The shocking 1989 murder of Jose and Kitty Menendez by their sons in their Beverly Hills home laid bare the complex and troubled dynamics of a wealthy family. The subsequent trial of the Menendez brothers and the media frenzy around it probed the intersection of family, privilege and the justice system.
The case has since become a cultural touchstone, sparking a tabloid sensation that has garnered a reputation as one of the most infamous trials in American true crime history. Over the years, the story of the Menendez brothers has inspired several true-crime treatments, including movies, TV shows, podcasts and documentaries.
In 2024 alone, three notable TV productions explored the case: Fox Nation’s Menendez Brothers: Victims or Villains (25 March), Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan’s Netflix series Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story (19 September) and Alejandro Hartmann’s documentary The Menendez Brothers (7 October).
Even the 2017 series Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders, starring Edie Falco, received much critical acclaim.
This indicates that even after 35 years, the case continues to fascinate and tick with the audiences. True crime enthusiasts are drawn to the case’s toxic mix of murder, money and media madness. Yet, their story transcends sensationalism, offering a complex exploration of motivations, courtroom drama and lasting impact.
So, given its cultural significance, here are the best series, films and documentaries ever made on the Menendez brothers that highlight this high-profile crime — including a few in which Erik and Lyle were themselves featured.
Chilling shows and documentaries about the Menendez brothers
Jump To / Table of Contents
- Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story
- Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders (2017)
- Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed (2023)
- The Menendez Murders: Erik Tells All (2017)
- The Menendez Brothers (2024)
- Menendez Brothers: Victims or Villains (2024)
- Truth and Lies: The Menendez Brothers – American Sons, American Murders (2017)
- Suburban Nightmare: The Menendez Brothers (2022)
- Menendez: A Killing in Beverly Hills (1994)
Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story
Creators: Ryan Murphy, Ian Brennan
Cast: Javier Bardem, Chloë Sevigny, Cooper Koch, Nicholas Alexander, Chavez, Ari Graynor and Nathan Lane
IMDb rating: 7.8/10
About the show: Even if you haven’t heard about or seen any other show or documentary on the Menendez brothers, you probably know about Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story. After all, the second season of Ryan Murphy’s anthology series is currently one of the most talked-about shows of 2024. Depicting the events that led up to the infamous crime and its aftermath, the show has already sparked controversy regarding its portrayal and accuracy.
(Image credits: IMDb/Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story)
Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders (2017)
Creator: Rene Balcer
Cast: Edie Falco, Miles Gaston Villanueva, Gus Halper, Chris Bauer, Sam Jaeger
IMDb rating: 7.4/10
About the show: The show serves as a spin-off of the original Law & Order (1990) series. It explores the key figures involved, the criminal acts, and the sensational media coverage surrounding the case, providing an in-depth look at the daily challenges faced during the trial while revealing the startling realities that unfolded off-camera. While the Netflix documentary Monsters provided a closer portrayal of Lyle and Erik’s affluent lifestyles, this series emphasises the legal proceedings, featuring Edie Falco in the role of the brothers’ attorney. Falco’s performance was widely appreciated, and she received critical acclaim and a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie.
Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed (2023)
Creator: Esther Reyes
Cast: Roy Rosselló, Robert Rand, Cliff Gardner, Erik Menendez, Lyle Menendez, Bolivar Arellano
IMDb rating: 7.4/10
About the show: The Peacock docuseries delves into the relationship between the Menendez brothers and Roy Rosselló, a member of the Menudo band, both of whom have accused Jose of sexual abuse. In the series, Rosselló claims that he was drugged and raped as a teenager by Jose, who was then the president of RCA Records, and on a separate occasion by the band’s manager, Edgardo Diaz. The docuseries suggests that Díaz may have offered Rosselló to Jose as a way to facilitate an agreement. This series debuted one month before Erik and Lyle submitted their habeas petition, and the brothers are currently leveraging Rosselló’s allegations against their father to overturn their case.
The Menendez Murders: Erik Tells All (2017)
Directors: Eamon Harrington and Nancy Saslow
Cast: Erik Menendez, Tammi Menendez, Christopher Darden
IMDb rating: 7.4/10
About the show: A&E Networks released a true-crime documentary in 2017 that took a fresh approach by featuring Erik Menendez sharing his story directly. Through phone interviews, he opened up about the abuse he faced as a child, revealing it as his family’s hidden truth and explaining how it led him and his brother to kill their parents. “You may think you know my story — but you couldn’t possibly because I’m telling my story to you now for the first time,” he states in the documentary. When the docuseries debuted, Erik mentioned that this was the most detailed interview he had done since his murder conviction.
