Netflix's gripping true-crime drama, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, is set to hit our screens in just a few weeks. The latest instalment in the Monster anthology series, created by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan, delves into the infamous 1989 murders of Jose and Kitty Menendez. The shocking twist? Their killers were their own sons, Lyle and Erik Menendez.
But what led to that fateful night over 35 years ago, and how did the brothers end up in handcuffs? Rewinding to the summer of 1976, a visit from the boys' cousin, Diane Vander Molen, would reveal a dark family secret. Lyle confessed to Diane that he was being sexually abused by his father, Jose, reports the Daily Star . When Diane confronted Kitty with this information, she sided with her husband, dismissing their son's claims as lies.
Fast forward 13 years to the family's Beverly Hills mansion, where Jose and Kitty met their brutal end at the hands of their sons, then aged 21 and 18. Jose was shot six times with a 12-gauge shotgun, including a fatal blow to the back of his head, while Kitty was hit with ten bullets, one of which was a final, devastating shot to the face. After the whirlwind of violence, the brothers remained in the house, awaiting the arrival of the police.
When the authorities finally arrived, Lyle and Erik claimed their parents had been murdered while they were out watching Tim Burton's Batman at the cinema. Sky is giving away a free Netflix subscription with its TV bundles, including the lowes.