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In Los Angeles
Fall 1967
The Manson family traveled to Los Angeles to live there. Manson tried to make connections in the music world, but his first studio session was a failure. -
Manson Released from Prison
Winter 1967
Charles Manson was released from prison on Terminal Island in March 1967. Manson was 32 and looking at an empty future. -
The Building of the Manson Family
Spring 1967 - Summer 1967
Manson met Mary Brunner. Manson had met her in the spring. Brunner was his first recruit. In the next couple of years, the family expanded with the addition of several women, including Lynette Fromme, Patricia Krenwinkel, Linda Kasabian, Leslie Van Houten and Susan Atkins. -
Manson Fails To Succeed
Spring 1968 - Summer 1968
Manson continued to attempt a music career and continued to fail. The family lived at the home of Beach Boys drummer Dennis Wilson for a while and later finds a home at the Spahn Movie Ranch near Chatsworth. -
Helter Skelter
Fall 1968
Manson became obsessed with The Beatles' new album "The White Album." Within the album, a song was called "Helter Skelter. " Manson co-opted the title of the song for his own purposes. “Something called Helter Skelter would set off a battle,” Guinn wrote, and Manson told his followers that he would save them from worldwide chaos. -
POLITICAL PIGGY
Summer 1969
A follower of Manson, named Bobby Beausoleil, killed acquaintance Gary Hinman and wrote “POLITICAL PIGGY” on a wall with Hinman’s blood. About two weeks later, Beausoleil was booked on murder charges. -
PIG
Summer 1969
Atkins, Krenwinkel, Kasabian and Charles “Tex” Watson went to the Benedict Canyon home of Sharon Tate and Roman Polanski and killed the pregnant 26-year-old actress. They had also killed 4 others named Abigail Folger, Voytek Frykowski, Jay Sebring and Steven Parent. Atkins wrote the word “PIG” on the front door, using a towel dipped in Tate’s blood. -
HEALTER SKELTER
Summer 1969
Van Houten, Watson and Krenwinkel were dispatched to kill Leno and Rosemary LaBianca at their Los Feliz home. They wrote “RISE” and “DEATH TO PIGS” and a misspelling of the Beatles song, “HEALTER SKELTER,” in blood on the walls of the house. -
The End of the Manson Movement?
Fall 1969
Manson had moved to Death Valley. Later in October, he and some of his followers were arrested on suspicion of auto theft. -
Charges and Trial
Fall 1969
Manson, Watson, Atkins, Kasabian and Krenwinkel were indicted on murder and conspiracy charges in the Tate killings; they were also indicted, along with Van Houten, in the LaBianca murders. Kasabian eventually became a star witness for the prosecution. The trial for Manson, Atkins, Krenwinkel and Van Houten then started in June 1970 -
Was It Worth It?
Winter 1971
A jury found all of the defendants guilty. A few weeks later, Manson, Krenwinkel and Atkins were sentenced to death. Van Houten was sentenced to death in connection with the LaBianca murders. Watson was tried separately in 1971 and was also found guilty and sentenced to death. All of the death sentences were commuted to life in prison after California abolished the death penalty in 1972. -
Overturned Conviction
Summer 1976
Van Houten’s conviction was overturned. She was later retried two more times. At the third trial, she was convicted of two counts of murder and one count of conspiracy to commit murder. -
Atkins Passes Away
Summer 2009
Atkins died in prison at the age of 61. -
Manson Passes Away
Fall 2017
Manson died in prison at the age of 83. -
No Parole, No Life
Present Day
Since 1991, Beausoleil, Krenwinkel, Watson and Van Houten have repeatedly been denied parole.