Crime Library: Criminal Minds and Methods

Charles Manson and the Manson Family

Where Are They Now?

Lynette 'Squeaky' Fromme
On Friday, Aug. 14, 2009, "Squeaky" Fromme, 60, was released on parole from the Federal Medical Center Carswell in Fort Worth, Texas after serving 34 years for trying to shoot then-President Ford in 1975. For years she remained one of Manson's loyal followers, corresponding with him after many of his former followers shunned him. A spokeswoman for the prison would not say if they are still in touch.

Charles "Tex" Watson
Is also serving a life sentence for the Tate/LaBianca murders, and is currently housed in Mule Creek State Prison in Northern California.   During his time in prison, Watson has converted to Christianity, written several books, married, fathered four children and trained as a minister of religion. His wife, Kristin and their family live close to the prison where she operates a Web site for their ministry called Abounding Love Ministries, Inc.

On October 10, 2001, Watson was turned down again for parole at his thirteenth parole hearing and was told not to apply for another four years.

The Associated Press stated, "Watson made a personal appeal to the two-member panel of the California Board of Prison Terms, saying he takes full responsibility for his crimes and is now a different person who would never do such things again." However, a prison correctional counselor said that "Watson still poses an unpredictable threat to the community should he be released."

Debra Tate, the sister of the brutally murdered Sharon Tate Polanski, tearfully urged the board to deny Watson's request.

Susan "Sadie" Denise Atkins

Susan Atkins
Susan Atkins
Is served her life sentence at California Institution for Women at Frontera. During her time in prison Atkins married twice.

In September 2009, at age 61, suffering from terminal brain cancer, Susan Adkins faced her 13th parole hearing. According to a website maintained by her husband and attorney James Whitehouse, with 85 percent of her body paralyzed she could no longer sit up or be moved to a wheelchair. Even so, Whitehouse knew there was still a chance that the parole board would find her release to be a danger to society. Adkins was known among members of the Manson Family as Sadie Mae Glutz, and by her own admission held pregnant actress Sharon Tate down and killed her, stabbing her 16 times. At a parole hearing in 1993 she said that Tate had "asked me to let her baby live....I told her I didn't have any mercy on her."

On September 3, the parole board denied her release. She would have been able to try again in 2012, but died on Thursday September 24, 2009.

Patricia "Katie" Krenwinkel

Patricia Krenwinkel
Patricia Krenwinkel
Is also serving life in prison at California Institution for Women at Frontera.   She did not appear at her last parole hearing in 1997.   Her next hearing is scheduled for 2002.

Linda Kasabian
Was granted immunity for giving evidence against Manson and other family members.   Following the trial she left California.   Her present whereabouts are unknown but she is alleged to have committed other criminal offences and served time in prison.

Sandra Good
Was convicted of "issuing threatening communications through interstate commerce" in 1975 and served ten years at the Federal Correctional Institute, Terminal Island, California.   She was later transferred to the Federal Correctional Institute in Pleasanton and later to a prison in Alderson.   Following her release, she moved to an area close to Corcoran prison, where Manson is held, and tends his website.

Steve "Clem" Grogan
Convicted and jailed for his part in the murder of Spahn ranch hand, Donald "Shorty" Shea, although Shea's body was never found.   In 1979, Grogan agreed to tell authorities the location of the body in exchange for parole.   Shea's remains were found and Grogan was paroled in 1986.   His present whereabouts are unknown.

Bruce Davis
Is serving a life sentence in the California Men's Colony, San Luis Obispo, for the murders of Gary Hinman and Donald Shea. He attended his twentieth parole hearing in July of 2000.   Parole was again refused.

Bobby Beausoleil
Convicted in 1969 for his part in the murder of Gary Hinman, he remains in prison despite numerous appeals and bail applications.   He married in 1982 and is currently serving out his time in Oregon after being transferred there in 1993 at his own request.  

He has spent his 30-plus years in prison focused on electronic music and video production. He has also cultivated a number of sponsors, which has resulted in the creation of a video production and audio recording studio in the prison. He is now the director of the Los Hermanos video project and has made 9 videos for "at risk" children. He has also made videos that help prisoners develop cognitive skills that will hopefully reduce recidivism.

The Crime Scene
According to an August 1999 Reuters news service report the house at 10050 Cielo Drive, rented by Roman Polanski and Sharon Tate at the time of the murders, was demolished in 1994.     An Italian- style mansion has been erected in its place and the street address has been changed. The new mansion was originally priced at $12.5 million in an attempt to cash in on the locations notoriety but no sale was made.   Recently, the price was reduced to $7.7 million but the house still remains vacant.

Real estate agents in the area believe that it will probably stay vacant as most agencies refuse to list it.

Spahn Ranch
The original headquarters of the Manson family is also on the market.   The 43-acre property at Chatsworth, minus the ranch house, which burnt down some time ago, is selling for $2.7 million.

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