It's almost been a month since Netflix released The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story - the second instalment to Ryan Murphy's crime-drama series Monsters - and viewers are only just realising that a crucial character was left out.
Talia Menendez - the step-daughter of the younger of the brothers, Erik - didn't appear in the series, despite having been vocal about her father's release from prison since it landed on the streaming service.
Who are Lyle and Erik Menendez?
Back in 1989, the Beverly Hills brothers - who were 21 and 18 at the time - violently murdered their parents José and Mary Louise 'Kitty' Menendez with a shotgun at close-range at their Los Angeles home.
After initially pinning the crime on the mafia, the pair were only apprehended by police almost a year later, after a heartbroken Erik confessed to his therapist.
Advert
The subsequent court case became a national sensation after Lyle and Erik revealed their motivation for the crime.
The duo claimed they'd acted in self-defence, having been subjected to years of both emotional and sexual abuse at their hands of their father, with their mother's knowledge - allegations backed up by several members of the boys' family.
Following two disturbing trials, the pair were sentenced in 1994 to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
.jpg)
The Netflix series
Despite the pair having been behind bars for over 30 years, the controversial Netflix series - directed by Ryan Murphy - has shed new light on the brothers' case, despite being branded 'inaccurate' by the pair from jail.
As a result, millions of spectators - including several A-list stars - have now gotten behind them, believing that if they were tried today, the outcome of the trial would be very different.
Two newly-discovered pieces of evidence supporting their sexual abuse claims also mean that the pair may be retried in the future, following a hearing in November.
And among those to have boldly spoken out about the Menendez brothers' release since the pair were launched back into the headlines, is Erik's daughter, Talia.
Erik Menendez' daughter
While the brothers were awaiting sentencing in the early 90s, Erik became acquainted with a woman named Tammi, who reached out to him via mail.
The pair eventually met in 1997 and were married.
Tammi was already mother to a daughter named Talia from a previous marriage (whose biological father committed suicide), and the little girl eventually formed a close bond with Erik, having met him when she was very young.
Both Tammi and Talia are omitted from the Netflix series, which ends with Lyle and Erik being transported to separate California prisons, where they remained until being reunited in 2018.
Since then, Talia - who is now in her 20s - has been a keen advocate for her 'Earth father's' release from prison, regularly taking to social media to pen passionate messages about Erik.
In the most recent update - released today - Talia made an emotional statement following the news of a forthcoming hearing.
She wrote on Instagram: "We truly value the support we've received following the District Attorney's statement. We hold onto hope that this November will bring the resolution we have all been wishing for.
"This is a difficult time for my family, and we would deeply appreciate your ongoing prayers as we await their official response.
"Thank you for standing by us. Set them free."
If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article and wish to speak to someone in confidence, contact The Survivors Trust for free on 08088 010 818, available 10am-12.30pm, 1.30pm-3pm and 6pm-8pm Monday to Thursday, 10am-12.30pm and 1.30pm-3pm on Fridays, 10am-12.30pm on Saturdays and 6pm-8pm on Sundays.
Topics: Crime, Netflix, TV And Film, True Crime, Menendez Brothers
Rhianna Benson