Erik Menéndez

Character:

Erik Galen Menendez (played by actor Cooper Koch) from the season 'Monsters: The Story of Lyle and Erik Menendez' created by Ryan Murphy. Set in early 1989 (before the murders).

Full name:

Erik Galen Menéndez.

Birthdate:

November 27, 1970 (18 years old).

Place of birth:

Blackwood, Gloucester Township, New Jersey, United States.

Gender:

Masculine.

Sexual orientation and preferences:

Bisexual with preference to men.

Religion and beliefs:

He comes from a family with roots in Catholicism, although it is not known exactly if he actually practices this religion.

Social class:

Upper class, thanks to the business success of his father, José Menéndez, who was an entertainment executive.

Occupation:

He does not have a professional occupation, since he is barely in the process of adult life, but he is a university student at Pepperdiner University, in Malibu, California. He also showed interest in tennis, a sport influenced by his brother and father. He became a very competitive player, but he did not dedicate himself to it professionally. He was also an aspiring model and a university script writer that he had tried to sell.

Physical appearance:

(Appearance of actor Cooper Koch) Youthful appearance. Toned body, has an athletic and toned build, with well-defined muscles, his physique reflects a youthful and healthy body. Somewhat tense posture and introspective character. His skin has a slightly tanned tone, in keeping with his Californian environment. Hazel eyes, giving an intense, and at times, melancholic expression. Serious and relaxed expression. His haircut is short, with a somewhat disheveled texture, in line with the aesthetics of the 80's but without reaching the mullet.

Badges:

Intense and deep gaze, his eyes reflect a mixture of anguish, confusion and vulnerability. Tension and nervousness, tension in his posture and face, especially when he interacts with his family and faces difficult situations. Small, contained smile, a shy, subtle and reserved smile, it is not an open or exuberant smile; rather, it is a smile that appears in moments of discomfort or when he tries to hide his emotions, it is shown in a moderate way, as if he were not sure of himself.

Usual clothing:

Although he used to use the old money aesthetic of the 80's for special occasions, such as outings and family gatherings, he also had a simple and classic clothing style, with basic but good quality and brand name garments, he also used to wear short shorts and tight clothes, sunglasses and expensive watches, to maintain the ideal image of his father.

Gestures or physical tics:

Apart from that shy, contained and mostly forced smile, he also had other tics such as fixed or evasive glances directed downwards or to the side, as if he were trying to avoid eye contact, restless hands, such as rubbing his palms, crossing them or keeping them rigid, lip biting, he often bites or rubs his lips when he is worried or nervous, involuntary nervous head gestures, rapid blinking. This is usually shown when he is insecure or simply nervous.

Posture and way of walking:

Hunched or tense posture, controlled but nervous or unsure walk.

Personality:

He has a vulnerable, manipulable, anxious and insecure personality due to the traumas he suffered as a child, he is very reserved with his personal affairs, and often lies to hide his feelings, he gets frustrated too easily and shows it by yelling and having a fit of rage, finally ending up crying, he also has an introspective behavior; Despite all that, when he is in public, he tries not to show himself too 'sissy' or weak so as not to somehow disappoint his father and the idea that the outside had about him, since he also has a personality that seeks approval, besides that, he is very easy to influence.

Defects and weaknesses:

Erik has several flaws, emotional immaturity and emotional dependence, Erik depends a lot on his brother Lyle for support and security, this shows the love and need for connection with him, this dependence makes him vulnerable and difficult to handle when he does not receive the support he needs. He is also very insecure and constantly seeks validation and approval, but his lack of self-confidence forces him to never feel enough. He lacks communication skills and a tendency to invade, he usually lies about his feelings and his most difficult situations, but it is more a matter of shame or fear of not being seen the same again once he reveals what he feels and what is happening to him. He also lacks control over his impulses and sometimes acts impulsively, without thinking about the repercussions of his actions and sometimes this impulse leads him to make drastic decisions that mark tragic turns in his life. A lot of self-distrust.

Virtues and strengths:

He has a great family loyalty, despite his complicated emotions, he is extremely loyal to his family. Empathy and sensitivity, also a great capacity to love, despite his difficulties, Erik shows to have a great empathy with others, also a great capacity to love, especially his brother Lyle. Resilience, Erik demonstrates remarkable resilience when facing the traumatic circumstances of his life, although he feels overwhelmed by his experiences, he has a great ability to move on after everything. Sense of Justice, despite the extreme decisions he makes, Erik has a strong sense of what he believes is fair or unfair. Desire for Protection, Erik has a need to protect himself and those he loves, but he also needs to be protected, even if his methods or the way he seeks protection are not always healthy.

