrial in 1996, a tough judge allowed limited evidence about the brothers’ alleged abuse. This time, the outcome was certain: Lyle and Erik Menendez were convicted of two counts of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder, which resulted in them being sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Can Lyle and Erik Menendez be granted leniency?

Today, Lyle and Erik Menendez are serving life sentences, initially in separate prisons, although they were reunited in 2018. Both brothers are married and have filed many complaints over the years.

In 2023, they sought a new trial after former Menudo member Roy Rosselló alleged that José Menendez sexually assaulted him during his time at RCA Records. Rosselló details in Today Show, after the release of Peacock’s 2017 documentary Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayedthat José drugged and beat her when she was 14 at the Mendez home in New Jersey.

With this new evidence, the brothers’ attorney says Lyle and Erik should have been convicted of first degree murder rather than murder – a charge that could have led to their acquittal years ago.

In 2024, new evidence and renewed public interest from Netflix A monster series prompted Los Angeles DA George Gascón to review the Menendez brothers’ case. On Oct. 24, Gascón recommended that Lyle and Erik be sentenced to 50 years, noting that because they committed the crime under the age of 26, they should be eligible for parole under current guidelines.

If the judge accepts this suggestion, the brothers could go free for the first time in more than 25 years.