The Tate-LaBianca Murders: Horror In Hollywood
Charles Manson: Abandoned Child to Psychopathic Adult
Charles Milles Manson was born to 16-year-old Kathleen Maddox on an unknown day in 1934. She didn't give him a name, so she called him No-Name Maddox. Because she couldn't remember the day she delivered him, she gave him the birthday of November 11, 1934, which was Armistice Day, later to be renamed Veteran's Day. When he was a young child, his mother became a roaring alcoholic. Once, she even pawned him off so she could get alcohol! His step-father gave him the name Charles Milles Manson, bequeathing his last name. By the time Charles was around 13, he already had a rap sheet, and a very long one at that. His offenses ranged from armed robbery to petty theft, and he had already spent much of his young life behind bars or in various homes. When he was finally released in the early 1960s, he claimed that he did not want to leave prison because it was all that he knew. He was released anyway, was delivered to the coast of Washington, and relocated to San Francisco, where he met Mary Brunner. Mary Brunner, later nicknamed Mother Mary, was a library assistant when she met Charles Manson. She helped him draw in the first Family members in the Haight-Ashbury district in San Francisco. It is rumored that Angela Lansbury's daughter almost became a member of the Manson Family, until her parents retrieved her out of fear for their daughter's safety.
Victims of August 9th: Ranging From Fortune Heiress and Hollywood Starlet to Average Teen Raising Money For College
Charles Manson's victims included Folgers Coffee fortune heiress Abigail Anne "Gibby" Folger, her lover and friend of Roman Polanski's, Voytek Frykowski, famous actress Sharon Tate-Polanski, her friend and famous hair-stylist Jay Sebring, and a young salesman Steven Parent. Voytek Frykowski was a long time friend of famous director Roman Polanski, and Frykowski was Abigail Folger's secret lover. Jay Sebring, a noted hair-stylist to the stars, was a previous boyfriend/fiancee of Sharon's before she married Roman, and they remained friends. Steven Parent was trying to sell a radio in order to make money for college, and was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Sharon Tate-Polanski, a beautiful blonde starlet, was 8 1/2 months pregnant when she was killed. She begged her slayer to let her live long enough to have her baby, then they could kill her. The assassin said, "Bitch, I have no mercy for you." Tate's ex-boyfriend, Jay Sebring, was murdered next to her. A towel was thrown over his head, leading investigators to believe that he had been horribly disfigured. To their relief, when they pulled off the towel, his face was as a human's should look, with the exception of being bloodied and battered. Abigail "Gibby" Folger, heiress to the Folger's coffee fortune, was in love with Voytek Frykowski, and he introduced her to Roman Polanski, a childhood friend, and Roman's wife, Sharon Tate. Through Sharon, they met Jay Sebring, and the group quickly became friends. At the time of the murders, Roman was filming in Europe, and asked Gibby and Voytek to stay with Sharon until his return in time for their son, who was to be named Paul Richard, to be born. It is believed that Gibby's last words were the chilling "You can stop now. I'm already dead." The total number of wounds to all five of the victims of that night was 102. The grisly scene was discovered the next day by the Polanski's housekeeper, Winifred Chapman. When officers arrived on the scene, even the more experienced ones had to go outside to relieve themselves of their breakfasts. Sharon Tate's father, Colonel Paul Tate, came to the crime scene after it was shown on the news, and recognized one of the cars parked in the driveway. He also recognized the two bodies on the front lawn as being friends of his daughter's. He did not, however, recognize the body in the Rambler parked in the driveway.
August 10th, 1969: Ordinary People, Ordinary Victims
The day after the brutal massacre on the residents of 10050 Cielo Drive, while the police were investigating one murder, another plan was being finalized. Charlie and some of his followers were going to drive to a suburban neighborhood in Los Feliz, "creepy crawl" the house, and if someone was there, kill them. They were originally going to invade the house next to the final location, but when they looked in the window, they saw pictures of children. Charlie, being fond of children, decided to spare those residents and move to the property next door, 3301 Waverly Drive. Once they had entered, the intruders were faced with the owner of the house, Leno LaBianca. He was sitting in a chair in the living room, reading that day's paper. When he asked who they were, one answered that they were "there to do the devil's work". In total, he was the victim of 34 wounds, not including the fork protruding from his neck or the word "War" carved into his torso. He was bound with a leather thong, and was discovered lying face up. The group split up, some staying with Leno, while others went to different rooms in the estate. In the master bedroom, Rosemary LaBianca had been in bed. Hearing her husband speak and the brutality inflicted on him, she stayed in bed. When a few of the girls came into the room, she asked them what was going on. They assured her that she would not be harmed. By the end of the night, she had 41 wounds, many of which had caused damage to internal organs. The total number of wounds that Leno and Rosemary LaBianca received at the end of it all was 67. The brutality did not end there. Rosemary also was found with the cord from a lamp wrapped around her neck, lying face-down on the floor. They were discovered the next morning by Rosemary's children, Suzanne and Frank Struthers, and Suzanne's boyfriend.