00;00;09;27 - 00;00;31;17 Unknown And they come and. 00;00;31;19 - 00;00;58;12 Unknown If you dig the twisted, admired the outlandish, and are enamored by the unusual. You're in the right place. True crime, the supernatural, the unexplained. Now you're speaking our language. If you agree. Join us as we dive into the darker side. You know, because it's more fun over here. Welcome to Total Conundrum. 00;00;58;15 - 00;01;12;05 Unknown One, someone's first move. Born for one quarter. The scope. This discussion is advanced. Oh. 00;01;12;08 - 00;01;38;18 Unknown Hello, conundrum crew, and welcome back to another riveting episode of Total Conundrum. Today, we're plunging into the dark depths of true crime history with a focus of one of the most infamous figures of the 20th century, Charles Manson. In this episode, we're peeling back the layers of Manson's early life, his formation of the notorious Manson Family, and the chilling legacy that followed. 00;01;38;21 - 00;02;04;08 Unknown It's a tale of manipulation, murder, and madness that continues to fascinate and horrify. Brace yourselves, conundrum crew. This is one episode you definitely won't want to miss. As always, we value your feedback. Please rate and review our podcast on Apple and Spotify. Subscribe and like on YouTube and hit the notification bell so you never miss an episode. Your support keeps us going. 00;02;04;09 - 00;02;31;02 Unknown If you have any story, ideas or recommendations. Contact us at Turtle conundrum.com or find us on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. And don't forget, today we'll share trailers from our podcast pals at Where the Weird Ones Are and the Dorky Podcast. If you're craving more creepy content, be sure to give them a listen. Without further ado, let's dive into the twisted world of Charles Manson. 00;02;31;06 - 00;03;14;17 Unknown We'll be back after these messages. What's up? Freaking weirdos? My name is Kevin and I'm the host of Where the Weird Ones Are podcast. This is a conversational podcast based on guest experiences and encounters with paranormal cryptids, aliens, spirituality, mental health, as well as conspiracies. If these topics interest you, you can find me on Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, as well as YouTube and Rumble. 00;03;14;19 - 00;03;47;09 Unknown If you have an encounter or an experience of something that you can't quite explain, I would love to hear from you. You can reach out to me at where the weird ones are at gmail.com, where underscore the weird ones are on Instagram and where the weird ones are on Facebook. I hope to hear from you. My friends question everything and stay weird. 00;03;49;04 - 00;04;22;21 Unknown Back to the show. Absolutely. And where better to start than at the very beginning, right, Tracy? Totally. Charles Manson's early days are like the prolog to a horror novel you just can't put down. Born on November 12th, 1934, in Cincinnati, Ohio, to a 16 year old mother. Life wasn't exactly handing Charlie the golden ticket. Oh, definitely not excusing any of the horrific events that he created, but it's like his life was set in hard mode from the get go. 00;04;22;23 - 00;04;51;10 Unknown His family friend Virginia Brannigan said, I'd have to say when a child was treated the way he was, you're doomed, which says a lot. His mom, Kathleen Maddox, was super young, struggling addict and reportedly dabbled in petty crimes to make ends meet. Not exactly the wholesome family dinner around the table kind of life. In fact, she ended up behind bars for robbery when Charlie was just four years old. 00;04;51;13 - 00;05;18;07 Unknown Because of these events, he was shipped off to live with his grandma. Right? It means his first memories are of visiting his mom in prison. And it didn't take long before little Charlie was off to his first day of school at, you guessed it, a reform school for children at risk of incarceration. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree after all, but attempts at reformation didn't work. 00;05;18;07 - 00;05;43;17 Unknown By the age of nine, he was already stealing cars and committing burglaries. Talk about being a prodigy. But like, in the worst possible way. A prodigy of prison. That's our young Charlie Manson. He was collecting juvenile detention centers like they were Pokemon cards. By the time he was in his late teens, Manson was spending more time behind bars than actually in a bar. 00;05;43;19 - 00;06;07;22 Unknown And that's saying something, considering his mom's alleged fondness for the bottle. And let's not forget his stints at reform school and institutions. Seems like every couple of years he'd get shuffled off to a new place, which basically taught him all the wrong kinds of lessons, like how to manipulate charm and basically get his way through life by using whatever means necessary. 