¨Lizzie Borden took an ax, and gave her mother forty whacks, and when she saw what she had done, she gave her father forty-one.” Were these whacks in real time or was this just a dirty rhyme? Did Lizzie really kill her mom and dad, or is Netflix’s next series of Monster portraying a life she never had?

Monster

Monster is a crime drama series on Netflix that tells the story of notorious killers in our history. This series consists of three seasons: DAHMER-Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, MONSTERS: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, and its newly introduced season MONSTER: The Ed Gein Story. Although the series has gained some great attention and positive reviews, it’s also become a magnet for negative viewer responses. People have seen a “decline” from its first to last season, with many also expressing how Ryan Murphy portrays an unnecessarily sympathetic and romanticized view of fetish, flesh, and gore. Despite this, it has been reported that a new season will be released. This season will be based on Lizzie Borden, titled The Legend Of Lizzie Borden, with Lizzie being played by Ella Beatty. With production starting late September 2025, the estimated release is in September 2026. Many true crime fans are excited to see what this next season will bring, but many question how drastically Ryan Murphy will twist the life of Lizzie Borden. 

Borden

Since we’re getting a whole season on her, who is Lizzie Borden? Lizzie Andrew Borden was born on July 19th, 1860, in Fall River, Massachusetts, to parents Andrew Jackson Borden and Sarah Anthony Borden. Lizzie had two sisters: the eldest named Emma Lenora Borden, and the youngest named Alice Esther Borden( who passed away at the age of one). Sarah Borden would go on to pass away when Lizzie was only 2 years old, leading to Emma being like a young mother to Lizzie. After almost three years since Sarah´s death, Andrew Borden married Abby Durfee Gray. Lizzie had a pretty smooth childhood with many seeing her as popular and always engaged in charitable work. On the other hand, Andrew and Abby were sour and gloomy and often had disputes with both Lizzie and Emma over finances. Lizzie resented her stepmother and didn’t hide this. In fact, a dressmaker expressed how Lizzie snapped at her for referring to Abby as a “mother” and said, “she is a mean thing and we hate her.”

19 Whacks

On the morning of August 4th, 1892, Andrew enjoyed breakfast with his wife, Abby; his brother-in-law, John Morse; and the maid, Bridget Sullivan. Almost right after, Abby was struck 19 times with an axe in the upstairs guest bedroom. At the time, Andrew was out of town visiting relatives; Lizzie’s sister, Emma, was out of town; and Bridget Sullivan was outside cleaning the windows. Lizzie Borden claimed to be downstairs at the time. This attack went unnoticed as right after Andrew was attacked as well. When Andrew got home, he went to rest on the couch. He was then struck 11 times as he slept and was left unrecognizable. Shortly after, Lizzie shouted out for Sullivan and announced that her father had been killed. Lizzie and the maid eventually searched the house and found Abby in the guest bedroom. The family physician, Dr. Bowen, was in town; upon hearing this news, he rushed to the house. He pronounced both victims dead. Lizzie Borden was arrested three days later and charged with her parents’ murders.

Blood on her hands

Originally, there was speculation that a Portuguese laborer could have been the murderer after it was reported that he came to Borden’s residence that morning to ask about wages that were due to him; unfortunately, Andrew Borden didn’t have the sufficient funds and asked to call later. As these speculations ran quick, medical evidence would go on to suggest that Abby Borden was killed “by a tall man, who struck her from behind.” Two days after the murders, evidence was creeping out that could appoint Lizzie as the murderer as a clerk from a drug store in Fall River expressed that a day before the murders, Lizzie had attempted to purchase prussic acid, a deadly poison. Adding to this, a family friend by the name of Alice Russell stayed at the Borden residence after the murders. She reported seeing Lizzie burning a blue dress in which Lizzie would claim was covered with “old paint.” Lizzie was actually seen wearing that blue dress the morning of the murders; witness Bridget Sullivan supported this claim. Ultimately, police would come to the conclusion that the murders must have been executed by someone within the Borden Home. They were especially puzzled by the lack of blood anywhere but the bodies and their inability to find the murder weapon. Police would also find Lizzie’s story suspicious as she claimed that while Abby Borden was murdered, she was coincidentally upstairs “putting shams on pillows” and while Andrew Borden was being murdered, Lizzie was out in the backyard barn “looking for lead sinkers.” The barn where she said she was had no evidence of anyone being in there for days, however. 

Struck of Joy

A year after pleading not guilty, the trial of Lizzie Borden began. The prosecutors used earlier evidence, such as the purchase of the deadly poison, the burning of her dress, the resentment towards her stepmother,  and being the only one within the walls of the residence as the murders occurred. This led to their argument: Lizzie had the “motive and opportunity” to execute such malicious doings. Meanwhile, Lizzie had a high-powered defense team, one of them being the former governor of Massachusetts. Their argument stated that there was no direct evidence such as the murder weapon or bloody clothes and that it would be difficult for an all-male jury to believe a woman of such nature could have committed such an act. The back and forth debate on whether she’d be found guilty or not lasted only an hour, leading with the jury finding Lizzie Andrew Borden not guilty on all charges against her. Lizzie sank into her chair as she cried both tears of guilt and happiness. The community was devastated that justice couldn’t be served and, as they all watched her walk the streets freely, they knew she carried some guilt heavily in her heart. Lizzie and her older sister Emma would go on to buy a new home where they lived throughout the rest of their lives.

The Legend of Lizzie Borden

19 or maybe 40 whacks given. Pleaded not guilty, as Miss Unconvicted knew she would not be forgiven. Only three people know what happened behind closed doors; three people who are no longer with us anymore. As years fly past without an answer, secrets lie within the words of “God, I can’t stand her.” A crispy, icy case lies at the bottom of the stack: the The Legend of Lizzie Borden and her ax.

Sources

Lohnes, Kate. “Lizzie Borden Took an Ax…”. Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Jun. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/story/lizzie-borden-took-an-ax. Accessed 24 November 2025.

 “Research Guides: Arrest and Trial of Lizzie Borden: Topics in Chronicling America: Introduction.” Introduction – Arrest and Trial of Lizzie Borden: Topics in Chronicling America – Research Guides at Library of Congress, guides.loc.gov/chronicling-america-lizzie-borden. Accessed 24 Nov. 2025.

 “Monster (TV Series 2022– ) – User Reviews – Imdb.” Monster (TV Series), www.imdb.com/title/tt13207736/reviews/. Accessed 24 Nov. 2025. 

Linder, Douglas O. “The Trial Of Lizzie Borden: An Account.” The Trial of Lizzie Borden: An Account, famous-trials.com/lizzieborden/1437-home. Accessed 24 Nov. 2025.