Erik Menéndez has expressed his displeasure with Netflix’s new series, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menéndez Story, which focuses on the lives of Erik and his brother Lyle, who were convicted of murdering their parents in 1989. In a statement posted on Lyle Menéndez’s Facebook page on Friday, September 20, Erik criticized Ryan Murphy, the show’s creator, for what he described as a false and damaging portrayal of their story.
“I believed we had moved beyond the lies and ruinous character portrayals of Lyle,” Erik wrote, referring to how the series portrays both him and his brother. He added that the depiction was rooted in “blatant lies” and expressed doubt that Murphy could have made such errors unintentionally.
Erik, now 53, and Lyle, 56, claim they were subjected to severe abuse by their parents, which they say led them to kill their parents in self-defense. Erik argues that the series undermines the painful realities of their childhood trauma, stating, “Netflix’s dishonest portrayal of the tragedies surrounding our crime have taken the painful truths several steps backward.”
He further criticized Murphy for reinforcing outdated stereotypes regarding male sexual abuse and trauma, which were central to the Menéndez brothers’ defense during their trial. “It is sad for me to know that Netflix… built a narrative on a belief system that males were not sexually abused, and that males experienced rape trauma differently than women,” Erik explained.
The series, starring Nicholas Alexander Chavez as Lyle and Cooper Koch as Erik, has come under scrutiny for how it depicts the brothers’ lives and their motivations behind the murder of their parents, José and Mary Louise “Kitty” Menéndez. Erik voiced his frustration, stating, “Is the truth not enough? Let the truth stand as the truth.”
The Menéndez brothers were arrested months after the murders, and their defense during the trial was based on claims of long-term abuse by their parents. Despite their defense, they were convicted of first-degree murder and conspiracy to murder, and both are currently serving life sentences without parole.
Erik concluded his statement by expressing gratitude to those who have supported him and Lyle during this challenging period. Representatives for Murphy and Netflix have not yet responded to the criticism.
