Unveiling the Secrets: The Conclusion of Lyle and Erik Menendez’s Tale

On August 20, 1989, entertainment executive José Menendez and his wife, Kitty, were discovered murdered in their home. In the months that followed, their sons, Lyle and Erik, were charged with the crime, sparking a lengthy investigation and a convoluted trial that turned the Menendez brothers into media sensations.
Ryan Murphy revisits the infamous crime saga in *Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story*, now streaming on Netflix. Nicholas Chavez takes on the role of Lyle, with Cooper Koch portraying Erik, while Javier Bardem steps in as their father, José Menendez. Chloë Sevigny plays the role of their mother, Kitty, and Nathan Lane appears as investigative journalist Dominick Dunne.

This new installment comes two years after the first season of the anthology, which delved into the Jeffrey Dahmer murders. Similar to the previous season, *Monsters* offers a fresh perspective on a case that captivated the nation.
For those who need a reminder, Lyle and Erik Menendez were tried twice for the murders of their parents, drawing widespread attention when the brothers alleged that José had abused them. The first trial ended in a mistrial, but the second resulted in both receiving life sentences without the possibility of parole.

If you're interested in diving deeper into their story, continue reading. We'll explore the chilling events that served as the inspiration for Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story.

The Fate of José and Kitty Menendez: What Really Happened?

Lyle and Erik Menendez shot their parents, José and Kitty, in their Beverly Hills home while they were watching TV. The exact timing of the event remains unclear, but Lyle called the police at 11:47 p.m., reporting the killings as though he had just discovered the scene. Earlier in the day, the brothers had purchased tickets to the Taste of L.A. festival, likely to provide themselves with an alibi. On the phone with authorities, Lyle cried out, “Someone shot my parents!”—all the while, he and Erik were responsible for the murders.
Netflix


When police arrived, they found José and Kitty with fatal gunshot wounds to their heads and kneecaps. At first, the brothers were not considered suspects, but as time passed, their behavior began to draw suspicion.
José and Kitty were laid to rest on August 25, 1989, at Princeton Cemetery in New Jersey. Kitty’s brother, Milton Andersen, attended the funeral and later expressed concern over his nephews’ behavior. In an interview with CBS’s *48 Hours*, Andersen recalled Lyle making an odd remark during the service. Lyle mentioned how his father used to tell him, “You can never fill my shoes,” then added, with a strange sense of humor, “Guess what? I’m wearing my father’s shoes today.”

This comment unsettled Andersen, but he chose to dismiss it at the time. Soon after, others began to notice the brothers’ extravagant spending. According to CBS News, Lyle and Erik started splurging on luxury items, like Rolex watches, and purchasing real estate with their parents’ fortune—seeming far from the grief-stricken sons they presented themselves to be.

How Were Erik and Lyle Caught?


Months after the murders, the police received an unexpected lead from Judalon Smyth, who was romantically involved with the brothers' therapist, Dr. L. Jerome Oziel. Smyth overheard Erik and Lyle confessing to the crime during a therapy session and informed authorities that she had a tape of the confession. This recording later became a crucial piece of evidence during their trial. According to The New York Times, the brothers were denied doctor-patient confidentiality because they had threatened Dr. Oziel to ensure his silence.
Lyle was arrested on March 8, 1990, outside his parents' home, while Erik was taken into custody two days later at Los Angeles International Airport, returning from a tennis tournament in Israel.

Why did Eric and Lyle kill their parents?

The children testified that they had been sexually abused. Lyle said the abuse began when he was six but ended when he was eight. However, Eric said the abuse did not end. He was eighteen when he finally trusted Lyle. Jose threatened to kill them if they told anyone, and soon the boys carefully planned their attack.

In 2017, Lyle advised people about his father’s abuse. “i was my father’s prized son,” he said. “at the equal time, I have been very brutalized by means of him, and retaining his secret was part of who i used to be. What I regret isn't always having our own family in some way get this secret out in advance, and perhaps it could were resolved without this tragedy and destruction.” That yr, A&E produced a docuseries referred to as The Menendez Murders: Erik Tells All, wherein Erik described the abuse. “He could have me massage him, and he might have me carry out oral intercourse on him,” he said. “He would graphically describe to me how he would kill me if I ran away.”
His and Lyle’s life appeared high-priced to outsiders—his own family become wealthy, and that they lived in a big house—however Erik insisted that things have been a long way less glamorous than people assumed. He instructed people, “in case you had pics of the activities of my formative years, they could be crime snap shots. i used to be loss of life long earlier than the night time I killed my dad and mom.”