(California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation via AP, File)
Charles Manson, a man synonymous with evil, was admitted to the hospital back in January for an intestinal issue but was later returned to prison. A few days ago he was readmitted to Mercy hospital in Bakersville.
News has now come via Debra Tate, sister of Sharon Tate, that the cult leader and mass killer is dead at the age of 83 from natural causes. She received a call at 8:13 pm on Sunday with the news, according to TMZ.
Here’s a look back at the life of the infamous cult leader.
The Early Years
Born in Cincinnati on November 12, 1934, no one had a clue that the bouncing baby boy named Charles Milles Maddox would one day be considered one of the evilest and manipulative men on earth. His mother, Kathleen Maddox, a 16-year-old alcoholic prostitute, was briefly married to his father, William Manson. As they ended the marriage young Charles was shipped off to a boys’ school. After he ran back home to his mother, who wanted nothing to do with him, he soon was living on the street and committing small crimes to get by. As a young teen, he was in and out of jail for anything from pimping to theft. He also served time for raping a fellow prisoner.
The Manson Family
Strangely charismatic and a talented musician, Manson easily built a new family out of people who were interested in Manson’s special brand of crazy. His followers became known as the “Manson Family”. At one point the family had over a hundred members.
Musician
Manson tried to make a go of it in the music industry and even sold a few of his songs. The Beach Boys recorded his song “Cease to Exist” which was renamed “Never Learn Not to Love”. It appeared on on their 1969 album.
The Tate-LaBianca Murders
On the night of August 8-9, 1969, Manson rode with “Family” members Tex Watson, Susan Atkins, Linda Kasabian, and Patricia Krenwinkel to the home of director Roman Polanski was out of town the night of the murders. Manson’s followers entered the home where they slaughtered Polanski’s wife actress Sharon Tate, who was eight and a half months pregnant, and her friends Jay Sebring, Wojciech Frykowski, Abigail Folger, and Steven Parent. Their goal, to begin “Helter Skelter”, a race war. The victims were not only killed but tortured as well and their blood used to paint “Death to pigs” and other statements on the walls of the home.
On the next night, Manson and Family members Watson, Leslie Van Houten, and Krenwinkel went to the home of supermarket executive Leno LaBianca where they brutally killed Leno and his wife Rosemary.
Manson planned to leave the wallet he stole from Tate in a rough neighborhood hoping that an African American would try to use the credit cards inside it making police and the press believe that the murders were part of a robbery gone bad and kick off a race war. He never was able to put this plan into action. Instead, he and several family members were arrested.
Family member Susan Atkins confessed in court that there was a list that included the names of several other celebrities they planned to kill including Elizabeth Taylor and her husband Richard Burton, Frank Sinatra, Steve McQueen and Tom Jones.
Charles Manson is escorted on his way back to jail after court arraignment in Los Angeles, Ca., Dec. 22, 1969. (AP Photo)
A Death Sentence
The leader of the notorious Manson Family cult was sentenced to death for his connection to the Tate-LaBianca murders. In 1972 his sentence was changed to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Since the time of his conviction, Manson has been far from a model prisoner. He has been cited for possession of weapons several times, possessing cell phones, and assault.
Other Crimes
Besides, murder, burglary, forgery, theft, assault and other crimes committed by Manson’s cult, law officials believe there are several victims of the “Family” buried on the property dubbed “Spahn Ranch” where the cult lived, killed at the command of Manson.
Manson’s Real Family
During Manson’s life, he did have another family, a real family. His first marriage produced a son, Charles Manson Jr. who committed suicide in the 90’s. His second marriage also produced a son, Charles Luther Manson.
In a 2013 interview with Rolling Stone Magazine, Afton Burton who goes by the name Star revealed that she was engaged to Manson and in November of 2014 the couple obtained a marriage license, but the two were never married.
Normally we would say rest in peace when someone dies, but Charles Manson has not earned that privilege. The world is better off without him.
