Helter Skelter

Possible Motive for the Charles Manson Murders…

The famous “Helter Skelter” door was evidence of the term’s supposed importance to the “Manson Family”. On the lower portion of the door it ads “[Helter Skelter] Is Coming Down Fast.

The “Helter Skelter” race war theory is today recognized as the establishment’s most likely motive of the Tate and Labianca murders of 1969, or more commonly referenced simply as the “Manson Murders”. The theory, and keep in mind that’s all it is, is the brainchild of Los Angeles County Assistant District attorney Vincent Bugliosi and supported the entire trial and conviction of Charles Manson and several members of what Bugliosi also called “The Family.” There also remains loads of testimony from various family members that confirmed Manson talked about Helter Skelter constantly.

Charles Tex Watson, the man who physically committed nearly all of the murders, allegedly told Manson when they returned from their bloody crimes:

“Boy, it sure was Helter Skelter.” – Charles Watson

In his book “Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders,” one of the bestselling true crime books in history, Bugliosi believed that Helter Skelter represented a coming race war where African Americans would rise up and go to war with White America.

Bugliosi would successfully convince not only the jurors in the trial, but the entire nation, that the coming of Helter Skelter, which Charles Manson believed, was being revealed to him by the Beatles in their White album song titled Helter Skelter which has lyrics that directed messages to Charlie to prepare for its coming. According to Bugliosi, Manson believed that the Beatles were communicating to him through the music and were warning him of the coming Helter Skelter, said in lyrics to be “coming down fast” and to “look out” for Helter Skelter. Supporting some of this Manson himself while on trial stated:

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 are too deaf, dumb, and blind to even listen to the music. . . 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

According to Bugliosi, Manson would, like a religious prophet, speak to his followers that Helter Skelter was coming and that Manson and his followers, with forewarning, would hide in a cave somewhere in Death Valley while the entire white civilization was slaughtered, and that once the African American’s took over the world, they would need help running it, because although they would have what it takes to defeat the white man, they would not have the ability to rule, and that this is exactly where Charles and his group of followers would come in; they would all rise from the underground and show the “black man” or “blackie” how “whitey” could do it. Helter Skelter was in fact used heavily by the Manson family and there was certainly substance to this theory along with lots of evidence to suggest it; Bugliosi had to put it all together and present it to the jury, which he did successfully.

Susan Atkins, another major participant in the crimes remembered, “Charlie obtained The Beatles’ so-called White Album in late 1968. It had a tremendous impact on our lives, especially Charlie’s. One night when many of us were playing records and listening to the album, Charlie said, “They’re speaking to me.”

“Charlie was preaching constantly about the end of the world and the need to flee into the country, specifically the desert.” – Susan Atkins

According to convicted murderer Tex Watson:

“Manson became impatient after his race war failed to materialize. He told his followers that they needed to give the war a kick – to do what Blackie didn’t have the energy or the smarts to do – ignite Helter Skelter and bring in Charlie’s kingdom.

The Helter Skelter race war theory today remains the most commonly believed version of why the Manson murders of 1969 took place.