Netflix's Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story has brought the 1892 Fall River murders back into the spotlight. The real case is more complicated than the familiar nursery rhyme suggests: Lizzie Borden was tried for the deaths of her father and stepmother, but she was acquitted in 1893 and the murders remain unresolved.
The murders of Andrew and Abby Borden
On Aug. 4, 1892, Andrew Borden and his second wife, Abby Borden, were found dead inside their home in Fall River, Massachusetts. The killings happened in daylight and quickly became a national news story.
Lizzie, who was 32 at the time, became the principal suspect. She was arrested, prosecuted and eventually tried in New Bedford in 1893.
What happened at the trial?
Lizzie Borden was acquitted after the prosecution failed to persuade the jury that the evidence proved her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The Library of Congress preserves an 1893 illustration showing Borden in court with her counsel.
The acquittal did not end public suspicion. The case continued to generate theories about alternative suspects, evidence and the family's internal relationships.
Why the case remains unsolved
No one was convicted of killing Andrew and Abby Borden. The historical record contains circumstantial evidence and testimony, but it does not provide a universally accepted answer to the question of who committed the murders.
Netflix's own historical explainer notes that the evidence has been interpreted in different ways. The show uses that uncertainty as the foundation for a dramatized story.
The famous rhyme is not a crime-scene record
The well-known rhyme about Lizzie Borden says her stepmother received 40 blows and her father 41. Netflix's historical material notes that the documented numbers were lower: Abby was struck 19 times and Andrew 11 times.
The difference illustrates how the case changed as it moved from a criminal investigation into popular folklore. Later retellings added memorable details that became more famous than the original evidence.
How Netflix changes the story
Monster uses real names and historical events but also creates scenes and relationships that are not established by surviving records. Netflix's own explainer identifies several fictionalized elements, including aspects of Bridget Sullivan's relationship with Lizzie and later storylines involving other historical figures.
That approach is typical of a scripted historical drama: the known case provides the framework, while private conversations, motivations and some events are dramatized for television.
Quick answer
Lizzie Borden was accused of killing her father and stepmother in Fall River in 1892, but she was acquitted at her 1893 trial. No one was convicted for the Borden murders, and the case remains one of America's most enduring historical mysteries.
Sources
- Library of Congress: 1893 Borden trial illustration
- Netflix Tudum: true story behind the series
- National Geographic: Lizzie Borden case history
- Did Lizzie Borden Kill Her Parents? What Monster Says vs What History Proves
- Why Was Lizzie Borden Acquitted? The 1893 Trial Evidence Explained
Fact-check note
This article distinguishes the Netflix dramatization from documented history. Lizzie Borden was acquitted in 1893; claims about guilt, private relationships, motives and events not established by surviving records are described as fictionalized or disputed rather than settled fact.
Netflix Tudum: The True Story · Netflix Tudum: Ending Explained · PEOPLE: Fact vs Fiction · PEOPLE: Emma/Lizzie Fact Check
Related: Lizzie Borden House and Maplecroft: What Happened to Her Two Fall River Homes
Related: Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story Explained: Cast, Case and What Netflix Changed
