Menendez brothers murder case: The true crime behind controversial Netflix drama
It was the trial that shocked America, now 30 years later the real-life story of two brothers who killed their parents in their Beverly Hills mansion is hitting the headlines again.
Lyle and Erik Menendez were convicted of shooting their father and mother Jose and Kitty Menendez multiple times at close range on 20 August 1989. They were 21 and 18 at the time.
(L to R) Nicholas Chavez as Lyle Menendez, Chloë Sevigny as Kitty Menendez, Javier Bardem as Jose Menendez and Cooper Koch as Erik Menendez. Pic: Netflix
A Netflix dramatization of their story – which has drawn accusations of “dishonesty” from Erik Menendez – is currently number one in the streamer’s viewing chart.
The same platform will be putting out a documentary next month.
So, what was the Menendez brothers’ crime, and why are people so fascinated by it?
The crime, trial and punishment
On 20 August 1989 Lyle and Erik Menendez shot their parents, Jose and Mary Louise “Kitty” Menendez, multiple times at close range in the family mansion in Beverly Hills, California.
While the brothers initially told police they found them dead when they got home, they were eventually tried for their murder.
An initial attempt to try each brother individually in front of separate juries ended in a mistrial after both juries failed to reach a verdict.
A second trial saw the brothers tried together.
Erik Menendez (L) left and his brother Lyle (R) in front of their Beverly Hills home in November 1989. Pic: Getty
The defence claimed the brothers committed the murders in self-defence after many years of alleged physical, emotional and sexual abuse at the hands of their father, with no protection from their mother.
They said they had feared for their lives after they threatened to expose their father.
The prosecution argued the murders were motivated by greed, and they killed their parents to avoid disinheritance.
Evidence of alleged abuse from their defence case was largely excluded from the joint trial by the judge.
In 1996, seven years after the killings, a jury found the brothers guilty, and they were convicted of first-degree murder and conspiracy to murder.
They were sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
Erik and Lyle Menendez, now aged 53 and 56 respectively, are currently in prison in San Diego, California.
To this day, both brothers say their actions stemmed from abuse at the hands of their parents which they say they had suffered over many years.
The Netflix drama
Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story stars Oscar-winner Javier Bardem as Jose, Chloë Sevigny as Kitty, and Cooper Koch and Nicholas Alexander Chavez as the Menendez brothers.
Monsters: The Lyle And Erik Menendez Story. Pic: Netflix
It attempts to explore the crime from different perspectives – both from the brothers’ and parents’ point of view.
Many viewers have commented on the graphic and violent nature of the show, which is both gory and gruesome.
Viewers have also been critical of implications the brothers had an intimate relationship.
Bardem, who plays the father Jose Menendez, said he was able to separate art from his personal life when working on the show.
“I’m a true believer in the fiction, in the imagination, in the joy of playing something without being taken by it,” he said.
Cooper Koch, who plays Erik, said he used recordings from the real-life trial to inform his performance.
“I just read everything that I could. I watched the entire trial. I slept with that trial on. So, like, I went to sleep listening to Erik [Menendez] and Leslie [Hope Abramson – the lawyer who defended the brothers] on the stand.”
What does Erik Menendez say?
The day after the show came out on Netflix, one of the real-life brothers, Erik Menendez, criticised the show, calling it “dishonest” and “inaccurate”, and hitting out at what he called “blatant lies” that made up the characterisation of his older brother Lyle.
In a statement shared by Erik’s wife Tammi on X, he said: “I believed we had moved beyond the lies and ruinous character portrayals of Lyle, creating a caricature of Lyle rooted in horrible and blatant lies rampant in the show. I can only believe they were done so on purpose.”
He went on to accuse the show’s creator, Ryan Murphy, of “bad intent”, and said the show put back the cause of male sexual assault victims by many years.
He also asked: “Is the truth not enough?” and thanked people for their support.
How has Ryan Murphy responded?
Murphy, who made the first series of Monser about US serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, responded to the comments, saying Erik had not actually seen the show, and that it was his obligation as the show’s creator to portray both sides of the story.
(L-R) Javier Bardem with Ryan Murphy at the Monsters premiere in LA. Pic: AP
Murphy told Entertainment Tonight: “It’s really hard, if it’s your life, to see your life up on screen…
“There were four people involved, two people are dead, what about the parents? We had an obligation as storytellers to also try and put in their perspective based on our research, which we did.”
