The Menendez brothers’ murder of their parents has become the latest case to be adapted into a Netflix true crime series, with showrunner Ryan Murphy bringing it to the small screen in his new series, “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story.”
Murphy’s new show, which debuted on September 19, dramatizes the events leading up to the deaths of José and Kitty Menendez inside their California home in 1989, as well as the subsequent investigation and trial.
The Beverly Hills property was considered a real estate gem before it became the site of the killings, which sparked national interest and speculation. Despite languishing on the market for years after the trial, Realtor.com revealed that it sold for $17 million in March, exactly 28 years after a jury convicted Lyle and Erik Menendez of first-degree murder.
At trial, Lyle, now 56, and Erik, now 53, admitted to the killings but claimed self-defense due to alleged sexual and physical abuse by their parents. Prosecutors argued that they shot their parents to inherit their father’s multimillion-dollar estate. Both are serving life sentences without parole.
The house remains an eerie reminder of the crimes. The Mediterranean-style villa on Elm Drive features seven bedrooms and was originally listed for $19,999,500. Telecommunications executive Sam Delug purchased it for $3.7 million in 2001.
Built in 1927 and redesigned in 1984 by real estate mogul Mark Slotkin, José Menendez bought it for $4 million in 1988. During the trial, Slotkin testified for the defense about soundproofing he installed that cast doubt on a maid’s claims of overhearing arguments.
Despite its amenities like a private tennis court and pool, the house struggled to sell after the murders. It was appraised at $4.8 million in 1991 but sold for $3.6 million that year. “Murder, She Wrote” co-creator William Link acquired it in 1993 before selling it to Delug in 2001.
Tour buses frequently pass by the mansion due to its visibility from the street. The current home features seven bedrooms and nine bathrooms with Italian limestone flooring and a gourmet kitchen. The primary suite includes double baths and designer closets.
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