00;06;07;25 - 00;06;34;06 Unknown Speaking of charm, that's something that would later become one of his most dangerous tools. Don't you think? I mean, the guy was no looker. Let's be real. But, charisma, that's a whole different story. Definitely, Tracy. It's almost like during those formative years, Manson was running his own little workshop on how to win friends and influence people into doing absolutely horrifying things. 00;06;34;09 - 00;06;59;03 Unknown But it's that charisma that eventually helped him gather his notorious family around him, which is crazy because, like, how do you go from being a petty criminal to convincing a bunch of people to follow you into the abyss? But guys, that's a story for another few minutes. We're just setting the stage with his early years of mischief and mayhem. 00;06;59;06 - 00;07;31;17 Unknown Certainly, it's those early brushstrokes that paint the picture of the man Manson would become. Boy, it's only going to get crazier from here. So Jeremy, how does a guy with a rap sheet, as long as a CVS receipt end up leading a cult? Well, it's all about location, location, location. So they say. After getting out of prison in 1967, Manson moved to San Francisco, right in the throes of the Summer of love. 00;07;31;20 - 00;07;56;19 Unknown Haight Ashbury was buzzing with hippies, free love, and importantly, lots of lost souls looking for meaning. Perfect storm. You got this guy who's like, a charisma bomb dropping into the middle of all those peace loving folks who are high in life, and probably a lot more. I mean, if you're looking to start a cult, that's like hitting the jackpot. 00;07;56;21 - 00;08;28;19 Unknown That's it. Manson started by playing the guru, spouting his bizarre mix of Scientology, fringe psychology and his own special brand of biblical apocalypse. He had this way of speaking that honestly. If you listen to his interviews, it's like a verbal labyrinth, a verbal labyrinth. I love that, like you go in but you can't find your way out. And his followers, they were mainly young women at first, weren't they? 00;08;28;21 - 00;08;59;15 Unknown Oh, absolutely. Young women who were disenfranchized disconnected from their families. Manson offered them a new family, but not the Brady Bunch. It was more like The Brady Bunch if it was directed by Quentin Tarantino. Ha! That's a show I'd watch, but with less feet, please. But seriously, it's chilling how he managed to manipulate them. He'd play the role of father, friend, comfort on and then flip to tyrant when needed. 00;08;59;17 - 00;09;34;16 Unknown He is drugs, meditation and let's face it, a lot of psychological manipulation to break down their identities and remold them into his image. Undoubtably, Tracy Manson was a maestro of mind control. He had this cocktail of techniques that he used. You mentioned drugs and meditation, but it was also about constant indoctrination. He bombarded them with his philosophies during these long, intense sessions where he'd talk about the Bible mixed with bits of Helter Skelter. 00;09;34;24 - 00;09;59;17 Unknown Helter Skelter, yes. Not just a Beatles song, but in Manson's twisted mind. It was an apocalyptic race war he predicted was coming, and he convinced his followers they needed to start the war to save the world. Talk about delusions of grandeur. Oh, and how about the way he isolated them out there at Spahn Ranch, his sick little hideaway? 00;09;59;19 - 00;10;32;00 Unknown They were cut off from the world, which just made it easier for Manson to play his mind games. No reality checks from the outside world. It's like they were on their own little planet. Manson ville population as crazy as it gets. More like population. Brainwashed. He'd also do these creepy role playing sessions where he'd assign them roles from the Bible and make them reenact parts of their past, but twisted to fit his narrative. 00;10;32;03 - 00;10;58;25 Unknown It was like he was rewriting their realities. Don't you agree? You got it. And music tracing. Don't forget the music. Manson used his songs and guitar playing. Yeah. The guy thought he was some kind of thwarted music star to weave his hypnotic vibe around them. The eagle on him. Thank God he wasn't starting all of this up. When SoundCloud or YouTube was around. 00;10;58;27 - 00;11;26;16 Unknown He'd be all over it thinking he'd be bigger than the Beatles. But those songs were part of his tool set, like spells to enchant these kids. And it wasn't just random hippies. He targeted vulnerable people young runaways, girls who'd been kicked out or felt lost. And there he was, ready to play their savior. Yep. And it gets wilder because Manson wasn't just hanging around Haight-Ashbury by chance. 