Erik and Lyle Menendez were sentenced to life in prison for killing their parents. Their story is now the subject of a Netflix miniseries

Warning: This article discusses abuse.

Netflix just can't stop hit series creator Ryan Murphy from telling true-crime stories — and why should they?

After stints on Glee, American Horror Story, and American Crime Story, Murphy released the confusingly titled Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. It garnered 13 Emmy nominations (plus one for actor Niecy Nash) and racked up 1 billion hours of viewing in its first 60 days on the platform, one of only four series to do so.

Now, the streaming giant is casting Murphy into another dark chapter of American history, with its anthology series Monster , which tackles the true story of brothers Erik and Lyle Menendez, who were sentenced to life in prison without parole in 1996 for the murder of their parents.

Here's what you need to know.

Who are Erik and Lyle Menendez?

Until 1989, Erik and Lyle Menendez were normal, if privileged, young people living in a Beverly Hills house with their parents, Mary Louise (better known as Kitty) and José, an entertainment executive.

On August 20, 1989, brothers Erik, 18, and Lyle, 22, shot their parents multiple times in their home, killing them both. They then left the property.

When their parents' bodies were discovered by police hours later, they feigned innocence, leading police to spend months investigating whether the murders were mafia-related, due to José's ties to the entertainment industry.

In the months following their parents' death, Erik and Lyle went on a shopping spree, buying businesses and luxury goods like sports cars.

It was not until March 1990 that the brothers were arrested and it was three years before they were both tried.

Why did the Menendez brothers kill their parents?

After their arrest, the brothers confessed to shooting their parents. At their first trial, which began in 1993, Erik's attorney, Leslie Abramson, claimed they were driven to commit the crime by fear for their lives.

The brothers testified that Jose sexually abused Lyle from ages six to eight and Erik from ages six to 18; that their father's abuse and their mother's neglect caused them to live in constant fear; and that they viewed shooting and killing their parents as an act of self-defense.

Prosecutors said the brothers killed their parents in order to get their hands on their $14 million inheritance early.

The case was widely publicized and broadcast on the cable channel CourtTV, and the brothers' tearful testimony turned the murder trial into an international spectacle.

After months of testimony, two separate juries were unable to reach a verdict on the brothers' guilt of voluntary manslaughter or murder.

A retrial began in late 1995, with the two men tried before a single jury and without any cameras in the courtroom. Judge Stanley Weisberg found that the defense had not provided sufficient evidence of the brothers' prolonged abuse by their father.

Twenty weeks later, a jury convicted Erik and Lyle of first-degree murder. They were subsequently sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Where are the Menendez brothers now?

Erik and Lyle, both now in their 50s, remain in prison after making several unsuccessful appeal attempts.

In 2018, more than 30 years after their convictions, the brothers were transferred to the same housing unit at a Southern California prison. A prison spokesperson said they could and did interact.

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

Like the previous season of Monsters, this iteration follows the Menendez brothers as they deal with the consequences of their crimes while profiting off their parents' money before their arrest, before delving into their seven-year legal journey.

But it also looks in more detail at the time leading up to the crime, focusing on Erik and Lyle's restrictive life with their parents and the actions that drove them to the murders.

Who stars in Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story?

Newcomers Cooper Koch (Swallowed) and Nicholas Chavez (General Hospital) play Erik and Lyle, respectively.

But beyond the brothers, the cast is stacked with A-list stars. Javier Bardem (Dune, No Country For Old Men) and Chloë Sevigny (a Murphy mainstay since 2011's American Horror Story: Asylum) play parents José and Kitty.

Ari Graynor (I'm Dying Up Here) will play Leslie Abramson, a Los Angeles defense attorney and Erik's eventual lead attorney.

Nathan Lane (The Lion King, Fear the Beast) plays the late Vanity Fair journalist Dominick Dunne, who covered the murders in detail. Lane recently told The Hollywood Reporter that the series opened his eyes to the real-life ordeal.

“I think at first it was easy for people to think that these two spoiled rich kids would kill their parents for money, for inheritance, but it's much more complicated,” he said.

“It doesn't change the fact that they committed this horrible act, but I think you're maybe beginning to understand what led to this.”

What do the critics say?

Despite the popularity of his first show Monsters, Dahmer was criticized for exploiting the victim's real-life tragedy in the name of entertainment.

This time around, early reviews question the need to revisit Menendez's story, while continuing to praise the lead actors.

“Despite its compelling subject matter and exceptional performances, Monsters… has no idea what it wants to be. As a result, it simply dissolves into a tale of unspeakable abuse and horrific crimes,” said Aramide Tinubu of Variety.

“When we engage in the portrayal of murderous and sick people, no matter how horrific their upbringing, we are drawing on our own uncontrolled monstrosities.”

Katie Rosseinsky of The Independent echoed these sentiments.

“[Monsters…] “It feels like a confusing mix of the best and worst of Murphy's work. It will likely please his legions of fans, but may leave his detractors a little uneasy.”

Meanwhile, Murphy has already moved on to his next grizzly tale, announcing that the upcoming Monsters series will focus on Plainfield butcher Ed Gein, who will be played by Charlie Hunham.

Monsters: The Story of Lyle and Erik Menendez is now available on Netflix.