On this date in 1969, members of Charles Manson’s “family” murdered five people at the Los Angeles home of actress Sharon Tate. The victims included Tate (who was eight months pregnant), hair stylist Jay Sebring, coffee heiress Abigail Folger, Polish actor/writer Wojciech Frykowski, and recent high school graduate Steven Parent. Three of the victims were friends of Tate and her husband, director Roman Polanski. Polanski was in Europe filming a movie at the time of the murders. The fifth victim, Steven Parent, had the misfortune of visiting the home’s caretaker (who was staying in an adjacent cottage) on the night of the murder. He was intercepted by the Mansonites as he was leaving the property.
The victims were all shot and/or stabbed by Manson followers Charles “Tex” Watson, Susan Watkins, and Patricia Krenwinkle while Linda Kasabian stood watch. After the murders, Atkins wrote “pig” on the front door of the house using Sharon Tate’s blood.
The following night, the four killers, along with two other Manson followers, Leslie Van Houten and Steve “Clem” Grogan, would murder Leno and Rosemary LaBianca. Manson would actually accompany the murderers to the scene this time, but left the dirty work to his minions.
When police finally caught up to Manson and his crew, they convinced Linda Kasabian, who hadn’t actually committed any of the murders, to testify against the other members of the family. All of the defendants were ultimately convicted. They are all currently incarcerated in California, except for Grogan, who was paroled in 1985, and Atkins, who died in prison in 2009. Linda Kasabian returned to her native New Hampshire after the trial.
Further reading:
Crime Museum – Charles Manson and the Manson Family
Find-a-Death – The Death of Sharon Tate and the Manson Murders
Reblogged this on Brittius.
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Thanks.
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You’re welcome.
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Reblogged this on ' Ace History News ' and commented:
I remember this story really well nice post John as always regards Ian 👌
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Thank you.
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Probably the definitive book on the Manson killings is Helter Skelter, by Vincent Bugliosi. Bugliosi, who died a few months ago, prosecuted Manson, Susan Atkins, and all the people involved in the murders. The book also goes into the killings that occurred later, such as Shorty Shea. I highly recommend it.
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If memory serves, that book also inspired a TV movie with Steve Railsback as Manson.
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I know it was a TV movie or a miniseries, but I never saw it. I can only take so much cleaned-up Hollywood fake-hippie-poseur dialogue and sitar music.
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John D.:
MY reply of your previous post makes me wanna say “Well, speak of the devil”.
😉
And yes, Helter Skelter is a good account.
Someone needs to do a PROPER film or miniseries on this heinous crime…I agree.
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NBC has a show called Aquarius that takes place a couple years before these murders. Manson is a major character in the show. It’s a highly fictionalized account, but it’s entertaining.
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