00;11;26;18 - 00;11;52;15 Unknown He knew that was where he could find the perfect recruits for his family. He'd cruise around in an old school bus. They had converted, picking up hitchhikers and scouting for those who seemed ripe for the picking. And let's not gloss over how he used sexuality as a control mechanism. Manson's family dynamics were all about using sex to break down boundaries and assert control. 00;11;52;17 - 00;12;22;18 Unknown Further, blurring the lines of individual identity within the group. Absolutely. It was all about dismantling their sense of self so they'd have nothing but him and his crazy vision from there. It's a small leap to convincing them to commit crimes in the name of Helter Skelter. It's terrifying how a person can twist reality for others like that. Without question, Tracy, when we talk about Manson's ideologies, it's a deep, murky pool of madness. 00;12;22;21 - 00;12;48;07 Unknown He concocted this wild belief system that was a jumble of Scientology bits of the Bible. Some Dale Carnegie and a whole lot of Charles Manson original flavor originally, and definitely not approved by the FDA. Hell no. You know, one of the wildest parts of his obsession with the Book of Revelations. Manson was all about those end times, right? 00;12;48;12 - 00;13;14;01 Unknown According to him, black Americans would rise up against the white population, leading to a massive chaos of destruction. And Manson told his followers that they would be the saviors of the white race after the war. They'd emerge from the underground city, which, by the way, was supposed to be located somewhere in Death Valley and basically rule over the survivors. 00;13;14;04 - 00;13;51;10 Unknown I mean, talk about a doomsday cult script. It's like he mashed up a dystopian novel with a bad acid trip, and the way he sold this to his followers was through constant repetition and reinforcement. Those family members were subjected to daily sermons where Manson would preach his gospel of doom and salvation, not to mention the sleep deprivation and LSD trips he dosed them up and then feed these terrifying visions, warping their realities until they couldn't tell up from down, let alone right from wrong. 00;13;51;12 - 00;14;18;27 Unknown He'd serve visions so twisted they'd make Salvador Dali say. Maybe that's a bit much. Yeah, and Manson's control didn't end with just messing with their heads. He was all about controlling every aspect of their lives. What they ate, what they spoke, who they could talk to if they stepped on a line. The consequence was, could be brutal. Manson didn't shy away from violence to keep his followers in line. 00;14;19;00 - 00;14;46;19 Unknown Spot on Jeremy. And let's not forget, he was using his interpretation of the Beatles song yes, the Beatles as proof of his theories. Songs like Helter Skelter, Blackbird and Revolution nine were all part of what he saw as the soundtrack for his apocalyptic vision. Can you imagine being so twisted that you turned Blackbird into an anthem for a race war? 00;14;46;21 - 00;15;16;01 Unknown But that was Manson's talent taking something existing and warping it to fit his narrative. Only Manson could hear a song about hope and think, yep, that will scare the masses. It's like he thought the Beatles were the Four Horsemen of the apocalypse. It really shows you the power of charisma and manipulation. Manson was no ordinary conman. He was a puppet master pulling at the sanity of his followers. 00;15;16;04 - 00;15;44;17 Unknown Speaking of puppet masters, let's not forget the puppets. Some of Manson's most loyal followers who became infamous in their own right. I'm talking about the likes of Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel, and Leslie Van Houten. These were central figures in the Manson Family drama. Oh for sure. Susan Atkins or Sexy Sadie, as they called her in the family. Woo woo. 00;15;44;20 - 00;16;16;01 Unknown Talk about a nickname that didn't quite match the resumé. Cold blooded murderer. She's about as sexy as a tax audit. She was there that night at the Tate residence, participating in one of the most horrific crimes of the 20th century. Her confessions later would shell anyone to the bone. And then there's Patricia Krenwinkel. Or, as Manson like to call her, big Patty before her life took a sharp left turn into Crazytown. 00;16;16;03 - 00;16;43;17 Unknown She was just your typical secretary, typing memos, filing faxes, and doing the daily coffee run. Can you imagine going from organizing office supplies to organizing a cult crime spree? It's like she swapped staples for stabbing in the ultimate career pivot. She played a crucial role in the murders, and her transformation under Manson's control was one of the most drastic. 00;16;43;19 - 00;17;08;15 Unknown Now I know 9 to 5 can be a drag, but talk about a career change for the worse. And let's not forget Leslie Van Houten. She went from homecoming queen and cheerleader. Basically, the poster child for the girl next door to poster child for why you lock your doors at night. She traded her pompoms for a pair of handcuffs. 