Murphy was also the showrunner behind Glee, Pose, The Watcher, Feud, American Horror Story, Hollywood and Ratched.
It’s not the first dramatization of the crime, which has previously been made into three TV movies and inspired an episode of US police procedural Law And Order.
The Netflix documentary
Hot on the heels of the Netflix drama, the streamer has a factual film on the way – but this one seems to have the approval of the Menendez brothers.
Directed by Argentinian filmmaker Alejandro Hartmann, the documentary The Menendez Brothers will stream on Netflix from 7 October.
The project promises to “offer new insight and a fresh perspective on a case that people only think they know”.
It will feature extensive audio interviews with Lyle and Erik Menendez, lawyers involved in the trial, journalists who covered it, jurors, family, and other informed observers.
A new development
In 2023 a documentary which aired on Peacock titled Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed featured claims from former Puerto Rican boyband member Roy Rossello, who claimed the brothers’ father sexually assaulted him when he was a teenager.
Jose was a former executive at RCA Records.
Joseph Lyle Menéndez and Erik Galen Menéndez. Pics: Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility
Shortly after that documentary premiered, attorneys for Lyle and Erik Menendez filed a petition asking for a new trial, in light of the new evidence.
The LA county’s district attorney’s office told Sky News’ US partner NBC News they are investigating the claims and will have a response by 26 September.
The brothers’ defence team also say they’ve uncovered a letter that Erik Menendez had written to his cousin that was dated months before the murders, where he talked about what he said was abuse from his father and being afraid of him.
The defence team say this should warrant a new trial because it’s information they didn’t have when the case was first presented to a jury.
Donald Trump has said a ceasefire in Gaza will begin “immediately” after Hamas agrees to a new US plan to end the war.
The US president said Israel had “agreed to the initial withdrawal line” and “when Hamas confirms”, the ceasefire will start, Israeli hostages will be released and a prisoner exchange will begin.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Mr Trump said it would “create the conditions for the next phase of withdrawal, which will bring us close to the end of this 3,000-year catastrophe”.
Pic: Reuters
It came as Hamas accused the Israeli government of lying about reducing its military operations, accusing it of continuing to “commit its horrific crimes and massacres” against Palestinians in Gaza, claiming 70 people had been killed by strikes since Saturday morning.
The group said it “exposes the false claims of the war criminal Netanyahu’s government regarding scaling back military operations against defenceless civilians”.
It comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he hopes to announce the release of all hostages from Gaza “in the coming days”.
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Hostage release could happen ‘in coming days’
Mr Netanyahu made the remarks as indirect talks with Hamas continue in Egypt on a new US plan to end the war.
Speaking after Hamas said it had accepted some elements of the plan, Mr Netanyahu said he had sent the delegation to Egypt “to finalise technical details”, adding that “our goal is to contain these negotiations to a timeframe of a few days”.
Donald Trump has welcomed Hamas’s statement, but on Saturday warned the group “must move quickly, or else all bets will be off”.
Read more:
Why Trump accepted the Hamas peace plan response
Sky News investigation reveals Israel’s support for Gaza militia
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Sky News witnesses Israeli offensive in Gaza City
Trump orders Israel to stop bombing Gaza
Earlier in the day, Israel’s army said the country’s leaders had instructed it to prepare for the first phase of the US plan to end the war in Gaza.
Israel has moved to a defensive-only position in Gaza and will not actively strike, one official said, adding that no forces have been removed from the territory.
It came hours after Mr Trump ordered Israel to stop bombing Gaza after Hamas said it accepted some elements of his plan.
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Are we at the ‘end game’ of the Gaza war?
What’s in the peace plan?
Mr Trump’s proposed plan to end the war has widespread international support and on Friday, Mr Netanyahu’s office said Israel was committed to bringing the conflict to an end.
Under the plan, Hamas would release the remaining 48 hostages, of which around 20 are believed to still be alive, within three days. It would also give up power in Gaza and disarm.
In return, Israel would end its offensive and withdraw from much of Gaza, as well as release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and allow an influx of humanitarian aid and eventual reconstruction.
Hamas has said it is willing to release the hostages and hand over power to other Palestinians, but argued other aspects of the plan require further consultations among Palestinians. Its statement did not address the issue of Hamas demilitarising, which is a key part of the deal.
