Netflix’s Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story presents a fictionalized version of the 1892 Borden murders. The real historical record is less conclusive: Lizzie Borden was accused of killing her father, Andrew Borden, and stepmother, Abby Borden, but she was acquitted in 1893, and the murders remain unsolved.
What happened to Andrew and Abby Borden?
Andrew and Abby Borden were killed in their Fall River, Massachusetts, home in August 1892. Lizzie became the central suspect and was later tried for the murders.
Did the real Lizzie Borden kill them?
There is no court finding that Lizzie committed the murders. She was acquitted after her 1893 trial. Later generations have continued to debate the evidence, but a definitive historical answer has not been established.
What does Monster change?
The Netflix series turns disputed history into a dramatic narrative. It depicts Lizzie and Bridget “Maggie” Sullivan as collaborators in the killings and adds fictionalized motives, relationships and later events. Netflix’s own historical explainer says the series preserves some known facts while changing other details for drama.
Why was Lizzie acquitted?
The prosecution had to convince the jury beyond reasonable doubt. The trial included disputed circumstantial evidence and conflicting testimony, while Lizzie maintained her innocence. The jury returned a not-guilty verdict.
What is confirmed today?
- Andrew and Abby Borden were murdered in 1892.
- Lizzie Borden was charged and tried.
- She was acquitted in 1893.
- The Netflix series is a dramatization, not a documentary.
- The real murders have never been conclusively solved.
Fact-check note
This article distinguishes the Netflix dramatization from documented history. Claims about Lizzie’s guilt, private relationships, motives and events not established by surviving records are described as disputed or fictionalized rather than settled fact.
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