Charles Manson and his family members are some of the most notorious murderers in America. Manson and his followers have been the subject of books, documentaries, movies, and podcasts.
While Manson never actually murdered any of their victims himself (the Manson Family members were the ones who did the dirty work) and also was not there for the Tate-Labianca murders, he was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder and first-degree murder for 7 people.
Here are 4 downright disturbing facts about the Manson murders that will make the hairs on your neck stand up.
Doris Day Saved Her Son Terry Melcher From Becoming A Manson Murder Victim
California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; pictured above is Charles Manson in his mugshot from April of 1968
Doris Day was a famous actress whose only child was her son Terry Melcher, a record producer. She’s been credited with saving her son’s life and preventing him from becoming a Manson murder victim.
At one point, Terry was interested in the music of Charles Manson, but he never ended up offering him a record deal. To top it all off, he cut off all ties to Charles Manson after he saw him get into a fight at Spahn Ranch.
Charles Manson was so enraged by all of this that he sent his followers to Terry Melcher’s house at 10050 Cielo Drive to get revenge on him, but by that point, he had moved out.
Sharon Tate and Roman Polanski had moved in instead, which is how Sharon Tate and her friends ended up being victims of Manson and his followers. They were simply all at the wrong place at the wrong time.
If true crime defines your free time, this is for you: join Chip Chick’s True Crime Tribe.
Mike Love, frontman for the Beach Boys, said in the book he wrote, Good Vibrations: My Life as a Beach Boy, “The move was no accident. Terry, Doris’ only child, was extremely close to his mom.”
“He had told her about Manson – and about some of his scary antics, his brandishing of knives, his zombie followers — and that Manson had been to the house on Cielo and she insisted he move out.”
Sharon Tate Begged For Her Life And For Her Unborn Son’s Life
Public domain; pictured above is Sharon Tate in 1967
Heartbreakingly enough, Sharon Tate pleaded for her life and for her unborn son’s life before being murdered. Family member Susan Atkins testified in court that this was true.
Susan replied to Sharon after she begged for her life with, “Woman, I have no mercy for you.” She later said to the grand jury that she chose those words just to make herself feel better.
Susan stabbed Sharon in the stomach and then she used her own blood to write “pig” on her front door. She later explained that she stabbed Sharon because she was, “sick of listening to her, pleading and begging, begging and pleading.”
California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; pictured above is Susan Atkins in a mugshot from February 16th, 2001
At a parole hearing for Susan in 2000, Debra, Sharon’s sister, read a letter her father had written, “Thirty-one years ago I sat in a courtroom with a jury and watched with others. I saw a young woman who giggled, snickered and shouted out insults; even while testifying about my daughter’s last breath, she laughed. My family was ripped apart. If Susan Atkins is released to rejoin her family, where is the justice?”
Susan was never given parole, and she passed away in 2009 of terminal brain cancer, while still in prison. She showed absolutely no remorse for what she did to Sharon.
One Of Charles Manson’s Sons Took His Own Life
Public domain; pictured above is Charles Manson and Rosalie Jean Willis in 1955
Charles Manson’s first-born son, named Charles Manson Jr., was born in 1956. His mom Rosalie Jean Willis was 15-years-old when she met 20-year-old Charles Manson and worked as a hospital waitress.
The two got married, and a year later Charles Manson Jr. was born. Their marriage pretty quickly fell apart as Charles Manson frequently ended up behind bars, and he was incarcerated while their son was born.
Twitter; pictured above is Charles Manson’s son Jay White with Rosalie Jean Willis
Rosalie was the one who filed for divorce. She then met and married a man named Jack White, who became Charles Manson Jr.’s step-dad.
Charles Manson Jr. ended up changing his name to Jay White, after his stepdad’s last name. On June 29, 1993, Jay White took his own life.
His death certificate states he passed away from a “self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.”
Jay’s own son, Jason Freeman, says he took his life because he couldn’t handle who his father actually was and all of the terrible things he had done. Jason was even bullied by other kids growing up for being the grandson of Charles Manson.
There Might Be A Lot More Victims
Family photo; pictured above is Reet Jurvetson
On several different occasions, Charles Manson and his family members boasted about their being more victims than they were ever found guilty of murdering. The number they threw out was 35.
There is widespread speculation that 19-year-old Reet Jurvetson was one of their victims, given she was murdered just three months after Sharon Tate and her friends were.
Reet was found dead on Mulholland Drive, not far away from where the Tate-Labianca murders took place. Her killer has not yet been determined.
17-year-old Marina Habe is another young woman whose killer is unknown: she was also found dead on Mulholland Drive during the time the family was actively killing. She could also be another potential victim.
California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; pictured above is Charles Manson in June of 2011 at 76 years old