Making History Come Alive Newsletter-The Tate-LaBianca murders were a series of infamous killings that occurred in Los Angeles, California, in August 1969.
These murders were carried out by members of the Manson Family, a cult led by Charles Manson. The events surrounding these murders not only shocked the nation but also marked a significant turning point in American culture and the perception of the counterculture movement of the 1960s.
Background
- Charles Manson: Manson was a charismatic figure who had gained a following among disaffected youth in California. He espoused a philosophy that mixed elements of various ideologies, including apocalyptic beliefs and a desire for a race war, which he referred to as "Helter Skelter," a term he borrowed from a Beatles song.
- The Manson Family: This group comprised a mix of young men and women, many of whom were runaways or had come from troubled backgrounds. They lived communally and were heavily influenced by Manson’s manipulative leadership and his often drug-fueled lifestyle.
The Tate Murders
- Date: The Tate murders took place on the night of August 8-9, 1969.
- Victims: The most notable victim was actress Sharon Tate, who was eight months pregnant at the time. She was at her home in Beverly Hills with several friends, including celebrity hairstylist Jay Sebring, actress Abigail Folger, Wojciech Frykowski, and Steven Parent.
- Incident: On the night of the murders, Manson ordered several of his followers, including Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel, and Leslie Van Houten, to carry out the killings. The intruders brutally murdered all five victims, inflicting multiple stab wounds. Tate was famously tied up and asked to call out for her mother before being killed. The brutality of the murders shocked the nation.
The LaBianca Murders
- Date: The LaBianca murders occurred the following night, on August 10, 1969.
- Victims: Leno and Rosemary LaBianca were a couple who lived in Los Angeles. They were targeted by Manson's followers as part of the ongoing violence he incited.
- Incident: Manson accompanied some of his followers to the LaBianca home, where they killed the couple in a similarly brutal manner. The killers used knives and inflicted numerous stab wounds. In a grotesque display, they wrote messages on the walls in the victims' blood, including "Death to Pigs”.