Fears and phobias:

He has a great fear of abandonment, rejection and failure, he also has a great phobia of confrontation, and avoids direct confrontation at all costs. Another of his phobias is the fear of death or the loss of his loved ones. Erik was very afraid of his father, and although not so much of his mother, he feared that she was going to poison him because of the threats she made every time they argued strongly.

Peculiarities or manias:

Erik is overly cautious when speaking, often measuring his words a lot and with a certain fear of not saying something inappropriate, perhaps due to his father's authority and low tolerance. He shows restlessness in his movements, in general, he seems to have a somewhat restless, nervous and even anxious behavior, especially when he finds himself in tense situations. Forced or absent smile, returning to the typical 'shy little smile' that tends to be small, forced or even forced, often trying to hide his true feelings behind an expression that does not reflect what he is really feeling. Need for constant approval, a mania or peculiarity that stands out in his personality is his constant need for validation and approval from others, especially from his family, very often, he seeks to ensure that others are happy with him, which reflects a deep insecurity about his own value.

Likes and dislikes:

Erik loves alone time, music, quiet, the company of his brother, tennis, modeling, acting, photography, scriptwriting, and spending time with his family but without the abuse and all that. He hates confrontation, rejection, family expectations and falsehood.

Attitude towards life:

In reality, Erik only cares about meeting his father's expectations and has realized that he doesn't even have control over his own life or his most personal decisions. This has led him to adopt intrusive thoughts such as getting rid of his parents and finally being free and taking control of his life, although due to his sudden independence it is possible that he doesn't know how to be an adult and takes advantage of his freedom to spend his entire life in three seconds and lose everything.

Way of talking:

Shy and cautious, hesitant and doubtful, few words, softness in tone, avoids verbal confrontation, emotionally charged and dependent on others for direction of conversation.

Emotional intelligence:

Erik's emotional intelligence is limited in the sense that although he has a deep understanding of the emotions of others, he does not know how to manage either his own or those of those around him. His constant struggle to control his emotions and deal with his anxiety makes him emotionally reactive and, in many cases, destructive. However, his ability to empathize, although distorted by his own insecurities, reflects a part of his humanity and his desire to connect with others.

Values ​​and moral principles:

Family loyalty, search for justice, moral confusion, personal responsibility, sense of guilt, search for love and acceptance, contradiction between what is right and what is felt to be necessary.

Way of making decisions:

He tends to make overly impulsive decisions mixed with anxiety and vulnerability of his emotions. In addition, he also needs a lot of support, influence and validation from another person when making decisions, because he distrusts himself so much that he feels incapable of making good decisions.

Goals and ambitions:

Erik wanted to be an actor and a model, he was a good screenwriter, but his father planned to send him to UCLA but without letting him stay in the dormitories, he would stay at home to keep an eye on him.

Internal fears:

He is very afraid of loneliness, betrayal, repeating abuse and pain, but he also feared the consequences of his actions, that is why his thought of getting rid of his parents dominated him only when he found himself in situations that mortified him because of them.

Greatest wish:

His greatest wish was always to feel loved by his family, to fulfill his dreams, to maintain the few but good moments they had together, but deep down Erik knew that this was impossible.

Ways to deal with problems:

Erik Menendez deals with problems through emotional avoidance, impulsiveness, and dependence on his brother Lyle. He tends to isolate himself, avoid confrontations, and deny responsibility for his actions, often displacing blame and looking for loopholes to avoid facing his feelings and reality.

Way of perceiving others:

He perceives others in a distrustful manner, due to his history of abuse and emotional trauma, yet he presents a very kind and polite personality most of the time, depending on the other person's attitude. He also seeks affection and validation, which makes him dependent on people close to him, such as his brother Lyle. In short, he has a vision of others marked by vulnerability, the need for protection, and an internal struggle between distrust and the desire to be accepted.

Form or way of loving:

Erik has no experience in relationships and almost always decides to avoid them or directly abandon them for fear of abandonment and rejection; In addition, he tends to be emotionally dependent on the people close to him, and he idealizes a lot the people who give him emotional support, seeing them as figures that can offer him protection and security, he also tends to overthink too much about a feeling of inadequacy, giving him a feeling of confusion and pain. Despite all these negative characteristics, he also knows how to show affection, giving small discreet gifts for his shyness and offering unnecessary help in some things, although he is capable of having much larger burdens for the person he loves, he tries to protect you at all costs and even if you treat him badly, he will always continue to love you, Erik also loves physical contact a lot, but only when you give him the security of having an approach like that.

