How Lizzie Borden became Netflix's latest Monster, despite being acquitted for murder

As I delved into the story of Lizzie Borden, I couldn't help but wonder: what drives a society to perpetuate the narrative of a wrongly accused woman as a monster, despite her acquittal? It's a question that has haunted me as I read about the events that unfolded in Fall River, Massachusetts, in 1892. The story of Lizzie Borden, a 32-year-old woman accused of hacking her father and stepmother to death with an axe, has been a subject of fascination for over a century.

On a hot August day in 1892, a wealthy Massachusetts couple, Andrew and Abby Borden, were brutally murdered in their home in Fall River. Andrew, a 69-year-old man, was found lying on the sofa downstairs, while Abby, his 64-year-old wife, was upstairs in the guest bedroom, face down beside the bed. She had been killed 90 minutes earlier by 19 axe blows. The gruesome nature of the murders shocked the small industrial city of Fall River, which was not accustomed to such crimes.

Although Lizzie, Andrew's daughter, claimed to have been unaware of the murders, despite being on the property at the time, she soon became the prime suspect and the only person ever charged with the killings. Lizzie's alibi, that she was in the barn behind the house eating pears when the murders took place, was met with skepticism by the investigators. The public was mesmerized by the case, and the media frenzy that followed only added to the scrutiny surrounding Lizzie.

As the investigation unfolded, it became clear that the Borden family was far from the idyllic household that Lizzie presented herself as. Andrew had remarried two years after their mother's death, and the girls refused to talk to Abby, whom they referred to as "Mrs. Borden". The family lived by different routines, eating at separate times and leading separate lives. Lizzie had even moved furniture to block the door connecting her room to her father's and stepmother's, suggesting a deep-seated conflict.

Despite Lizzie's acquittal, the public's perception of her has remained tainted by the shadow of doubt. The acquittal has been seen as a miscarriage of justice, and Lizzie has been forever linked to the brutal murders of her father and stepmother. As the latest instalment of Netflix's Monster series, with Ella Beatty taking on the lead role, is set to premiere next month, it's clear that the public's fascination with Lizzie's story shows no signs of abating.

• Lizzie Borden was accused of hacking her father and stepmother to death with an axe in 1892.
• Andrew and Abby Borden were found murdered in their home in Fall River, Massachusetts.
• Lizzie claimed to have been unaware of the murders, despite being on the property at the time.
• Lizzie was acquitted of the murder charges, but the public's perception of her has remained tainted by the shadow of doubt.

As I reflect on Lizzie's story, I am reminded of the power of societal expectations to shape our perceptions of justice. Despite her acquittal, Lizzie remains a symbol of the darker aspects of human nature, a reminder that even the most seemingly respectable individuals can be capable of unspeakable crimes.