Manson Murders (Story Background)

The Manson Murders

The Manson family’s known victims

On the evening of August 9th 1969, some of the most hideous crimes the world had ever seen took place. The first five murders, later to be called the Manson murders, occurred in a house high above the city of Los Angeles at 10050 Cielo Drive, Beverly Hills. One victim (Steven Parent) was found in his car outside the house and had been shot four times and stabbed once.

Another two victims (Abigail Folger) and (Voytek Frykowski) were found on the front lawn of the Tate estate. Coroner’s reports would later indicate that Abigail had been stabbed twenty-eight times and Voytek was shot twice, struck over the head thirteen times and stabbed fifty-one times. The remaining two bodies (Sharon Tate) and (Jay Sebring) were found inside the house tied together by a rope around their necks, which was hung over a rafter in the ceiling. Sharon, who was eight months pregnant at the time, had died from multiple stab wounds to the chest and back, totaling sixteen. Jay, who was found with Sharon, had been stabbed seven times and shot once. He died of Exsanguination, which is bleeding to death. Neither of the two victims inside had actually died from their hanging.

The next two victims, in what would become known as the LaBianca murders, were found in a home in the Los Feliz section of Los Angeles on August 10th, 1969. (Leno and Rosemary LaBianca) were found stabbed to death in their home at 3301 Waverly Drive. Leno, a grocery store owner, had been stabbed multiple times and a knife and fork were found protruding from his body. The word “WAR” was also carved into his chest. Rosemary, his wife, had been stabbed forty-one times.

In both incidents eerie writings written in blood were left on the walls and surroundings of the homes with phrases such as “Death to Pigs”, “Pigs”, “Rise”, and Helter Skelter misspelled as “Healter Skelter”. Miraculously, police did not initially connect the murders as being related, despite their gruesome similarities.

As to Helter Skelter having been a murder conspiracy, of which he was alleged to have been a part of, Charles Manson, the leader of the cult-group known as “The Family“ and the co-conspirators charged in the killings said:

“Is it a conspiracy that the music is telling the youth to rise up against the establishment because the establishment is rapidly destroying things? Is that a conspiracy? The music speaks to you every day, but you’re too deaf, dumb, and blind to even listen. It is not my conspiracy. It is not my music. I hear what it relates. It says ‘Rise,’ it says ‘Kill.’ Why blame it on me? I didn’t write the music.” – Charles Manson

The other two murders connected to the Tate-LaBianca killings, which lawyers were able to win convictions for, were the murder of Manson Family friend and associate Gary Hinman and ranch hand/stunt man Donald Shea. Although there are theories that the Manson Family was directly connected in other deaths, including those of Family member Christopher Zero and attorney Ronald Hughes, no one was ever charged.

Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders and millions of other books are available for Amazon