Chaos: The Manson Murders
This article contains address to murder and graphic furiousness .
Netflix ’s crime documentary film , Chaos : The Manson Murders , offers new insight into some of the most notorious murders in American history and those who were a part of Charles Manson ’s murderous rage . Adapted from the 2019 book , CHAOS : Charles Manson , the CIA , and the Secret History of the Sixtiesby Tom O’Neill , the documentary explores the mindset of Manson and his ability to manipulate immature people into committing slaying in Los Angeles throughout the late 1960s . TheNetflix offense documentarygives a newfangled view on the lifestyle of the Manson Family and the infamous Tate - LaBianca execution that were orchestrated by Manson .
During his life story , Manson used his interest in singing and songwriting to appeal youthful people ; before the Tate - LaBianca murders in 1969 , Manson had drop more than half his life in prison and , during his fourth dimension incarcerated , he teach how to easily enamour young people into believing his prophecy . Throughout the 1960s , Charles Manson and his gang invest a twine of flagitious law-breaking , withthe Manson Family ’s crime fling entrust at least nine mass dead , include Hollywood actress , Sharon Tate . Charles Manson kick the bucket in prison in 2014 , but as shown in Netflix ’s documentary , his crimes impart a lasting impression on society .
1Patricia Krenwinkel (Incarcerated)
Convicted Of First Degree Murder In The Tate-LaBianca Murders
Patricia Krenwinkel cope with Charles Manson in 1967 and accompany him across America in an sometime bus over the next 18 calendar month until they settled at Spahn Ranch . Known as " Katie " during her meter in the Manson Family , Krenwinkel was involved inthe Tate murders that took piazza at 10050 Cielo Drivein Los Angeles on August 9 , 1969 . InChaos : The Manson Murders , Krenwinkel reveals in an audience that she chased Abigail Folger out of the planetary house " with an lifted knife " and stabbed her to death . Krenwinkel recall how Folger stated " I ’m already dead " as she was being jab .
2Charles “Tex” Watson (Incarcerated)
Charles Watson , known as " Tex " during his time with Manson , was described by his house as an honor student who " had everything blend for him " before he lead off ill-treat drugs in 1966 ( viaCielo Drive ) . Watson was involved inthe shooting of Berard Crowe , after scamming him out of money intended for drugs . Watson participate in both the Tate and LaBianca murder and help Manson in tie up Leno and Rosemary LaBianca before their expiry ; Watson reportedly stated to one of his slaying dupe , Wojciech Frykowski , that " I ’m the Prince of Darkness , I ’m here to do the devil ’s business " ( viaPoorStuart ) .
Susan Atkins and Tex Watson were two of the primal members of the Manson Family , and here is what come about to them after the Manson Family murders .
After a legal battle that included extradition and a thirstiness tap , in 1971 , Watson was convicted on seven counts of murder and condemn to end , later commute to life imprisonment . Watson convert to Christianity in 1975 and became an ordain minister in 1983 ; he has also denounce Manson , describing him as " very manipulative " ( viaCNN ) . Watson married in 1979 , and later on divorced in 2003 . In 2025 , Watson remains at Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego County , having been denied word 18 time ; he was given a five - class abnegation at his last hearing in 2021 ( viaThe Mercury News ) .
Custom Image by Colin McCormick
3Leslie Van Houten (Paroled)
Convicted Of First Degree Murder In The LaBianca Murders
Netflix ’s infotainment let on how Manson select Leslie Van Houten to enter in the LaBianca murders that took place on August 10 , 1969 ; through archival footage , Van Houten admitted to having stabbed Rosemary LaBianca 16 times and stated that " there was no clemency involve " in the killings . In 1971 , Leslie Van Houten was convict of first - degree murder and doom to destruction , later commuted to lifespan imprisonment ; at 21 , she was the youngest adult female to be given the decease penalty in California . In 1978 , after two retrial , Van Houten ’s sentence was change to seven years to life story ( viaAll That ’s Interesting ) .
Leslie Van Houten served her sentence at the California Institute for Women and was denied parole more than 20 times , with governors regard her " an unreasonable risk of risk to society " ( viaLos Angeles Times ) . However , after an appeal , in July 2023 , Leslie Van Houten was free on word after serving over 53 years in prison . As of March 2025,Van Houten remains one of only two Manson Family appendage convict of murder to be out on paroleand the only one related to the Tate - LaBianca slaying to be released .
4Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme (Paroled)
Convicted Of Attempted Murder In The Attempted Assassination of Gerald Ford
Lynette Fromme joined Manson ’s Family in 1967 , aged 19 , after being thrown out of her house by her parent . During her time at Spahn ’s Ranch , Fromme was given the cognomen " Squeaky " due to the sounds she ’d make whenever the cattle ranch ’s owner , George Ranch , touched her ( viaBiography ) . During Manson ’s tryout for the Tate - LaBianca murders , Fromme , alongside other Manson followers , camped outside the court , making command protesting Manson ’s artlessness and preaching his feeling ( viaCharles Manson ) . Fromme serve a brief prison house sentence for contempt of court after refusing to prove during the trial .
On September 5 , 1975 , Fromme travel to Capitol Park in Sacramento to murder the then - US president , Gerald Ford , in protest of the government ’s refusal to block environmental defilement ; her blackwash attempt failed after the gun misfunction , and she was apprehended at the scene ( viaStar News ) . In November 1975 , Fromme was convicted of attempted murder and move over a animation sentence . After serving 34 age in prison , she was unblock on word . In an interview following her release from prison , Fromme admitted that she " was still in honey with Charlie " and she felt " very esteemed to have run into him " ( viaNew York Post ) .
5Steven “Clem” Grogan (Paroled)
Convicted Of First Degree Murder In The Murder of Donald Shea
Considered by many to be the most intellectually impaired extremity of the Manson Family , Steven " Clem " Grogan was a talented musician who join Manson ’s mob in 1967 . Grogan , similar to Charles Manson , had a connectedness to the Beach Boys , through his friendship with Dennis Wilson . During the family ’s stay at Wilson ’s Los Angeles dwelling house , Grogan allegedly crash Wilson ’s uninsured Ferrari ( viaRolling Stone ) . As shown inChaos : The Manson Murders , Grogan keep company Watson , Atkins , and Krenwinkel to 10050 Cielo Drive on August 9 , 1969 , but stayed in the car during the murders .
While not need in the Tate - LaBianca slaying , Grogan assisted Manson in the murder of stuntperson and player , Donald Shea , on August 26 , 1969 . ab initio sentenced to death in 1971 , Grogan ’s prison term was convert to life incarceration after Judge James Kolts cited Manson as the conceiver and posit Grogan " was too stupid and too hop up on drug to decide anything on his own " ( viaCielo Drive ) . In 1985 , Grogan was released on parole after he led tec to the localization of Shea ’s torso , one of only two Manson Family members convicted of murder to be released ( viaPeople ) . Grogan has rest out of the public eye since his release .
6Bobby Beausoleil (Incarcerated)
Convicted Of First Degree Murder In The Murder of Gary Hinman
Growing up , Bobby Beausoleil had a warm mania for music and playing , and as a stripling , performed in various amateur bands , include The Grass Roots . passion , led by Arthur Lee ( viaPsychedelic Baby Magazine ) . In 1967 , Beausoleil was living with music instructor , Gary Hinman , when he became involved in the Manson Family . On July 25 , 1969 , Manson ordered Beausoleil , Atkins , and Mary Brunner to kill Hinman and obtain his money ; Hinman was held hostage for two days before he was stab to death by Beausoleil . Beausoleil reportedly wrote " political piglet " on the wall in Hinman ’s stock ( viaForbes ) .
Beausoleil has been incarcerated for over 55 years and has been denied parole 19 time .
Beausoleil was collar on August 6 , 1969 , after being caught aim in Hinman ’s railway car and , in 1970 , was convicted of slaying and given a life judgment of conviction ; his arrest is reportedly what led Manson to order the Tate - LaBianca murders ( viaThe Tribune ) . After a stabbing incident in 1982 , Beausoleil distanced himself from Manson . He has been immure for over 55 years and deny word 19 times . PerChaos : The Manson Murders , Beausoleil stated that he trust Manson " was n’t a brainiac " of murder but rather " paranoid of his own people " and " wanted to bond them to him through they ’re committing bad law-breaking . "
7Bruce M. Davis (Incarcerated)
Similar to Tex Watson , Bruce M. Davis lived a regular life in Alabama , attend the University of Tennessee for three twelvemonth , before he ultimately dropped out and fell into drugs . In a podcast interview with Keith Rovere , Davis stated that he met Manson in Topanga in 1968 after an catch for drug possession . On August 26 , 1969 , Davis , alongside Manson and Grogan , abduct and remove Donald Shea ; Davis later stated that Manson ordered Shea ’s execution as he believed Shea to be a " sneak " and would report the Family to the police force ( viaMail Tribune ) .
