Charles Manson

Charles Manson was an American cult leader and convicted murderer whose followers carried out a series of notorious killings in California during the summer of 1969.

Although Manson did not personally commit the Tate-LaBianca murders, prosecutors successfully argued that he directed and manipulated members of the so-called ‘Manson Family’ into carrying out the attacks. His crimes, the subsequent trials and the widespread media coverage became defining moments in American criminal history, symbolising the perceived end of the 1960s counterculture.

Before the murders, Manson unsuccessfully pursued a music career and associated with figures in the Los Angeles music scene. He spent most of his adult life in prison after being convicted of first-degree murder and conspiracy, dying while serving a life sentence in 2017.