00;17;08;17 - 00;17;35;26 Unknown It's absolutely wild how Manson could take this seemingly normal prep rally going individuals and turn them into cold blooded killers. It's like he had a recipe for disaster, and he mixed these personalities together until they were ready to boil over. Each of these women brought something different to the family, but under Manson's direction, they ended up walking down the same dark path. 00;17;35;27 - 00;18;06;02 Unknown A charismatic leader can warp minds and turn people against their moral compass. I mean, that's happened in history a few times now. These women who once had lives and futures ahead of them, ended up with life sentences and their names forever linked to the unimaginable crimes. And it's not like they were monsters from the start. They were lost, vulnerable, searching for something, anything that felt like a purpose or belonging. 00;18;06;05 - 00;18;34;28 Unknown Manson just happened to provide them with a nightmare version of that. You got that right. And as we dive deeper into the events that unfolded under Manson's instructions, we see not just the story of a man and his madness, but also a cautionary tale about the power dynamics within groups and how they can lead to tragic outcomes. Speaking of group dynamics, let's not forget the other key players in this twisted saga. 00;18;35;01 - 00;19;05;02 Unknown Each member had a role like cogs in Manson's destructive machine. Take Tex Watson, for example. Originally from Texas, he was a high school athlete, an honor student before he turned into Manson's right hand man. Sure, Tex Watson really epitomizes how Manson could twist just about anyone's path. He went from track races to leading the charge on those infamous nights. 00;19;05;04 - 00;19;29;15 Unknown Instead of his running shoes that night, he put on his homicide boots. Homicide boots? Where do you buy those? And I'm not sure what they would even look like. Watson claimed I am the devil. Yeah. You are. I am here to do the devil's business. Yes, you did, and was responsible for organizing much of the violence you twisted fuck. 00;19;30;17 - 00;19;53;23 Unknown That's Tex Watson for you. Going from high school track star to clocking in for the devil's business. Like it's just another day at the office. Seriously, what kind of job description is that? Not one I'd want. Must be one hell of a career shift. And then there's Linda Caspian, who is brought into the family not long before the murders. 00;19;53;26 - 00;20;21;01 Unknown She was present during the Tate LaBianca murders. But turned state evidence, which is the only reason she avoided a longer sentence for her role. She was often the lookout, the eyes and the ears with the madness unfolding. Crazy how roles evolve in such a group, From lookouts to leaders and lunacy. Another member who gets overlooked is Bobby Beausoleil. 00;20;21;04 - 00;20;53;24 Unknown His murder of Gary Hinman under Manson's instruction, really sets the stage for the later, more infamous murders. Bustillo was sort of a sign of what was to come. Showing just how far Manson could push his followers. And don't forget the girls who weren't front and center. Lynette Squeaky Fromme, who didn't participate in the Tate-labianca murders but would later make headlines for attempting to assassinate President Ford in 1975. 00;20;53;26 - 00;21;24;08 Unknown Talk about taking your hobbies to the next level. Manson had these people wrapped around his finger, ready to do anything for him, whether it was keeping the ranch in order or attempting presidential assassination. That's pretty damn brazen. Yeah, it's a whole spectrum of manipulation, and each member tells a different part of the story. Manson's ability to find and exploit the vulnerabilities in these people is truly unsettling. 00;21;24;10 - 00;21;54;29 Unknown They started as lost souls, and he molded them into disciples of Christ. And that's it, isn't it? It's not just about Manson or even the murders. It's about how a group dynamic can be leveraged by a charismatic leader to enforce total obedience. Yeah, it shows the importance of understanding these dynamics, not just to set our curiosity about past crimes, but to prevent future ones. 00;21;55;02 - 00;22;19;23 Unknown As we dig into the specific crimes next. Keep in mind how each member's background and role contributed to the unfolding of these nine. Well, although it's been decades since the horrors, believe it or not, life went on for those who survived the aftermath. It sure did, Jeremy. Starting with the most infamous Charles Manson himself, who never saw freedom again. 