Warning ‘extremists on both sides’ could sabotage peace plan
A group representing some families of hostages said the prospect of seeing their loved ones return “has never been closer” and they appealed to Mr Trump to keep pushing “with full force”.
They warned “extremists on both sides” would try to sabotage the plan.
The war began when Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostage.
Since then, at least 67,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza, according to the enclave’s Hamas-run health ministry, which does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its count, but says women and children make up around half of the dead.
US
Trump tells Israel ‘stop bombing Gaza’ – as Hamas agrees to release Israeli hostages, and to parts of peace deal
Donald Trump has said Hamas is ready for a “lasting peace” after the Palestinian militants agreed to release all remaining hostages, as he called on Israel to stop bombing Gaza.
The US leader was responding to a statement by Hamas on Friday in which the group committed to returning all remaining hostages in Gaza, dead and alive.
Hamas also said it wants to engage in negotiations to discuss further details of the president’s peace plan, including handing over “administration of the enclave to a Palestinian body of independent technocrats”.
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‘This is a very special day’
However, other aspects of the 20-point document, it warned, would require further consultation among Palestinians.
The Hamas statement came after Mr Trump warned he would unleash “all hell” if they did not respond to his peace plan, announced earlier this week, by Sunday.
Following the group’s response, the president said there was now a real chance of peace.
“I believe they are ready for a lasting PEACE,” Mr Trump posted on Truth Social. “Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza, so that we can get the Hostages out safely and quickly!
“Right now, it’s far too dangerous to do that. We are already in discussions on details to be worked out. This is not about Gaza alone, this is about long sought PEACE in the Middle East.”
In a video later posted on his social media platform, Mr Trump called it a “very special day” and said the end of the war was “very close”.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was prepared for the implementation of the “first stage” of Mr Trump’s plan, apparently in reference to the release of hostages.
Moshe Emilio Lavi, brother-in-law of Israeli hostage Omri Miran, told Sky News he “can’t wait” to see his family reunited.
“We’ve received necessary guarantees from President Trump and the wider international community and now we have to keep pressuring Hamas to ensure that they abide by the Trump framework, that they disarm and release all the hostages within the 72 hours the framework outlines.
“There should be no buts and no delays, there should be only a yes to President Trump’s vision to end the conflict and bring home all the remaining hostages.”
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Trump’s Sunday deadline threat
Starmer calls for ‘agreement without delay’
Sir Keir Starmer said Hamas’s partial acceptance of the peace plan was a “significant step forwards” and called for an “agreement without delay”.
The prime minister said Mr Trump’s efforts “have brought us closer to peace than ever before” and added: “There is now an opportunity to end the fighting, for the hostages to return home, and for humanitarian aid to reach those who so desperately need it.
“We call on all sides to implement the agreement without delay.”
He went on to say the UK was ready to support further negotiations and work “towards sustainable peace for Israelis and Palestinians alike”.
Read more:
If Hamas and Israel agree on a peace deal, it will be Trump’s success
Investigation reveals Israel’s support for Gaza militia
Praise and fury for Trump’s Gaza peace deal
French President Emmanuel Macron said “the release of all hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza are within reach”, while a spokesperson for UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres urged “all parties to seize the opportunity”.
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Hamas agrees to release hostages
The breakthrough came just hours after Mr Trump had set the Sunday deadline to respond to his proposals, backed by the Arab nations.
The US president and the Israeli prime minister unveiled the peace plan at the White House on Monday.
Israel agreed to the terms, which include an immediate ceasefire; the release of all hostages; Hamas disarming; a guarantee no one will be forced to leave Gaza and a governing “peace panel” including Sir Tony Blair.
And on Friday, a statement from Hamas confirmed “its approval to release all prisoners of the occupation – whether alive or the remains of the deceased – according to the exchange framework included in President Trump’s proposal”.
Israel estimates 48 hostages remain in Gaza, 20 of whom are alive.
Hamas official says group will not disarm ‘before Israeli occupation ends’
The group also said it was ready to engage in negotiations through mediators and it appreciated “Arab, Islamic and international efforts, as well as the efforts of US President Donald Trump”.
But, Hamas official Mousa Abu Marzouk told Al Jazeera news the group would not disarm “before the Israeli occupation ends”.
Hamas does not know where all hostages are
Sky News Middle East correspondent Adam Parsons said the “most important part” of the Hamas response was that it showed a willingness to do a deal.
“The peace plan could have died – Hamas could have rejected it – but it is still alive.”
