Charles Manson, Serial Killer and Cult Leader, Dies at 83
Charles Manson, the infamous leader of the 1960s murderous cult, has passed away.
There are only a few names that could strike fear into the hearts of Americans, and one of them is Charles Manson. Back in the 60s, cult leader Manson along with his followers committed a series of murders in the Los Angeles area, shocking what is then a conservative period in America. And now, the notorious murderer has died due to natural causes on Sunday, Nov. 19. He was 83 at the time of his death.
Manson had been serving nine life terms at the California State Prison in Corcoran, and it has been revealed that the 83-year-old had been suffering from various health problems in the last few years and was even hospitalized back in January due to gastrointestinal bleeding.
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Bearing a tattoo of a swastika on his forehead, Charles Manson's name has become synonymous with evil. Having been in and out of jail since he was a child, Manson had orchestrated one of the most heinous crimes the US had ever seen. Back in 1969, Los Angeles had been gripped by terror after a series of murders committed on seven of the city's rich and wealthy which would include rising star Sharon Tate, director Roman Polanski's wife, who was pregnant when she was stabbed 16 times by members of the "Manson Family." Polanski was out of the country when the murders took place.
For many, Charles Manson's death has brought back terrible memories of the past. But for Debra Tate, Sharon's sister, Manson's death will not provide the closure that she wants because his followers are still alive. "Charlie was the least of my worries. He did set all of this in motion but it's the hands of all the other members that are all still very much alive and rallying to get out of prison who decided how ugly and how heinous these acts were going to be. So in my mind he was the lesser of my concerns," she says.
Manson's followers, Charles "Tex" Watson, Susan Atkins and Patricia Krenwinkel, had been the ones who had stabbed Sharon Tate while Linda Kasabian served as the lookout. Atkins had earlier died of cancer while in jail while the rest are still behind bars except for Kasabian who was given immunity after agreeing to testify.
