What Happened to Charles Manson? Why Did Charles Manson Do? How Did Charles Manson Die?
by Harini
Updated Jul 12, 2023
Who Was Charles Manson?
Charles Milles Manson, born on November 12, 1934, and died on November 19, 2017, was an American criminal and musician who gained notoriety as the leader of the Manson Family, a cult based in California during the late 1960s. Under Manson's influence, some members of the cult carried out a series of murders in July and August 1969 at multiple locations.
The crimes included the deaths of at least nine individuals, including the actress Sharon Tate. In 1971, Manson was convicted of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder for his role in these killings.
Prior to his involvement with the Manson Family, Manson had spent a significant portion of his life in correctional institutions due to various criminal activities. As he gathered a following, Manson also pursued a career in music as a singer-songwriter. He had a tenuous connection to the Los Angeles music industry, primarily through his chance association with Dennis Wilson of the Beach Boys.
Through Wilson, Manson was introduced to record producer Terry Melcher. In 1968, the Beach Boys recorded one of Manson's songs titled "Cease to Exist," which was later released as "Never Learn Not to Love" without crediting Manson. Despite these connections, Manson's attempts to secure a record contract through Melcher were unsuccessful.
During his time with the Manson Family, Manson frequently referenced the Beatles and their eponymous 1968 album, also known as "The White Album." According to the prosecution led by Vincent Bugliosi, the Los Angeles County District Attorney, Manson interpreted the Beatles' lyrics in a way that influenced his ideology.
He adopted the term "Helter Skelter" to describe his belief in an impending apocalyptic race war. Bugliosi argued during Manson's trial that he intended to incite this race war, although Manson and others disputed this claim. Some contemporary interviews and trial witness testimonies suggested that the Tate-LaBianca murders were copycat crimes aimed at exonerating Manson's friend Bobby Beausoleil. Manson himself denied having given explicit instructions to anyone to commit murder.
Charles Manson's criminal activities and the horrific acts committed by his followers remain a disturbing chapter in American history. The complex motivations behind his actions, including his interpretation of music and his desire to incite chaos, continue to be subjects of analysis and debate.
Name
Charles Manson
Born
Charles Milles Maddox
Date of Birth
November 12, 1934
Place of Birth
Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
Died
November 19, 2017 (aged 83)
Place of Death
Bakersfield, California, U.S.
Known for
Manson Family murders
Spouses
Rosalie Willis (married 1955; divorced 1958)
Candy Stevens (m. 1959–1963)
Children
3
Criminal Penalty
Death; commuted to life imprisonment
What Happened to Charles Manson?
Charles Manson, born on November 12, 1934, in Cincinnati, Ohio, and passed away on November 19, 2017, in Kern County, California, was an American criminal and cult leader. He is infamous for orchestrating a series of notorious murders in the late 1960s, which became the subject of the best-selling book "Helter Skelter" (1974) and are commonly referred to as the Tate murders.
Manson's early life was marked by a turbulent upbringing. Born to a 16-year-old mother, he never knew his father. When his mother was imprisoned for armed robbery, Manson was placed under the care of his aunt and uncle in West Virginia. However, he experienced a troubled youth and had frequent encounters with the law.
His criminal activities included offenses such as petty larceny, armed robbery, burglary, and auto theft, leading to multiple stints in juvenile reformatories and prison starting from the age of nine.
After his release from prison in 1967, Manson relocated to San Francisco, where he attracted a small but dedicated group of followers from the city's bohemian youth culture. By 1968, he had assumed leadership of the "Family," a communal religious cult centered around his idiosyncratic teachings.
Manson's teachings drew inspiration from science fiction, the occult, and fringe psychology. He propagated a vision of an impending apocalyptic race war that would leave his Family in a position of power and authority.
The extent of Manson's influence over his followers became evident in 1969 when the Family carried out a series of murders according to his orders. The most prominent victim was actress Sharon Tate, the wife of film director Roman Polanski, who was brutally killed in her Los Angeles home along with three other individuals.
The ensuing trial of Manson and his followers in 1970 garnered significant national attention. Although Manson was initially sentenced to death in 1971, the abolition of capital punishment in California in 1972 commuted his sentence to life in prison. He became eligible for parole in 1978 but was repeatedly denied release in subsequent hearings.
The heinous crimes committed by Manson and his followers left a lasting impact on popular culture. Numerous books and films, both documentary and fictional, have been inspired by these events. In addition to "Helter Skelter," co-written by the prosecuting attorney of Manson's trial, notable works include "Manson: The Life and Times of Charles Manson" (2013) by Jeff Guinn and "Member of the Family: My Story of Charles Manson, Life Inside His Cult, and the Darkness That Ended the Sixties" (2017) by Dianne Lake, a former member of Manson's Family.
Various adaptations for film and television, such as "Helter Skelter" (1976) and Quentin Tarantino's fictional "Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood" (2019), as well as documentaries like "Manson Speaks: Inside the Mind of a Madman" (2017), "Inside the Manson Cult: The Lost Tapes" (2018), and the miniseries "Helter Skelter: An American Myth" (2020), have explored and recounted the Manson saga.
What did Charles Manson do?
