Diksha Sundriyal
In Netflix’s ‘Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story,’ the double murder of Andrew and Abby Borden shocks the Massachusetts town of Fall River, especially when the youngest Borden emerges as the prime suspect. The eight-episode season explores the events leading up to the crime and examines the nature of Lizzie’s trial and eventual acquittal. In doing so, the show takes many creative liberties, including the part that decisively portrays Lizzie as the murderer. In real life, her crimes were never proven, though she is still considered the murderess in the opinion of a wide populace. But if she really did kill her father and stepmother, the question of motive also emerges, something that the Netflix series explores from different angles. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Lizzie Borden’s Fraught Relationship With Her Stepmother is Considered a Strong Motive
On August 4, 1892, when Andrew and Abby Borden were found dead in their house, the most shocking thing was the state in which the murderer had left them. Andrew had been struck by a hatchet 11 times on his head and face, while Abby had a total of 19 blows on her head and upper body. The brutality of the murders led some to believe that the crime may have been personal in nature. So when Lizzie Borden emerged as the prime suspect and was charged with murder, people wondered what may have been going on in her mind to lead her to such brutality. Lizzie, however, maintained her innocence and was later acquitted by a jury that found no credible reason to believe she killed her father and stepmother.
Since the case remained unsolved, the motive behind the crimes never came to light, and hence, everything that has been said or believed about it has remained purely speculative. One reason that is believed to have led Lizzie to take this shocking step is her hatred for her stepmother. Sarah, her and Emma’s biological mother, passed away in 1863, and in 1865, her father married Abby. Reportedly, the relationship between the girls and their stepmother turned icy over the years. According to Sarah Miller’s book, ‘The Borden Murders: Lizzie Borden and the Trial of the Century,’ the girls didn’t even call Abby “mother.” Reportedly, Emma called her by her given name, while Lizzie referred to her as Mrs. Borden.
The book also states that the younger sister even preferred not to dine with Abby. Another instance alleges that she told a dressmaker she hated her very mean stepmother. Lizzie’s account, however, was reportedly much different than this. She told the cops that she and Abby were on cordial terms and there was nothing but “kindly feelings” between them. Her sister, Emma, is said to have maintained a similar stance, stating that there was no sense of strong animosity between them and their stepmother. This allegedly fraught relationship, however, is not the only reason theoretically attributed to Lizzie’s alleged actions. A financial aspect had also been noted to be a possible motive for the murders.
The Borden Inheritance is Believed to Have Been a Decisive Factor for the Murders
Following her acquittal, Lizzie Borden moved to a more lavish house on the Hill, called Maplecroft, with her sister, Emma. She was known to attend parties and soirees, and her lifestyle exhibited a significant transformation from the modest life she had led when her parents were still alive. Over the course of his life, Andrew Borden had amassed a wealth that could have provided the high society life his daughters reportedly craved. He, however, is said to have preferred a more frugal living. While his house on Second Street in Fall River was by no means that of a poor man, it lacked amenities like indoor plumbing and gas lighting, which he could easily have afforded with the money he had. While he refused to expend a single dollar on these facilities, he did buy another house in the neighborhood for Abby’s half-sister in 1887.
It is said that this move was not well received by his daughters, who allegedly saw it as their stepmother’s growing influence over their father’s finances. Reportedly, Andrew didn’t even tell his daughters about this purchase, and they found out from others, which hurt their feelings even more. Such a development could have made Lizzie and Emma feel insecure about their inheritance. Their father was 70 years old by that time, and if he died, Abby would have been entitled to a significant portion of the inheritance, which would then have passed on to her side of the family. Allegedly, this is the reason why some believe that Lizzie killed Abby first. With her gone, there would be no other contenders for an inheritance valued at around $10 million today.
At the end of the day, however, these motives remain just as speculative as the theories behind Andrew and Abby’s death. There is nothing that confirms Lizzie’s burning hatred for her stepmother and her vying for her father’s money beyond a shadow of doubt. Over the years, more theories have branched out about her alleged motives. Some believe that Andrew had killed Lizzie’s pigeons, whom she loved very much, and the murders were an act of anger and revenge on her father. The Netflix series twists this theory to make Abby the murderer of Lizzie’s birds, with her father’s apathy stoking her to make her shocking move. Still, this version of the story, too, remains a conjecture, and the true motive of the murders was likely taken to the grave by the real killer.
Read More: How Rich Was Andrew Borden When He Died? How Rich Was Lizzie Borden?
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