Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan’s Monster anthology has returned to Netflix with a story that dates back more than a century. Following seasons about Jeffrey Dahmer, Lyle and Erik Menendez and Ed Gein, the series has turned its attention to Lizzie Borden, the Massachusetts woman who became notorious after being accused of killing her father and stepmother in 1892.

Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story premiered on Netflix on September 17, with Ella Beatty taking on the title role. The cast also includes Charlie Hunnam as Andrew Borden, Rebecca Hall as Abby Borden, Vicky Krieps as the family’s maid Bridget Sullivan, Billie Lourd as Lizzie’s older sister Emma and Sarah Paulson as Aileen Wuornos.

The new season marks the first time Monster has centered its story on a woman. But long before Murphy brought her story to television, Lizzie Borden had already become one of the most infamous names in American true crime.

So, who was Lizzie Borden, and what really happened to her family?

Who Was Lizzie Borden?

Lizzie Andrew Borden was born on July 19, 1860, in Fall River, Massachusetts, to Andrew and Sarah Borden. Her father was a successful businessman who had accumulated considerable wealth, but the Borden family did not live as lavishly as that fortune might suggest.

Andrew was known for his frugal habits, and the household was reportedly marked by strict attitudes toward money and spending. Lizzie and her older sister, Emma, grew up in a financially secure but relatively austere home.

Sarah died when Lizzie was still young, and Andrew married Abby Durfee Gray three years later. Abby became Lizzie and Emma’s stepmother, but their relationship has long been described as strained. Disagreements over money and property within the family have frequently been discussed as a possible source of tension, although many details of the Borden family’s private life have become difficult to separate from later speculation.

By 1892, Lizzie was 32 years old and still living with her father and stepmother in the family home. That summer, her life changed forever.

What Happened to Lizzie’s Family?

On August 4, 1892, Andrew and Abby Borden were found dead inside their home. Abby was discovered upstairs, while Andrew was later found on a sofa downstairs. Both had suffered multiple fatal blows from a hatchet or similar weapon. Lizzie was at home that morning, as was Bridget Sullivan, the family’s live-in maid. Emma, meanwhile, was away from Fall River.

The killings shocked Fall River and quickly attracted attention beyond Massachusetts. Investigators began examining everyone who might have had a reason or opportunity to commit the crimes, and Lizzie soon became a suspect.

Why Was Lizzie Borden Accused?

Lizzie Borden became the main suspect as police investigated the deaths of her father and stepmother. Several axes and hatchets were found at the family home, but none was conclusively identified as the murder weapon.

The prosecution also examined other suspicious circumstances. A drugstore clerk claimed Lizzie had tried to purchase prussic acid, a poison, the day before the murders, although she denied it and the testimony was later excluded from her trial. Days after the killings, her friend Alice Russell also reported seeing Lizzie burn a dress, which Lizzie said had been stained with paint.

The evidence against Lizzie was largely circumstantial. No eyewitness saw her commit the murders, and no weapon was definitively linked to her. She was arrested on August 11, 1892, and later indicted for the deaths of Andrew and Abby Borden.

Lizzie Borden’s Trial

Lizzie Borden’s trial began in June 1893 in New Bedford, Massachusetts. By then, the case had attracted widespread attention, with newspapers closely following the proceedings.

The prosecution presented the circumstances that had made Lizzie a suspect, while her defense challenged the evidence and argued that it was not enough to prove she had committed the murders.

On June 20, 1893, after about an hour and a half of deliberation, the jury found Lizzie not guilty of killing either her father or her stepmother. The acquittal cleared Lizzie of the charges, but the case remained unresolved. No one else was ever convicted for the deaths of Andrew and Abby Borden.

What Happened After the Trial?

After her acquittal in 1893, Lizzie Borden returned to Fall River, where she continued to live despite the attention surrounding the case.

In 1894, Lizzie and her sister Emma bought a large house and lived there together for more than a decade. Their relationship eventually deteriorated, however, and Emma moved out in 1905 following a disagreement with Lizzie. The sisters remained estranged for the rest of their lives.

Lizzie spent her later years largely away from the public spotlight. She died on June 1, 1927, at age 66. Emma died nine days later.