Charles Milles Manson -The Victims | Part 3

Charles Milles Manson was pretty determined he was going to be a famous musician after taking up the guitar in prison, and he gathered a following to him, completely believing his contacts would give him the leg up he needed. Manson and some of his followers moved to Spahn Ranch, just northwest of the San Fernando Valley, where his cult eventually became known as The Family.

The Family -Charles Milles Manson

It began in San Fransisco, where he met Mary Brunner, and later Lynette Fromme. The Family played music, took drugs, and listened to Manson’s ideas and prophetic declarations. Manson and his followers offered to help take care of Spahn ranch in exchange for being allowed to stay on the property. The Ranch had been a popular filming location but with changes in the industry, it wasn’t being used as much and was becoming run down.

Manson was particularly skilled and manipulating people but he also suffered from delusions. He took an interest in Scientology, and churches like The Church of Final Judgement. Coming to believe that the song Helter Skelter by The Beatles predicted the future. A future that would involve a race war and his followers being safe in an underground City of Gold. But it didn’t happen and Manson decided The Family needed to show the blacks how to do it. This is why the first murders were staged to look like the Black Panther’s had committed the crime. And why all the victims were white. But there were also personal reasons for the victims he chose.

Victims

Whilst it is speculated that Manson and his followers were responsible for at least 35 murders, the following are the ones there is a certainty of. Directing four of his followers to the address of Sharon Tate, which was the home rented out by the music producer, Terry Melcher, who had denied Manson a recording contract several years earlier. The following night Manson took three of his followers to another address and directed them to murder those inside, it was the LaBianca home.

  • Hinman
  • Sharon Tate, her unborn child, Wojciech Frykowski and his partner Abigail Folger, Jay Sebring, and William Garretson
  • Steven Parent
  • Leno and Rosemary LaBianca
Charles Manson Early Years | Helterskelter

We`re not in Wonderland anymore, Alice.

Charles Manson

The Trial

Manson was caught in December of ’69 along with a number of his followers and arrested in relation to vandalism in Death Valley National Park. A confession from Susan Atkins, held on suspicion for the murder of Gary Hinman, led detectives to link Manson with the murders. The trial began the following July. In January 1971, Manson was found guilty of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. He was sentenced to death.

Manson actually released an album whilst undergoing trial, called Lie, in an effort to raise money for his defence.

But in 1972 the California Supreme Court outlawed the death penalty, saving Manson from his fate. Despite 12 attempts at parole he was denied each time and spent the rest of his life behind bars, dying at the age of 83.

Read Part 1 here and part 2 here

For the purposes of the Charles Manson series of posts, these were the online resources used [08/2019]: (1) Lynette Alice ‘Squeaky’ Fromme https://www.thoughtco.com/lynette-alice-squeaky-fromme-972729. (2) Charles Manson Biography https://www.biography.com/crime-figure/charles-manson. (3) Biography of Charles Manson, Mass Murderer https://www.thoughtco.com/charles-manson-cult-leader-serial-killer-1779365. (4) Charles Manson Quotes on Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/150550.Charles_Manson. (5) All the actors who’ve played Charles Manson https://www.insider.com/charles-manson-hollywood-portrayals-tv-movies-2019-7#matt-smith-was-unrecognizable-as-manson-in-the-2018-film-charlie-says-8. (6) 12 Actors Who Have Played Charles Manson https://www.thewrap.com/actors-played-charles-manson-movies-tv-steve-railsback-evan-peters/. (7) The Best Sharon Tate and Charles Manson Movies in 2019 https://www.oprahmag.com/entertainment/tv-movies/a27687750/charles-manson-sharon-tate-movies/. (8) Charles Manson -Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Manson#/media/File:FolsomStatePrison.jpg.