Monster Season 2, also known as Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, is on the horizon, as the Netflix series probes into the infamous case that brought the Menendez brothers to notoriety.
The initial season of Ryan Murphy’s true crime series, which spotlighted Jeffrey Dahmer, premiered in 2022 amid considerable controversy—some critics claimed it “romanticized” the life of the cannibalistic serial killer.
Nonetheless, it became a global phenomenon, leading to the renewal of Monster for not just one, but two additional seasons. Recently, it has been confirmed that the third season will focus on one of the darkest cases in United States history, that of Ed Gein.
Before we reach that point, Monster Season 2 will delve into the chilling saga of the Menendez brothers, who brutally murdered their parents, Jose and Mary Louise “Kitty,” in 1989. Disclaimer: this content may be distressing for some viewers.
Erik and Lyle Menendez are currently imprisoned together
Erik and Lyle Menendez were reunited in 2018
Erik and Lyle Menendez are both serving life sentences at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego County, California, and are currently 53 and 56 years old, respectively.
During their 1996 sentencing, the Menendez brothers expressed a desire to be housed together. However, authorities typically keep inmates who have committed grave crimes apart, adhering to this policy in their case.
Although they repeatedly requested to be housed together over the years, it wasn’t until February 2018 that their request was fulfilled. Lyle was transferred from California’s Mule Creek State Prison to their current facility, where Erik had been held since 2013.
Their love stories in prison
Erik and Tammi have maintained their marriage for decades
Both brothers have found love while incarcerated. Erik Menendez and his wife, Tammi, started as pen pals, meeting in 1997 and marrying at Folsom State Prison in 1999.
Lyle met his first wife, Anna Eriksson, during his widely publicized initial trial. After she reached out, they fell in love and married in 1996 during the brothers’ sentencing.
Anna Eriksson was Lyle’s first wife
However, their marriage ended in divorce in 2001 after Anna discovered Lyle’s infidelity with another pen pal. Subsequently, Lyle married Rebecca Sneed in 2003 at Mule Creek State Prison.
The couple remains together, and Rebecca has transitioned from a magazine editor to a defense attorney.
The fate of the Menendez mansion
The Menendez mansion has seen numerous owners over the years
The notorious Beverly Hills mansion where Erik and Lyle Menendez murdered their parents was sold for $17 million in March 2024, nearly 28 years after their conviction.
Many scenes in Monster Season 2 will take place within the seven-bedroom, 9,063-square-foot Elm Drive residence, as the Netflix series is set to dramatize the events leading up to the tragic murders.
According to Realtor.com, the Mediterranean-style villa, initially listed at almost $20 million, was sold by telecommunications executive Sam Delug, who acquired the property for $3.7 million in 2001. He placed it on the market following the renewed interest generated by Peacock’s true crime docu-series, Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed.
Although the buyer’s identity remains undisclosed, reports indicated the sale price was approximately 25% below market value—common for homes associated with violent crimes.
Lyle and Erik killed their parents, Jose and Kitty
Forensic appraiser Orell Anderson, president of Strategic Property Analytics, stated, “There exists a certain ‘bad voodoo’ associated with purchasing a home meant for family living, which can deter potential buyers.
“Typically, there is a discount, but sometimes buyers are not deterred by such histories.”
The Menendez mansion was originally constructed in 1927 and underwent renovations before being sold by real estate mogul Mark Slotkin in the 1980s, with Jose later purchasing it for $4 million.
Post-murder, the house lingered on the market until 1991 when it was sold for $3.6 million, far below its valuation of $4.8 million. Two years after that, it was reportedly bought by William Link, co-creator of Murder, She Wrote, who lived there for eight years.
Upon taking ownership, Delug renovated the interior while maintaining the mansion’s exterior appearance similar to how it was during the Menendez family’s residency. Today, certain tour buses still pass by to give visitors a glimpse of the infamous site.
Recent developments in their case
Erik and Lyle’s legal team is actively working to have their first-degree murder convictions overturned, contending they should have faced manslaughter charges due to alleged long-term abuse from their parents.
If their verdict had been manslaughter, they might have already been released from prison.
In a significant update from May 2023, the brothers’ attorney, Cliff Gardner, filed a habeas petition, which legally challenges the lawfulness of their detention.
In the CBS 48 Hours episode titled ‘The Menendez Brothers’ Fight for Freedom,’ Gardner sheds light on new evidence emerging from the petition that supports the brothers’ claims of abuse.
“I’ve been trying to avoid Dad,” one excerpt reveals. “It’s still happening, Andy, but it’s worse for me now… every night I stay up thinking he might come in… I’m afraid… he’s crazy. He’s warned me a hundred times about telling anyone, especially Lyle.”
Additionally, an affidavit from Roy Rossello, a former member of the boy band Menudo, has come to light, accusing then-RCA Records head, Jose, of rape during the 1980s.
This allegation is among numerous factors that keep the Menendez case in the public discourse. At trial, the defense argued the brothers were victims of severe sexual, physical, and psychological abuse.
They maintain that Jose had threatened to kill them to prevent Lyle from disclosing his past as a child molester. While some sympathized with this narrative, the prosecution claimed the brothers were motivated by greed, eager for their father’s multi-million dollar estate.
After separate trials resulted in mistrials, the prosecution ultimately secured a conviction. Erik and Lyle were sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for first-degree murder.
“The Menendez case has always been subject to intense scrutiny, and the recent push to overturn their convictions amid fresh abuse allegations adds another layer of complexity,” legal expert Khan noted.
“Legally, shifting their conviction from first-degree murder to manslaughter depends on successfully positioning the abuse claims as pivotal to understanding their state of mind and intent during the killings.”
Regardless of the legal landscape, Khan emphasizes the challenges of overturning a first-degree murder conviction, deeming it an “uphill battle” that requires “overwhelming new evidence” not previously available at the time of the original trial.
Only time will reveal if the Menendez brothers will succeed in their latest appeal.
Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story premieres on Netflix on September 19. For more true crime news, check out the most shocking moments in Into the Fire: The Lost Daughter, find out if Brenda Bowman was ever arrested, and learn how to watch the Huw Edwards documentary in the US.
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