Charles Manson

Profession: Murderer

Nationality:

Biography: Charles Manson was a notorious American criminal and cult leader. In the late 1960s, he formed what became known as the Manson Family, a quasi-commune based in California. Manson's followers committed a series of nine murders at four locations over a period of five weeks in the summer of 1969. The crimes captivated the public due to their gruesome nature and the seemingly random and senseless violence they entailed.

Manson was not physically present at the scenes of the murders, but was nonetheless convicted of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder due to the control and influence he exerted over his followers. Among the most infamous crimes was the murder of actress Sharon Tate and four others at her home. Manson convinced his followers that these murders would help ignite an apocalyptic race war, which he termed "Helter Skelter," after the Beatles song of the same name.

In 1971, Manson was convicted and initially sentenced to death, but the sentence was commuted to life with the possibility of parole after California invalidated the state's death penalty statute in 1972. Manson served out his life sentence at California State Prison, Corcoran and died in 2017.

Despite his heinous crimes, Manson has remained a figure of public fascination, in large part due to his manipulative personality and his ability to exert control over his followers. His case has been the subject of numerous books, documentaries, and films—including most recently serving as an inspiration in the Quentin Tarantino film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019).

Born: November 12, 1934
Birthplace: Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

Generation: Silent Generation
Chinese Zodiac: Dog
Star Sign: Scorpio

Died: November 19, 2017 (aged 83)
Cause of Death: Natural causes