Monsters Season 2: The Menendez Brothers May Have Never Been Caught if Not for a Friend Betraying Them

The crime genre has always been a huge attraction for viewers on Netflix. Whether it be Breaking Bad, Dahmer, or The Night Stalker, there is something on the platform for every enthusiast. Now adding to this is the second season of the true crime series Monster. Created by the talented Ryan Murphy, the series is titled Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story.

A still from Monsters season 2 trailer || Credits: Netflix

Further, it follows the story of how two brothers brutally murdered their parents. This incident happened all the way back in 1996. But the authorities would have never been able to catch the culprits if their friend had not betrayed them.

How a Friends’ Betrayal Led to the Menendez Brothers’ Arrest?

After meeting and marrying Mary Louise Anderson, José Menendez moved to New York in 1963. Afterward, their first child, Lyle Menendez, was born in 1968, followed by their second child, Erik, in 1970. Everything seemed normal on the outside, but during the summer of 1976, Lyle made a startling accusation against his father to his cousin, Diane Vander Molen.

A still from Monsters season 2 trailer || Credits: Netflix

He revealed that his father was s*xually abusing him, after which a concerned Diane informed Mary Louise about the same. But instead of listening to her son, she dismissed the claim and sided with José. By the late 1980s, José’s career had skyrocketed as he became a high-ranking executive. This led to the entire family relocating to Beverly Hills, and the boys’ changed schools.

However, in August 1989, a terrifying ordeal took place when both brothers, armed with shotguns, shot both of their parents. After the murder, they waited inside the house. When the police arrived, they already had an alibi in place and claimed to have been at the movie theater when the crime occurred.

Initially, both Erik and Lyle were off the police’s radar. But their lavish spending and lifestyle raised some eyebrows. In order to get a confession from Erik, the authorities had his friend, Craig Cignarelli, wear a wire while conversing with Erik. While Erik denied the accusations to Craig, he admitted the same to his therapist, Dr. Jerome Oziel.

He then revealed the same to his mistress, Judalon Smyth. After Jerome and Judalon had a messy breakup, she reported it to the police, leading to the brothers’ arrest.

Life Behind Bars: The Current Status of the Infamous Menendez Brothers

The entire world was left in utter shock when the headlines read what happened at the Menendez house in 1989. In an alarming turn of events, both José and Mary Louise were found dead with several gunshot wounds. If this was not enough, just a year later, their sons, Lyle and Erik, were arrested on the charge of their murder.

A still from Monsters season 2 trailer || Credits: Netflix

During their trial, the brothers detailed their motive for murdering their parents, which stemmed from the years of abuse they endured at the hands of their father. Further, they claimed that although their mother was well aware of what was happening, she didn’t do anything about it, leaving them no choice but to kill them. After this, their first trial ended without any verdict.

They had a second trial in 1995, but this time in front of a single jury. In this trial, they were convicted of murder in 1996 and were sentenced to consecutive life terms without the possibility of parole. In 2024, Lyle is 54 years old, and Erik is 53. During their sentencing, they were placed in separate high-security prisons.

But in 2018, given their good prison record, they were placed in the same unit at Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego County.

You can stream Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story on Netflix.