Fact Check: Did the Menendez Brothers Receive Payment for Netflix’s Monsters? An In-Depth Explanation

Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story premiered on Netflix on September 19, 2024, delivering a gripping nine-episode dramatization of the infamous case involving the Menendez brothers. This crime drama retells the harrowing true story and the controversial trial of Lyle and Erik, who were convicted of murdering their parents in 1989.

For fans intrigued by this crime thriller, you may wonder whether Netflix has compensated the real Menendez brothers for a second season of Monsters. The answer is no; there are no disclosed records of a transaction between the Menendez Brothers and Netflix.

According to Variety, the second season of Monsters became a massive success on Netflix, accumulating an impressive 2.7 billion watch minutes within its first week of release.

The Menendez Brothers and Their Inheritance

On July 2, 1996, the Menendez brothers were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder of their parents, Jose Menendez and Mary Louise Menendez, on August 20, 1989, at their Beverly Hills home.

When arrested, the brothers claimed they killed their parents in self-defense, alleging that their father—a prominent businessman—sexually and physically abused them. They asserted that their mother was aware of the abuse but did not intervene.

However, the prosecution found the brothers’ testimony unconvincing, believing that Lyle and Erik murdered their parents for financial gain.

A report by Lawyer Monthly highlighted that, following the murders, the brothers squandered their inheritance on lavish items such as expensive cars and luxury watches, totaling $700,000 before their 1990 arrest.

The report also stated that Erik and Lyle stood to inherit between $14 and $15 million. However, after blowing through over $10 million on legal fees, taxes, and other expenses, they ended up with only $2 million each. They sold their Beverly Hills home in 1991 to settle most of their debts.

Subsequently, the brothers lost a significant portion of their inheritance and are currently incarcerated at the San Diego Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility, serving life sentences.

Erik and Lyle Menendez’s Remarks on Monsters Season 2

Following the premiere of Monsters Season 2 and its rise in popularity, Erik and Lyle Menendez publicly criticized the show, describing it as a “dishonest portrayal.”Through his wife, Tammi Menendez’s social media channels, Erik expressed his discontent, stating:

“….It is with a heavy heart that I say, I believe Ryan Murphy cannot be this naive and inaccurate about the facts of our lives so as to do this without bad intent…..It is sad for me to know that Netflix’s dishonest portrayal of the tragedies surrounding our crime have taken the painful truths several steps backward….”

Erik continued:

“…Those awful lies have been disrupted and exposed by countless brave victims over the last two decades who have broken through their personal shame and bravely spoken out. So now Murphy shapes his horrible narrative through vile and appalling character portrayals of Lyle and of me and disheartening slander…Is the truth not enough?”

Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story is now streaming on Netflix.

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