Did Lyle Menendez wear a wig during his trial? A complete breakdown of the rumor and his actual hair loss

Erik and his elder brother Lyle Menendez were convicted of the brutal murder of their parents in 1996. Their parents, José and Kitty Menendez, were found shot to death in this house in Beverly Hills in 1989. The story of Erik and Lyle Menendez's alleged crime and the trial that followed is featured on Netflix's latest docuseries, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story. It was released on Netflix on September 19, 2024.

Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan have co-written the story that will tell the emotional turmoil and issues between the Menendez family. It will portray the relationship between Erik and Lyle Menendez and their father, José, and the events that led to the crime.

While multiple issues within the family were brought up during the trial, one thing that was brought up often was Lyle's baldness. The fact that Lyle Menendez wore a toupee became an important part of the trial, especially after a fight with his mother was brought to light.

While Lyle hadn't revealed to anyone that he was bald, it was brought to the forefront during an argument with Kitty, a few days before she and her husband were killed. Kitty had allegedly pulled off and thrown his toupee in front of the whole family, causing Lyle Menendez to feel humiliated.

The scene in the docuseries and real life was an emotional time in Lyle's life as it focused on the complicated relationship he had with his parents. While other moments of abuse were highlighted during the trial, Lyle's hair loss and toupee became an icon of his internal struggles and humiliation.

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Did Lyle Menendez really wear a wig?

Lyle Menendez wore a toupee, a type of a wig, after he began losing his hair in his early twenties. However, he kept it a secret from almost everyone, including his younger brother, Erik. During their trial, Erik revealed that a few days before the murders, their mother, Kitty, had exposed Lyle's secret.

Kitty allegedly pulled off Lyle's toupee during their confrontation, in front of the whole family. This reportedly caused Lyle a lot of pain and humiliation, which seemingly deepened the emotional conflict between the brothers and their parents.

At the trial, Erik Menendez stated that this was the incident that led to the brothers discussing the abuse they had suffered at the hands of their father, José Menendez. While the Netflix series portrays the incident as a pivotal moment, it is unclear how much it directly influenced their decision to supposedly kill their parents.

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How did Lyle Menendez struggle with hair loss?

Lyle Menendez battled with hair loss since his early twenties, and it was a source of deep personal shame for him. Court records showed that Lyle had male pattern baldness, and by 1988, he had purchased a human hair toupee for $1450 and began wearing those since then.

There were speculations about the reasons behind Lyle's hair loss during the trial. Initially, it was believed that the stress from his father's alleged abuse led to Lyle losing his hair. However, there was no evidence to confirm this.

While Lyle was allowed to wear a wig during his and his brother's trial, he was prohibited from wearing it in prison after his conviction.

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Final thoughts

Nicholas Alexander Chavez plays the role of Lyle Menendez in the new Netflix docuseries, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story. The show saw dramatics attached to the emotional weight Lyle felt due to his losing his hair.

While the show has certain dramatizations, it stuck to the basic premise of the case. It showed how Lyle's secret was revealed a few days before his parents' murders. At the same time, it seemed to dramatize how much it affected his mental state at the time.

The Netflix series explored several deeper issues like shame, vulnerability, and the psychological burden the brothers supposedly suffered.

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Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story is currently streaming on Netflix.