True crime docs are quite notorious at this point, and we predict that upcoming addition, Netflix’s Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, will be no exception.

From creators Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan, who brought us the first shocking Monsters series centred around Jeffrey Dahmer, this instalment will explore the story of Lyle and Erik Menendez, who were sent to prison in the 1980s for shooting their parents. But is there more to the story?

Here’s everything we know so far about Netflix’s Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story – including the true events that inspired the series.

What is Netflix’s Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story about?

Netflix’s plot synopsis for the TV series reads as follows: “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story follows Lyle and Erik Menendez, two brothers who fatally shot their parents in their Beverly Hills home in 1989.

“During their trials, the brothers cited years of abuse as the reason for murdering their parents. However, prosecutors argued that their motive was to get their hands on the family fortune.”

Is Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story a true story?

Yes it is – Lyle and Erik Menendez gained notoriety in 1989 after becoming suspects for the murder of both of their parents.

In court, they cited sexual, physical and emotional abuse as reasoning behind their actions, however it was argued that they actually committed the crimes they did to gain family money.

Both brothers were convicted of first-degree murder and life in prison, with no possibility of parole. The series will explore the events that surrounded the murders.

New evidence that corroborates claims of abuse has recently surfaced, which might change the fate of the two brothers. Lyle stated in court that he was sexually abused by his father at six years old. Erik reported that the abuse never ended for him, and confided in his brother just days before the crime was committed. The brothers said that they believed their parents would kill them to protect the secret of the abuse coming out. Family members and friends also described incidents of emotional and physical abuse in court.