Erik Menendez has opened up about what he would say to his late mother, Mary Louise Menendez, 35 years after he and his brother Lyle murdered her. In a new Netflix documentary titled Menendez Brothers, Erik, now 53, expressed his deep longing to have one more conversation with his mother, affectionately known as Kitty.
“I miss my mother tremendously,” Erik revealed, dispelling the misconception that he and Lyle did not love their mother. “That is the farthest thing from the truth,” he emphasised. Erik expressed his heartfelt desire to go back in time and have the opportunity to talk to his mother, give her a hug, express his love for her, and convey his wish for her to be proud of him and feel the connection between them.
In stark contrast, when it comes to his father, Jose Menendez, whom both brothers allege sexually assaulted them throughout their lives, Erik’s sentiments are quite different. Describing Jose as more than just a man to him, Erik likened his father to a modern-day version of an ancient Greek god whom he idolised. Despite Jose’s love for his sons, he believed that love had to be earned through enduring pain, making the relationship complex for Erik to contemplate even now.
The documentary serves as a departure from Ryan Murphy’s fictionalised portrayal of the Menendez family murders in the series Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, which broadcast in mid-September. Unlike Murphy’s dramatised version, the documentary delves into Lyle and Erik’s lives behind bars at Richard J Donovan Correctional Facility, unveiling new revelations in their case that could potentially lead to their release.
During their trials spanning seven years, both Menendez brothers argued that they killed their parents out of fear and in what they described as “imperfect self-defence.” However, they were convicted of two counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to life imprisonment, a fate they continue to endure to this day.
The documentary sheds light on the complex dynamics within the Menendez family and offers viewers an intimate look into the minds of Lyle and Erik as they navigate the aftermath of their heinous actions.