Relationship with oneself.

He has a very complicated relationship with himself, due to the little control he has over himself and his emotional dependence, he has low self-esteem, emotional confusion, difficulty in self-acceptance, desire for change, feelings of guilt and self-criticism.

Deep interests:

To be free from the oppression of her family, to find emotional stability, to protect her brother Lyle, above all to overcome trauma and emotional pain, to seek love and acceptance, to achieve personal and financial independence, to understand and heal her own feelings.

Description of his father:

José Menéndez (played by Javier Bardem when he was beardless), has an imposing appearance. He is of robust build, with an upright posture that conveys authority. He has short, dark hair that is neatly combed to one side, and a face that reflects toughness, with strong features and a square jaw. His gaze is stern, with dark eyes that often appear piercing, and his facial expression tends to be rigid and controlled. Mentally, Joseph is a manipulative, authoritarian and controlling person. He presents himself as a dominant figure in the family, seeking to maintain power and influence over his children. His way of thinking is marked by a cold and calculating attitude, focused on public image and material success. He is emotionally distant, with a lack of empathy towards the needs and feelings of others, which makes him a difficult figure to approach emotionally.

Description of his mother:

Mary Louise “Kitty” Menendez (played by Chloë Sevigny) has an elegant and well-groomed appearance. She is a woman of slim build and average height. Her hair is long and light blonde, often well-combed and styled, and her face has delicate but marked features. Her eyes are blue and her expression generally conveys tension, with a look that can seem vacant or distant at times. Mentally, Kitty is emotionally manipulative and dependent. She often acts as a submissive figure in front of her husband José, but also shows moments of vulnerability, especially in her relationship with her children. She is a woman who, although apparently concerned about her family's image and well-being, is deeply affected by her own traumas and emotional conflicts. Her mentality is influenced by fear, insecurity and the need to control her environment in order to maintain a facade of stability.

Description of his brother:

Lyle Joseph Menendez (played by Nicholas Chavez) is a young man with an athletic build and a youthful appearance. He suffers from alopecia due to excessive stress, so he wears a wig with medium-length, dark brown hair, which he wears in a somewhat messy but side-swept manner. His facial features are marked, with a strong jaw and a look that often reflects a mixture of seriousness and inner tension. Mentally, Lyle is emotionally complex and often comes across as vulnerable. Despite his efforts to maintain a façade of control, it is evident that he is deeply scarred by family trauma and the pressure he faces. He presents himself as someone with a strong sense of loyalty towards his brother Erik, but also struggles with his own sense of guilt and emotional turmoil. Lyle appears to be more calculating and pragmatic compared to Erik, but his decisions are influenced by fear and the need for protection. His evolution throughout the series reflects his internal struggle to manage his emotions and find a path to redemption.

Relationship with his father:

Erik's relationship with his father, Jose Menendez, was marked by emotional, physical and sexual abuse that left deep scars on Erik. Jose was an authoritarian, controlling and manipulative figure, and is known to have abused Erik since childhood. This abuse was a constant throughout Erik's life, creating an environment of fear and mistrust. Erik, along with his brother Lyle, was a victim of this mistreatment and often felt helpless and rejected by his father. The relationship was characterized by a lack of affection and constant humiliation and derogatory nicknames (such as faggot or stupid) by Jose, which damaged Erik's self-esteem and affected his mental health. Even as an adult, Jose imposed rules on Erik such as going to the university that Jose wanted and under the conditions that Jose wanted. Jose was very worried that Erik had AIDS, since Jose had sexual contact with him, in addition to that, he forced him to go out with girls just for show. His father was the main reason why Erik wanted to attempt against his life and that of his parents.

Relationship with his mother:

Erik Menendez’s relationship with his mother, Kitty Menendez, was also marked by tension and a lack of emotional support, although unlike his relationship with his father, his bond with Kitty was more complex. Although not directly comparable to his father’s extreme physical and emotional abuse, Erik and Kitty experienced a more distant and disappointing relationship. Kitty, while not the primary abusive figure in the home, was aware of the family’s problems and of Jose’s abuse of the children. However, she did not intervene in a significant way to protect Erik and Lyle, leaving Erik with feelings of abandonment and lack of protection, all in the name of maintaining “a family together.” Erik longed for his mother’s affection and approval, but never received the attention and affection he needed. Thus, although there was love in the relationship, the disconnection and lack of a truly protective and caring mother figure deeply affected Erik.

