Disclaimer: This article contains mentions of murder and sexual abuse. Reader discretion is advised.
Several documentaries, films, and shows have chronicled the Menendez Brothers’ case since they shot their parents, Jose and Kitty, in 1989. In one of the most sensational cases from the ’90s, Erik and Lyle Menendez are now fighting for a retrial. The brothers, who are serving life in prison, claim new evidence can prove their father, Jose Menendez, abused them as children, and their mother, Kitty, enabled the said abuse. A former Menudo band member has backed the abuse claims in a recent Peacock docuseries, Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed.
In recent years, many documentaries and films covering the Menendez Brothers’ crimes and subsequent trials have premiered. These include Menendez Brothers: Misjudged?, Menendez: Blood Brothers, Law & Order: The Menendez Brothers, and others.
Reportedly, Erik and Lyle have spent three decades behind bars and recently appealed their convictions. Their attorneys have argued that the jury should have convicted them of manslaughter instead of murder, which can result in a retrial for the Menendez Brothers.
Below is a curated list of Menendez Brothers documentaries, shows, and films that recount the notorious case.
Suburban Nightmare: The Menendez Brothers
Among other popular documentaries, Tubi’s Suburban Nightmare: The Menendez Brothers chronicles the captivating case. Erik and Lyle murdered their father Jose Menendez, and mother, Kitty Menendez, in 1989. It documents the trial that divided a nation as people tried to learn the brothers’ motive to shoot their parents, Jose and Kitty, execution-style.
Town & Country stated that Erik and Lyle Menendez murdered their parents in the living room of their Beverly Hills mansion. Jose and Kitty Menendez were watching TV when the shooting occurred. Afterward, the brothers left their house to secure alibis for themselves before returning to the crime scene and calling the police.
Similar to several other Menendez Brothers documentaries, this film also explores abuse allegations the brothers made during their subsequent separate trials. Their initial trials ended with deadlocked juries. Prosecutors retried both accused, which resulted in two separate convictions in 1996.
Menendez Brothers: Misjudged?
Menendez Brothers: Misjudged is one of the recent documentaries that premiered on Investigation Discovery in 2022. In the documentary, director Andrea De Brito re-examines evidence, and the abuse claims Erik and Lyle Menendez made during their trials. It chronicles the subsequent highly debatable legal saga, which was dubbed the “celebrity murder trial.” It also features clips of the accused talking about the alleged abuse and offering a perspective contrary to what the media portrayed.
The prosecution had reportedly claimed that Erik and Lyle Menendez killed their parents for money. They cited the brothers’ spending after the murders, which ranged from buying Rolex watches to renting expensive condos. They also spent money on lavish travels and stays in luxurious hotels. However, in recent years, there has been significant doubt about whether their verdicts were too harsh. The documentary seemingly sheds light on different versions of the case.
ID’s documentary Menendez Brothers: Misjudged? is now streaming on Discovery+ and Amazon Prime Video.
Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed
Peacock’s Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed is a recent addition to the hit Menendez Brother documentaries and movies. The three-part series premiered in 2023 and unearthed new evidence. Throughout their sensational trials, Erik and Lyle claimed that their father, Jose Menendez, had sexually abused them for years. The brothers claimed they murdered Jose because they feared he would kill them. Despite these revelations, they were convicted.
Nearly three decades later, Menendez + Menudo became one of the breakthrough documentaries about the Menendez Brothers. In the docuseries, a Menudo band member, Roy Rosselló, revealed that Jose Menendez had also sexually abused him. Jose was a former RCA Records executive. People Magazine reported that Rosselló called Jose a “pedophile,” claiming he had drugged and raped him in the 1980s.
The Menudo band member claims are at the center of Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed is now streaming on Peacock. Meanwhile, the 2017 crime drama about the notorious brothers, Menendez: Blood Brothers, is now available to watch on Apple TV+ and Prime Video. Other works include Truth and Lies: The Menendez Brothers, The Menendez Murders: Erik Tells All, and NBC’s Law & Order True Crime.
In other news, brothers Erik and Lyle Menendez are serving life without parole in California’s Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility as they try to secure a retrial.