Charles Manson's motivations and the reasons behind his heinous actions have been the subject of extensive analysis and speculation. While it is challenging to fully comprehend the mind of a criminal like Manson, several factors shed light on the possible reasons for his actions.
Throughout his life, Manson endured a troubled upbringing and had a turbulent relationship with authority. Raised by a teenage mother who was imprisoned for armed robbery, he spent much of his early years in and out of correctional facilities for various crimes. This exposure to a delinquent lifestyle and the criminal justice system likely shaped his worldview and influenced his perspective on society.
After his release from prison in 1967, Manson found solace within the countercultural atmosphere of San Francisco. He attracted a small group of followers, mostly disenchanted young people seeking alternative lifestyles. Manson's charisma, combined with his eccentric religious teachings, drawn from a mixture of science fiction, occultism, and fringe psychology, appealed to those searching for meaning and guidance in a chaotic world.
Manson preached the imminent arrival of an apocalyptic race war, which he called "Helter Skelter." He claimed that this war would devastate society, leading to the collapse of established institutions, and his "Family" would rise as the dominant force in the aftermath. This distorted belief system, fueled by a desire for power and control, shaped Manson's manipulative tactics and the hold he had over his followers.
The brutal murders committed by Manson's followers were seen as acts to incite this impending race war. By orchestrating these killings, he aimed to provoke chaos, fear, and a sense of impending doom in society. These acts of violence were intended to fuel racial tensions and inspire further conflict, according to Manson's twisted ideology.
Additionally, it is crucial to consider Manson's craving for fame and recognition. The media's fascination with his crimes and the subsequent trial granted Manson a platform to amplify his distorted worldview. His charismatic and manipulative nature allowed him to maintain a level of control over his followers, fostering an environment of blind devotion and obedience.
Ultimately, the complex motivations behind Charles Manson's actions involve a combination of personal experiences, distorted beliefs, a desire for power, and a craving for notoriety. Understanding why he did what he did requires delving into the depths of a disturbed mind that sought to disrupt society and gain control through acts of unspeakable violence.
How did Charles Manson Die?
Charles Manson's death was the result of a series of health complications he faced in the early part of 2017. Medical professionals discovered that Manson was experiencing gastrointestinal bleeding, which led to his hospitalization.
Despite his deteriorating health, Manson managed to survive until November of that year. On November 15, he was transferred to a hospital in Bakersfield, California, as his condition worsened, indicating that his life was nearing its end.
As expected, Manson passed away in the hospital on November 19. The cause of his death was attributed to cardiac arrest and respiratory failure. The underlying factor that contributed to these complications was the presence of cancer that had spread to various parts of his body, including his colon.
In essence, Charles Manson's demise was a direct consequence of the advanced stage of cancer he had been battling. With his passing, one of the most infamous criminals of the 20th century came to an end. However, thanks largely to Afton Burton, a woman closely associated with Manson, the story surrounding his death took on further twists and turns, extending the ongoing saga of Charles Manson beyond his demise.
Charles Manson Cause of Death
Charles Manson, the notorious cult leader who orchestrated a series of gruesome murders in 1969, died on November 19, 2017, at the age of 83. According to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Manson died of natural causes at a hospital in Kern County, California. He had been serving a life sentence at the California State Prison in Corcoran since 1971.
Manson had a history of health problems, including gastrointestinal bleeding, colon cancer, and heart failure. He was hospitalized several times in the months before his death, but was deemed too weak to undergo surgery. He also suffered from dementia, paranoia, and auditory hallucinations. His condition deteriorated rapidly in his final days, and he was pronounced dead at 8:13 p.m. on November 19.
Manson's death marked the end of a notorious criminal saga that shocked and fascinated the world for decades. Manson was the mastermind behind the murders of seven people, including actress Sharon Tate, who was pregnant at the time.
He and his followers, known as the "Manson Family", believed that the killings would trigger a race war that they called "Helter Skelter", after a Beatles song. Manson was convicted of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder in 1971, along with four of his followers. He was initially sentenced to death, but his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment after California abolished the death penalty in 1972.
What Happened to Charles Manson? FAQ
Manson's troubled upbringing, criminal history, and desire for power and control likely contributed to his motivations. His distorted beliefs in an impending race war and his manipulation of vulnerable followers played a significant role in the heinous acts he orchestrated.
Manson's death was the result of natural causes. He suffered from various health issues, including gastrointestinal bleeding, colon cancer, heart failure, and dementia. He passed away on November 19, 2017, at a hospital in Kern County, California.
According to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Manson died of natural causes. He had a combination of health problems, including gastrointestinal bleeding, colon cancer, and heart failure, which ultimately led to his demise.
Charles Manson was an American criminal and cult leader who gained infamy for orchestrating a series of gruesome murders in the late 1960s. He formed a cult known as the Manson Family and manipulated his followers into committing violent acts, including the murders of several individuals, including actress Sharon Tate
Before forming the Manson Family, Manson had a troubled background marked by a turbulent upbringing and multiple encounters with the law. He spent much of his early years in and out of correctional facilities for crimes such as petty larceny, armed robbery, burglary, and auto theft. His exposure to a delinquent lifestyle and the criminal justice system likely influenced his worldview and contributed to his criminal behavior later in life.