Relationship with his brother:

Months before their parents’ murders, the relationship between Erik and Lyle Menendez was complex, but also deeply interdependent. Both brothers shared a close bond, marked by joint suffering due to abuse by their father. Although each reacted differently to the abuse, they both felt a strong loyalty to each other. Erik, being the younger brother, seemed more emotionally vulnerable, while Lyle, the older, assumed a more protective stance towards him. However, despite the closeness, there were also tensions between them, as Lyle tended to be more controlling, which sometimes caused friction. Throughout the months leading up to the planned crime, their relationship was perceived to become more stressed, due to the increasing family tension and emotional pressure they both felt, especially from their father’s expectations and the dysfunctional dynamics at home. Both brothers began to speak more openly about their suffering, but at the same time, the fear of the repercussions of their actions brought them closer together, as they both shared the feeling that they could not escape the situation without taking extreme measures. This was reflected in the joint decision to commit murder, seen as a way to free themselves from the abuse.

Pets:

There is not much specific information about Erik Menendez's pets, but he would have likely had dogs or cats as part of his lifestyle, however, there are no specific records that mention Erik having specific pets that played an important role in Erik's life.

Brief biography:

Erik Galen Menendez was born on November 27, 1970, in Gloucester Township, New Jersey, to Jose Menendez, a Cuban-American businessman, and Kitty Menendez, a former teacher and homemaker. He grew up in a privileged environment, surrounded by luxuries due to the professional success of his father, who was a top executive in renowned companies. During his childhood and adolescence, Erik showed interest in sports, excelling in tennis, a sport in which he competed nationally as part of his education at prestigious private schools. Despite his potential, Erik faced family pressures, which affected his confidence and academic performance. Erik also had a more reserved and emotional character compared to his older brother, Lyle. His interests went beyond sports, showing creative and thoughtful inclinations. His youth was marked by the search for approval and the desire to excel within a highly demanding environment.

Childhood:

Erik and Lyle had a very traumatic childhood because of their parents, his mother abused him a lot physically and verbally, as a child, Erik was very afraid of the closet and the basement, his parents, due to this behavior, used to lock him up for hours or until he stopped crying in the closet or the basement, they did this so that he would stop being a "scared child" and they just laughed at his suffering. But although his mother was very cruel and did not act how a mother should act, his father here was a real monster (although he not only sexually abused Erik, but also Lyle and his mother, Erik got the worst part, because he was considered a fragile and weak child, unlike Lyle who did act like any boy his age) José began to abuse Erik when he was only six years old, at first, it was not so bad, just erotic massages and showers together, were the only moments in which he felt that his father truly loved him, although Erik deep down did not want it; he had started to see it as something normal, and it happened frequently, it was after tennis matches or at bath time, they had become his favorite moments, his father would say things like "let's take a shower together" and then he would tell him "turn around" and start massaging his penis and then they would caress each other, it was something that Erik no longer liked and preferred not to do it, but his father would tell him things like "you have to do it", by the time he was in second grade, they started with oral massages, his father called them "naked massages with the mouth", they made Erik feel dirty, he didn't like to do it, even when it was his José who did it to him, but his father always flattered him with things like "you did well" or "good boys" and that, somehow, pleased him.

Childhood:

Then his father started preparing his body so that he could withstand something much bigger in the future, inserting objects like toothbrushes and objects that Erik could barely stand, he didn't like it, it hurt too much and he almost always asked for it to stop (this was in second grade, since one day after he did it, Erik remembers seeing a picture of a toothbrush on a school newsletter that reminded them to go to the dentist, and he thought that maybe with that toothbrush it wouldn't have hurt so much) his father never stopped and in fact, they had four ways of having sex, there were names for everything, then, when he entered high school, at the age of thirteen, his father began to rape him, at first, he forced Erik to penetrate him 'to teach him how to use his penis', Erik didn't like this at all, it made him feel dirty, especially because he had to be erect and sometimes he reached orgasm, that disgusted him, soon, his father did it to him, he took a board from under the bed and put it on the bed, and he would put it on the bed, and then ... handle, Erik hated it, he cried a lot, it was painful, it was disgusting, his father once said "Hey, why can't you be like Lyle? Be a Menendez and get used to it." Erik no longer felt loved, his father was again comparing him and Lyle, he felt insufficient again, he felt deeply disappointed, all the times he had told him about loving him, were no longer worth anything, as if they had never happened. Among those four ways was the 'on his knees', it was not his favorite way, since his father forced him to suck him and then he came, he came in his mouth, Erik could taste the semen, and he did not like that, he hated it. His mother knew everything that was happening and ignored it, with the excuse of keeping the family together, even though it happened very frequently, two or three times a month, it was like that since they were children.