Netflix has proven clip and time again its good at make true - offence documentaries . But which ones are the scariest ?
Davis turned himself in and was convicted of the execution of Donald Shea and Gary Hinman in 1972 . ab initio sentenced to death , his sentence was permute to life in prison . Davis is immure at San Quentin State Prison and was denied watchword 34 times . Davis was found eligible for parole seven time since 2010 , but every decision was reversed . At his 2022 hearing , it was acknowledged that Davis " had made efforts to meliorate himself over the last 50 long time " but was " outweighed by negative factors that demonstrate he remains inapplicable for parole at this metre " ( viaLos Angeles Daily News ) .
8Catherine “Gypsy” Share (Paroled)
Convicted Of Armed Robbery & Witness Intimidation
Catherine Share was introduce to Charles Manson through fellow Manson fellow member , Bobby Beausoleil , in 1967 . She moved with Manson and his follower to Spahn ’s Ranch , where she adopted the sobriquet , Gypsy ( viaOxygen ) . While not involved in any of the gang ’s murders , Share bear witness at the murder trial , blamingFamily member , Linda Kasabian , for the cleanup . In 1970 , Share was charged with witnesser intimidation , after set about to prevent a former Family member , Patricia Hoyt , from testifying . Share serve 90 day in prison and pay nativity to a son while incarcerated , who was beget by Clem Grogan .
9Ruth Ann Moorehouse (Paroled)
Convicted Of The Attempted Murder Of Barbara Hoyt
The youthful child of a Protestant minister , Ruth Ann Moorehouse was introduced to Charles Manson by her own father in 1967 ; the two valet de chambre had bonded over music and the Bible and Moorehouse ’s father also briefly became a member of the Manson Family ( viaCielo Drive ) . Moorehouse was given the cognomen " Ouisch " and was in charge of taking care of the minor and panhandle for money ( viaMedium ) . Alongside other Manson Family members , Moorehouse stood outside the courthouse during the murder test , profess her loyalty to Manson and denying any knowledge to the authorities of the Tate - LaBianca murders .
Moorehouse was sentenced to 90 days in prison , but never answer her prison term after failing to appear at her listening .
In 1970 , Moorehouse was indict for the attempted murder of former Family member , Patricia Hoyt , to prevent her from testifying at the murder trial . Moorehouse was doom to 90 24-hour interval in prison , but never served her sentence after failing to seem at her hearing ; in 1975 , it was ruled that Moorehouse would not go to prison after she distance herself from Manson ( viaThe New York Times ) . Moorehouse has maintained a low profile since the Manson killing and was last reported survive with her three surviving youngster at an undisclosed localization ( viaCielo Drive ) .
10Sandra “Blue” Good (Paroled)
Convicted Of Conspiracy To Send Threatening Letters
Born and raised in San Diego , Sandra Good joined the Manson Family in 1968 and moved into their nucleotide at Spahn Ranch . alike to other members , Manson gave Good a nickname , giving her the name " Blue " to represent clear melodic line . Good was not present at the Tate - LaBianca murders as she was serve a prison judgment of conviction alongside fellow member , Mary Brunner , for quotation card thievery ( viaLAIST ) . In 1975 , Sandra Good was arrested for sending threatening letter to corporate executive director and was condemn to 15 long time in prison ( viaSan Francisco State University ) .
Serial grampus moving picture and show have really made an impression on the public , specially those about the infamous Charles Manson .
Good was released on word of honor in 1985 after serve 10 days of her time and move to Vermont . Unlike others , Good stay on loyal to Charles Manson and , for class , ran a now - defunct site where she professed Manson ’s innocence in the murders ( viaEsquire ) . In a 2019 interview , Good further professed her loyalty by stating that meet Charles Manson as a untested girl " save up [ her ] life " and that she was " thankful " to him for having " bring through [ her ] life " ( viaTheWrap ) .
