Charles Manson

Charles Manson (1934-2017) was a notorious criminal and cult leader. In 1969, he orchestrated the Tate-LaBianca murders, in which members of his “Family” murdered seven people over two nights, including actress Sharon Tate, celebrity hairstylist Jay Sebring, and Leno LaBianca, who owned a local grocery chain. 

According to Vincent Bugliosi, the Deputy District Attorney for the Los Angeles County who went on to write the best-selling true crime book Helter Skelter based on this case, Manson used lyrics from the Beatles White Album to convince his followers to commit the gruesome crimes, with a goal of jumpstarting a race war. 

The crimes had a chilling effect in Los Angeles, particularly among members of the Laurel Canyon scene, into which Manson had somewhat successfully ingratiated himself. In the years since, much doubt has been cast on Bugliosi’s theory, and multiple former members of the “Family” have come forward to tell their stories about their time with Manson and the crimes committed.