The Manson Family murders were a series of brutal killings committed by Charles Manson and his followers in 1969. Manson, born Charles Milles Maddox on November 12, 1934, in Cincinnati, Ohio, had a history of manipulation, controlling behavior, and mental illness, including schizophrenia and paranoid delusional behavior.

Early Life and Crimes

Manson was sent to reform school at age 12 for stealing and spent the next 20 years in and out of reform schools and prison for various crimes. In 1967, he was released from prison and moved to San Francisco, where he attracted a group of followers.

In July 1969, Manson follower Bobby Beausoleil killed music teacher Gary Hinman, and in August 1969, Manson’s followers brutally murdered five people at the Benedict Canyon home of film director Roman Polanski, including Polanski’s pregnant wife, actress Sharon Tate.

Arrests and Trials

Manson and several of his followers were arrested in October 1969 on suspicion of auto theft. In November 1969, Manson Family member Susan Atkins told an inmate that she had killed Tate, and in December 1969, Manson, Atkins, and other followers were indicted for the murders.

The trial began in June 1970, and in January 1971, the jury found all the defendants guilty. Manson, Atkins, and other followers received the death penalty, which was later commuted to life in prison when California abolished the death penalty in 1972.

Aftermath

Over the years, several of Manson’s followers have been denied parole, including Patricia Krenwinkel and Leslie Van Houten. Charles Manson died in prison in 2017 at the age of 83.

Original reporting: KRDO (Colorado Springs metro) — read the source article.