The Menendez Brothers (2024)
Creator: Alejandro Hartmann
Cast: Alan Abrahamson, Leslie Abramson, Pamela Bozanich, Ann Burgess, Fidel Castro
IMDb rating: 7.3/10
About the show: Following the massive success of Monsters on Netflix, the streamer revealed that The Menendez Documentary would follow next, featuring the first joint interviews with Erik and Lyle Menendez in decades. Premiering on 7 October, this two-hour documentary presents the brothers’ perspectives as they reflect on the trial that stunned the nation through comprehensive phone interviews. The documentary provides fresh insight and a new perspective on a case that people think they know.
Menendez Brothers: Victims or Villains (2024)
Director: Nicole Rittenmeyer
Cast: Pamela Bozanich, Hazel Thornton, Joshua Ritter, Rosie O’Donnell, Robert J. Thompson
IMDb rating: 7.3/10
About the show: This Fox miniseries is lauded for its balanced presentation, offering insights, perspectives, and evidence from both sides of the argument. For those who maintain that the Menendez brothers are innocent, this documentary will reinforce that viewpoint. Conversely, if one is sceptical of their defence, it will provide support for that stance as well. While the Menendez brothers confessed to the murders of their parents prior to the trial, the key question remains whether they warranted a conviction for first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder, or if a lesser charge would have been more appropriate. The series includes interviews with experts and individuals connected to the family, enabling viewers to arrive at their own conclusions regarding the events surrounding the infamous case.
Truth and Lies: The Menendez Brothers – American Sons, American Murders (2017)
Creator: ABC News
Cast: Andy Martinez Jr.
IMDb rating: 7.0/10
About the show: The ABC News special Truth and Lies: The Menendez Brothers delves into the possible reasons — greed for money or a violent payback for the abuse — behind the brothers’ actions. Over 120 minutes, you’ll hear from friends and family as well as detectives, lawyers and jurors involved in the infamous case who share their insights on the case. Interestingly, Investigation Discovery rebranded the title as Blood Ties: The Menendez Brothers when they aired it on 10 June 2017.
Suburban Nightmare: The Menendez Brothers (2022)
Creator: Victoria Duley
Cast: Felicia Andes, Mark Bauman, Christopher Caulpetzer, Chad Coulter, Brody Owen, Michael Scott Thomas
IMDb rating: 6.3/10
About the show: The streaming platform Tubi launched three instalments of this documentary film series. The second instalment dives into the Menendez brother’s case, examining it through the lens of their alleged abuse. It begins with the 911 call made by Lyle Menendez in 1989 in which he reports the violent murder of his parents. However, the narrative shifts to highlight the sexual abuse by their father, Jose Menendez, of his sons. The documentary investigates the Menendez brothers’ claim of self-defence in relation to the murders, featuring dramatisations of Jose’s menacing behaviour towards his sons in their bedrooms, as well as the violent killings of their parents in their Beverly Hills home.
Menendez: A Killing in Beverly Hills (1994)
Creator: Larry Elikann
Cast: Edward James Olmos, Beverly D’Angelo, Damian Chapa, Travis Fine
IMDb rating: 6.3/10
About the show: The CBS TV movie was not just an early look into the Menendez brothers and the gruesome murder of their parents, but it was also one of the first TV films to tackle a notorious case that faced a mistrial that same year. Two years after the movie’s release, on 2 July 1996, both brothers were sentenced to life in prison without the chance of parole.
(Hero and Featured image: Courtesy of Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story/IMDb)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Lyle and Erik Menendez were given life sentences without the possibility of parole in 1996.
The Menendez brothers were convicted of brutally murdering their wealthy parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, in 1989. Lyle was 21 and Erik was just 18 when they committed the crime.
The new evidence presented in a petition includes a letter written by Erik Menendez that his attorneys say corroborates the allegations of being sexually abused by his father.
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Kratagya Rathore could possibly be your passport into the world of style, grooming, skincare, and mindful living. Fashion is as imperative to him as his daily 10,000 steps count. He is a raconteur, almost living his life in a musical; A social firefly who is also fluent in silence. A journalism grad, Kratagya has previously worked for Times Internet and The Times of India.