He said there were still “huge obstacles” which would prevent outright acceptance though.
In spite of a pledge to release hostages, he said Hamas did not entirely know where all of them were – some were even being held by other groups.
Hamas’s support for a new government for Palestine was positive, he said, but the specification in the Hamas response that it should be purely Palestinian and not, as Mr Trump had proposed, a “panel” that included external representatives, would be problematic.
We are in the endgame. Nearly exactly two years since the Hamas attacks of 7 October 2023, it looks like we are on the brink of a breakthrough.
The diplomacy of the past 12 hours has been head-spinning and uniquely Trumpian. Assuming everything holds, this is Donald Trump‘s success. It is the consequence of his unorthodox style, his ability to call the shots and crucially his willingness to do so now.
The tragedy is that it could have happened many months ago. But that doesn’t make it any less significant a moment now.
Word came from Hamas late afternoon on Friday Washington time that the group had responded to Mr Trump’s 20-point plan for peace in Gaza, which he unveiled at the White House on Monday.
Donald Trump. Pic: Reuters
Within minutes, the US president had posted the Hamas response on his own social media. It was clear from the wording of the Hamas statement that it was by no means an unequivocal acceptance of the 20-point plan.
But then, via his press secretary, again on social media, a clear indication that the US president was reading the Hamas statement as an acceptance of his deal even though, in black and white, it falls short of that.
“President Trump responds to Hamas’ acceptance of his Peace Plan,” Karoline Leavitt wrote.
Hamas had basically said “yes, but” to Mr Trump’s 20-point plan, and yet intriguingly Mr Trump was choosing to take it as an acceptance of his plan.
Then, moments later, the president spelt it out, again on social media, and with game-changing demands – not for Hamas, but for Israel.
A remarkable statement
“Based on the Statement just issued by Hamas, I believe they are ready for a lasting PEACE. Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza, so that we can get the Hostages out safely and quickly! Right now, it’s far too dangerous to do that. We are already in discussions on details to be worked out. This is not about Gaza alone, this is about long sought PEACE in the Middle East.”
This was a remarkable statement and represents a huge moment. Neither Mr Trump, nor Joe Biden before him, has ever asked this of Israel before. The American president was telling Israel to stop; to stand its military down and to bring this war to an end. Extraordinary.
Read more:
Sky News investigation reveals Israel’s support for Gaza militia
Praise and fury for Trump’s Gaza peace deal
For the first time in this two-year war, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in a corner. President Trump has put him there.
Mr Trump and his team know that the Hamas response does not yet commit to disarmament and it does not yet agree to fully disband – both conditions of the 20-point plan. But Hamas does commit to releasing all the hostages now. And for Mr Trump, who wants this over, that’s enough.
The word from Israel overnight is that Mr Netanyahu did not expect the US president to take this position because he sees the Hamas response as a rejection of the 20-point plan.
On Monday, Mr Netanyahu said Mr Trump was the best friend Israel had ever had. But Mr Trump is not an ideologue. He is pragmatic, he is a deal-maker, he wants to further his Abraham Accords, he wants to be a winner, and he wants the Nobel Peace Prize.
He can also see where the chips are falling. His 20-point plan has unanimous support across Europe and among Muslim majority countries, which all seem to accept that Hamas as an organisation is over.
Israeli attack on Hamas in Qatar was pivot point
Public opinion is also a factor. The number of Americans with an unfavourable view of Israel and its Gaza policy has been steadily rising.
President Trump’s own view of Mr Netanyahu’s Israel has also evolved. The two men have never actually been close. And the Israeli attack on Hamas negotiators in Qatar last month really angered Mr Trump and his advisors. They saw it as a clear undermining of the Gaza negotiations. It was a pivot point for Mr Trump.
The diplomacy behind the scenes, through the Qatari government mediators and others, has been intense, particularly this past week. The challenge has been to persuade the military wing of Hamas, in Gaza, to get to the position outlined in their statement.
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Witkoff ‘hopeful’ on Gaza plan
Mr Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, told me on Monday: “I am hopeful, I really am. All the stakeholders in this want to see it happen and the president believes it is going to happen and he is dug in.”
I was sceptical. Maybe I was wrong to be. Still, there are huge immediate challenges in the hours and days ahead.
But the overnight news that the Israeli Defence Forces have shifted to defensive operations is a huge development.
There is a genuine momentum for peace right now. This could be the moment.
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