Young Texan Kills for Manson

The Night of Terror: The Murders at Sharon Tate’s Home

On the night of August 9, 1969, a chilling event unfolded in a quiet neighborhood in Bel Air, California. Charles "Tex" Watson, a 23-year-old member of the Manson Family, was one of four individuals sent to an address with orders to "totally destroy everyone in that house, as gruesome as you can." Dressed in black and armed with hunting knives, the group arrived around midnight. Watson carried a .22 revolver, but it was his words that would haunt the victims.

As the sun rose on that fateful morning, Watson stood over the bodies of those he had killed. The first victim was Steven Parent, an 18-year-old who had just returned from visiting the groundskeeper. Watson shot him four times through the driver's window of his car. Linda Kasabian, another member of the group, remained outside as Watson, Susan Atkins, and Patricia Krenwinkel entered the house.

Inside, they rounded up the occupants—Sharon Tate, Abigail Folger, Wojiciech Frykowski, and Jay Sebring—and bound them hand and foot. The terrified captives were taken to the living room, where they faced their fate. Sebring, who protested the treatment of Tate, was shot in the side and later stabbed to death. Frykowski attempted to escape but was shot and then brutally attacked with a knife.

Abigail Folger and Sharon Tate were also killed, with Tate begging for mercy for her unborn child. Watson and Atkins ended their lives with brutal force, leaving behind a scene of unimaginable horror. In total, there were five deaths, with seven gunshot wounds and 104 stab wounds inflicted.

A Second Mission and the Aftermath

The following night, Watson participated in another murder when Leno LaBianca and his wife Rosemary were killed in their home. This marked the end of Watson’s involvement in the Tate-LaBianca murders. He returned to Copeville, Texas, where he was known as Charles Watson.

Watson had once been a high school athlete, excelling in football, basketball, and track. After graduating in 1964, he attended North Texas State University before dropping out in 1967. He worked as a baggage handler at Love Field before moving to California in 1968.

In November 1969, Watson turned himself in to the Collin County sheriff. Despite being offered the chance to waive extradition, he chose to stay in Texas. For ten months, he enjoyed the comforts of a county jail, including a television, radio, and home-cooked meals from his mother.

In September 1970, Watson was finally extradited to California. His trial began in August 1971, where he pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. However, the jury rejected this claim, sending him to Death Row alongside other members of the Manson Family.

The Fate of a Killer

A change in the legal landscape altered Watson’s fate. In 1972, capital punishment was ruled unconstitutional, leading to the commutation of the Manson Family’s sentences to life imprisonment. Watson married while in prison and had four children due to California’s conjugal-visit policy. He claimed to have found God in 1975 but admitted in a 1990 parole hearing that he felt no remorse until 1987.

Over the past five decades, Watson has been denied parole 18 times. Now 79 years old, it is likely that he will spend the rest of his life behind bars. His story remains a dark chapter in American history, reflecting the chaos and violence of the 1960s.