Anytime that the name “Charles Manson” is spoken, heads are always guaranteed to turn. He has been a household name for decades, known as one of the most violent criminal masterminds of all time. But where did Charles Manson get this incredibly notoriety, one might ask, boasting that he never actually killed anyone. While this is in fact true, it is the power and control that Manson had over dozens of loyal followers that got him the reputation that still terrifies people to this day. The Manson “Family” was a cult like group of roughly 100 followers that began near San Francisco before eventually taking over Spahn Ranch, a deserted Wild West movie set in the desert of the San Fernando Valley. Manson and his followers shared a passion for an unconventional lifestyle and a frequent use of hallucinogenic drugs. Several of Mansons more dedicated and hard core followers also believed Mansons claims of being Jesus Christ and also his prophecies of a race war. Charles Manson had a passion for music. He himself was a song writer and musician, and even recorded a handful of songs. He was inspired by music, and one song in particular spoke to him on a deep level. The song “Helter Skelter,” written by The Beatles, was thought by Manson to be an incitation to start a race war. He turned to the White Album and its lyrics to justify his plan to lead his dedicated followers to the brutal murder of nine people, one of the most infamous murder sprees in true crime history. On the night of August 8, 1969, four of Mansons followers carried out one of the most brutal murders in American history. The group, led by Tex Watson, broke into the house of Hollywood actress Sharon Tate, and savagely murdered her and three of her friends. The very next night, the group descended on the home of Leno LaBianca and his wife, Rosemary. The couple were murdered in their own home, which was chosen at random. None of these victims had any connection to Charles Manson or any of the Manson Family. The Manson murders gripped the American people in fear due to their brutal nature, and the fact that some of the victims were celebrities. The thought that the female murderers could commit such heinous crimes with no remorse, truly showed just how much power and control that Charlie had over them. The decade of “Free Love” wasn’t so free after all.
