Over the course of a single weekend, half a dozen hippies massacred seven people. This episode includes disturbing details about very violent crimes.
Show notes:
This episode is graphic and disturbing! Please don’t listen to it if you know you can’t handle it, and don’t let children anywhere near it unless you are trying to teach them a lesson about pretty much the most horrible things you can imagine.
This episode was primarily based on Manson: His Life and Times by Jeff Guinn; Sharon Tate and the Manson Murders by Greg King; Roman by Roman Polanski; and The White Album by Joan Didion.
The sound excerpt from Didion’s “The White Album” comes from the audiobook read by Susan Varon.
Nate DiMeo (@thememorypalace) is the voice of Charles Manson, while Wiley Wiggins (@wileywiggins) is the voice of Tex Watson.
Episode breakdown:
Intro: Album Tag Song by Dennis Wilson; “Modern Heavy guitar Top Line” royalty free track;”Punk Guitar Lead Loop” royalty-free track
A hot August day for pregnant Sharon Tate; Roman Polanski calls to tell Tate he’ll be home in four days; Sharon’s plans for Friday night: “Chillout Cafe” royalty-free track
Charles Manson finds out his followers are in jail, flips out; “Now is the time for Helter Skelter”; what did Charlie actually believe?; Helter Skelter vs the Terry Melcher motive; Manson could tell people to kill without actually telling them to kill; Manson puts Tex Watson in charge of the mission to Cielo Drive; debating whether or not Manson was influenced by the movies: “Land on the Golden Gate” by Chris Zabriskie
Charlie rounds up three Manson girls to go with Tex; Manson’s orders: “Sensual Rhythm” royalty-free track
Steve Parent’s visit to Cielo Drive; the girls find out they are there to kill: “Relaxing Ambiance (Heartfelt Video Music)” royalty-free track
Tex Watson kills Steve Parent; Linda Kasabian is terrified; the murder of Jay Sebring; Abigail Folger only has $70; Tex tells them they’re all going to die: “Sinister Mood Guitar Effects” royalty-free track
Frykowski struggles for his life; Linda tries to get Susan to stop but Susan won’t; the murder of Abigail Folger; Tex Watson’s high opinion of his murder skills; Sharon Tate begs for her life and the life of her baby; Susan Atkins has no sympathy for Sharon and stabs her to death: “I Need to Start Writing Things Down” by Chris Zabriskie
Drive back to Spahn Ranch; Tex tells Charlie all about their night; Charlie goes back to Cielo Drive: “Divider” by Chris Zabriskie
Winifred Chapman finds the crime scene; William Garretson is arrested for the murders; Roman Polanski gets the call in London; the Manson Family watched coverage of the Tate Murders on TV; Charlie realizes more murders will need to happen to sufficiently implicate the Black Panthers; Hollywood is terrified; Joan Didion’s account from “The White Album”: “Blue Feather” by Kevin MacLeod
Rosemary and Leno LaBianca are fascinated by Tate murders; LaBiancas return home in the early morning August 10: “Psychedelic Guitar Movie Soundscape Mystery” royalty-free track
The murders of Rosemary and Leno LaBianca; misspelling of Helter Skelter: Charlie takes Linda, Susan and Clem to the beach, tries to get them to do another murder; LAPD thinks Tate murder was drug related, doesn’t believe the LaBianca, Tate and Hinman murders are connected; Manson’s attempts to implicate black men fail: “Undercover Vampire Policeman” by Chris Zabriskie
End credits: “Pop Rock Guitar Rhythm” royalty-free loop
Outro: “Oh Comely” by Neutral Milk Hotel