Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story dramatizes the infamous Menendez murders and highlights how quickly the brothers went through a massive fortune left to them. Created by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan, the second season of their true-crime anthology series Monster explores the story of Lyle and Erik, the sons of a wealthy and powerful executive in Los Angeles. Initially staging their murder of their parents as an attack, the brothers soon found themselves in court, defending their actions by claiming self-defense against a lifetime of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse.

By the end of Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, the brothers have been arrested and lost much of their fortune. This reflects their fortunes in real life, which shifted dramatically in the months following the death of their parents. The inspiration behind Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story‘s characters caught the attention of the authorities in part due to their spending habits, and debts only continued to accrue after they were arrested. Here is how much the Menendez brothers spent of their massive family fortune, and how much that would be worth today.

Lyle & Erik Menendez Inherited $2 Million After Taxes, Lawyer Fees & Loans

The Menendez Brothers Spent Much Of Their Fortune In Little Time At All

The titular brothers from Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story ended up claiming only $2 million each of their originally $14 million dollar inheritance. José and Kitty were incredibly wealthy, thanks to the former’s employment at companies like Hertz Global Holdings, RCA Records, and Live Entertainment. Lyke & Erik’s inheritance of their parent’s estate following their deaths was over $14 million, according to reporting by Town and Country. However, the brothers would only have access to it for a year before being arrested in 1990. They subsequently spent much of their collective fortune on taxes, debts, and legal fees.

Despite initially going on a spending spree with their fortunes, the Menendez brothers were soon faced with daunting amounts of debt like house mortgages and IRS payments. After they were arrested, more of their money went to lawyers like Laurie Abramson to argue in their defense. The Menendez brothers even sold their home in 1991 at a loss of nearly $1.2 million, all just to pay off other debts. By 1994, Lyle and Erik had gone through roughly $10.8 million of their inheritance, leaving them both with closer to $2 million during much of their highly publicized trials.

Lyle & Erik Menendez’s Inheritance Is Equivalent To Over $5 Million Today

The Menendez Fortune Was Massive

As portrayed in Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, the main argument used by the brothers to defend themselves was a deep fear for their safety. Claiming their parents had been emotionally and sexually abusive for years, Lyle and Erik’s defense relied on the jury believing they were acting in self-defense. The prosecution instead focused heavily on the monetary gain the brothers reaped as a result of the murders, citing that as a chief motivation for their crimes. Given the sheer size of the Menendez fortune, it’s not an unreasonable assumption to make.

Other films, TV shows, and documentaries have been made in the past about Lyle and Erik Menendez’s story.

José and Kitty had amassed a sizable fortune worth over $14 million in 1989, including multiple properties. By using inflation as a comparison point, that would be the equivalent of $36.8 million at the time of this writing. It’s a truly staggering amount of money, and their prompt spending of it following the deaths of their parents was a major suspicion behind their arrest. As a result, even the eventual fraction they had left by 1994 is the equivalent of over $5 million today.

How Much Of Their Inheritance Lyle & Erik Spent Before Being Caught

Lyle & Erik Spent A Lot Of Money In The Months After Their Murders

One of the leading reasons why Lyle and Erik were suspected of foul play by the police was due to their lavish spending following the crime. Erik and Lyle reportedly spent around $700,000 in months, all between their murders and subsequent arrests. Erik, an aspiring pro tennis player, hired a full-time coach and sponsored his own participation in several tournaments. Lyle purchased small businesses and made luxury purchases like fancy watches, all while racking up gambling debts.

Going by the rate of inflation, Lyle and Erik Menendez spent the modern equivalent of $1.8 million of their fortune in the months following the deaths of their parents. Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story explores the darker accusations and elements of the case, delving into the monetary gain and vengeful motivations behind Erik and Lyle killing their parents. Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story is a brutal show that reflects the differing arguments offered in the real-life case that captured the vivid attention of the world over three decades ago.