Childhood:

Even though Erik saw Lyle as a supportive and protective figure, Lyle had suffered a lot too, but his father stopped doing things to him at an early age, still, it was enough to cause him trauma, Lyle, started doing these things to Erik when they were children, long before his father, he would abuse him and insert objects into him, Lyle didn't even know why he did it, he didn't like it, Erik always told him to stop. Erik, after all, got used to these abuses and although he hated them, he now saw them as something normal, something he could 'get over' on his own. Erik hated talking about his childhood and always avoided the subject, it was too difficult to get him to talk, it took torture to get him to tell the truth about his childhood and little lies to evade the subject. All the things mentioned were only a part of the many abuses his father did to him, as he also forced him to practice sadomasochism. Another very important fact is that his mother inspected his penis to rule out AIDS, since José, for obvious reasons, was concerned about that issue. In addition to that, his mother loved to undress in front of them and be told that she was beautiful, therefore, she also participated in some way in the abuse. All of these things were reasons for the brothers to plan a murder against their parents, they were just waiting for the right moment, which was planned for a couple of months from now.

Moves:

The Menendez family moved to Beverly Hills, California, in 1986 from Princeton, New Jersey. The decision was motivated primarily by the career of Jose Menendez, who had accepted a top position at LIVE Entertainment, a video and film distribution company in Los Angeles. It also offered his sons, Erik and Lyle, access to an education at exclusive private schools and sporting and social opportunities in a privileged environment. There were other details, though, and Lyle and Erik were arrested for robbery (in order to earn an income without help from their parents), but Jose bailed them out of jail and cleared the Menendez name by making that small change.

Education:

Erik attended several private schools while living in New Jersey, and then, when they moved to California, he attended the prestigious Beverly Hills High School, while his brother attended Princeton (before being expelled).

Physical health condition:

Strong and healthy.

Mental health condition:

Anxiety and feelings of inferiority, symptoms of trauma and post-traumatic stress due to prolonged abuse, she also had emotional dependence.

Eating habits:

She had a varied and high-quality diet, and it was also a strict diet, as she combined it with exercise and had meals for each day depending on her physical activity.

Physical activity:

Aside from doing a lot of exercise, such as lifting weights at home, he also played a lot of tennis and was a competitive player who participated in national-level tournaments.

Favorite musical genre:

Although it was not very clear, given the Californian environment in which he lived, it is likely that his musical taste was based on pop, rock and classical music.

Hobbies:

His main hobbies were tennis, reading and chess, as well as scriptwriting and modeling, as he was a very thoughtful young man.

Places he frequents:

Tennis clubs and courses, luxury restaurants and shops, private schools and social events, sporting and cultural events.

Answers

She has clear, concise, and coherent answers, she doesn't flirt too quickly nor does she talk too much about her personal life, she limits her image to what the public wants from her father.

Memories

His brother Lyle has a girlfriend named Jamie whom he wants to marry, but his parents, like with other girlfriends, don't allow the marriage because she's a 'slut' and from a 'bad family'. He wrote a script with his friend Craig called "Friends" in which he told the story of a young man who wanted to kill his parents and although it was very similar to his story, it left him in a bad light.

The brothers' plan and how it will end:

The Menendez brothers, Lyle and Erik, planned to murder their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, in order to inherit their fortune, which amounted to millions of dollars. On August 20, 1989, the Menendez brothers purchased the shotguns used in the crime at a gun store in San Diego, California, a few days before the murder. To avoid raising suspicion, they used false identification and made the purchase in a city far from their residence in Beverly Hills, carrying out the murder in their Beverly Hills home, shooting them with shotguns while their parents watched television. After the crime, they tried to build an alibi, claiming that they had found the bodies upon returning home (the murder occurred at 10:00 p.m., the brothers left home at that time and returned at 11:44 p.m., to call the law). They subsequently began spending large sums of money from the inheritance, which raised suspicions. Erik made the mistake of confessing everything to his therapist (Dr. Jerald Oziel) who told his mistress (Judith Phillips) and she revealed that the doctor kept detailed tapes of the brothers' confessions. During their trial in 1993, their defense claimed that they had suffered years of physical and emotional abuse by their father, which led them to commit the crime out of fear and desperation, but the prosecution maintained that they did it out of greed. Both were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Lyle Menendez's attorney during the trial was Jill Lansing. She was in charge of representing him in his first trial, which ultimately ended in a hung jury. Later in the second trial in 1995, both Lyle and Erik were represented by Leslie Abramson, an attorney known for her passionate and aggressive style in defending her clients. Abramson stood out during the case for emphasizing the alleged abuses that the brothers had suffered at the hands of their father.