00;22;19;27 - 00;22;47;19 Unknown He passed away in 2017, in prison, but not before leaving a trail of bizarre interviews and a following that still weirdly clings to his mad legacy. He once said in an interview, I'm a tramp, a bum, a hobo. I'm a boxcar and a jug of wine and a straight razor. What the fuck do any of those things have to do with each other? 00;22;47;23 - 00;23;22;29 Unknown I'm not sure. What? Did somebody slip him in prison? Straight razor. More like straight up lunatic. And what about his followers? The key players take Leslie Van Houten, for instance. She's been up for parole a bunch of times. Correct? Yeah. Leslie Van Houten, who became sort of the poster child for rehabilitate Tatian, has been recommended for parole several times since 2016 due to her moral behavior in prison and her extensive work in rehabilitation programs. 00;23;23;02 - 00;23;51;07 Unknown However, her release were blocked by the governor each time. She's a prime example of the debate between punishment and rehabilitation. It's like she's on Groundhog's Day. Wake up. Apply for parole. Get rejected for parole and start all over again. Then there's Patricia Krenwinkel, still incarcerated since 1971. And as of our last update, the longest incarcerate rated female inmate in California. 00;23;51;10 - 00;24;14;01 Unknown Talk about a record you don't want to break. At this point, she might as well get a trophy that says, thanks for hanging. You know, with us for half a century. She was in prison back when bellbottoms and disco balls were all the rage. Since she's been in, we've gone through nearly 20 iterations of the iPhone. She went in when phones were attached to walls. 00;24;14;01 - 00;24;46;13 Unknown And now they're smart enough to run our lives. She's been denied parole multiple times with the board, citing the severity of her crimes as a continuing risk. And Susan Atkins remember her? She passed away in prison back in 2009 after being denied compassionate release, despite her terminal illness. These dark paths have had grim endings. Sure, Tex Watson went from proclaiming himself the devil to preaching the gospel as an ordained minister in prison. 00;24;46;15 - 00;25;13;14 Unknown That's quite the career switch. Talk about going from hell raiser to Hallelujah. But even with that holy makeover, his parole requests have been repeatedly denied due to the gravity of his crimes. And during our research, didn't you say that he has a podcast? He has a podcast in prison? I'm not sure. That should not be allowed. And I think it has something to do with love. 00;25;13;17 - 00;25;37;26 Unknown Oh my God. Yeah. And I'm not completely sure it's been a while. Well, the Holy Spirit can only do so much, it seems. It's a complex picture, isn't it? On one hand, you've got the storied past, and on the other, you see these glimmers of change. It raises big questions about the nature of the justice system, punishment and the possibility of redemption. 00;25;37;29 - 00;26;03;10 Unknown Exactly. And these stories also show the ongoing impact on the victims families. They've consistently opposed parole. Obviously with good reason. So let's take a moment to think about the impact of the Manson Family. Let's remember both the victims and their potential. Cut so short. Whether you believe in redemption or retribution. The story of the Manson family doesn't leave anyone untouched. 00;26;03;13 - 00;26;31;29 Unknown Definitely not Tracy. Speaking of not leaving anyone untouched, let's lay out the timeline that led up to those infamous nights. The Manson family didn't just suddenly snap. It was a crescendo of craziness that culminated in those brutal murders. You know, it all started to unravel in the spring and summer of 1969. Manson's Helter Skelter Theory was in full swing, and his hold over the family was ironclad. 00;26;32;01 - 00;27;01;17 Unknown They had been living at Spahn Ranch, and Manson was preaching that the end of the world was near, but they needed to kick start it. And boy, kick started. They did. Let's take a closer look at the harrowing night at 10050 Cielo Drive. It was August 8th, 1969, a date that would be etched in infamy. The Manson followers, under direct orders, were about to unleash a night of absolute terror. 00;27;01;20 - 00;27;27;22 Unknown Yeah, it's just chilling. Once they arrived, text Watson cut the phone lines to the house. They spotted a car driving towards them as they approached the property. Watson stopped the car and inside was 18 year old Stephen Parent, a friend of the estate's caretaker. Watson shot him before he could even step out, marking the beginning of a rampage. 00;27;27;25 - 00;27;59;07 Unknown So young. Such a shame. With the perimeter secured, they cut through the screen of the door and Watson, along with Susan Atkins and Patricia Krenwinkel, climbed inside. Linda Caspian was left outside to keep watch inside the house for Sharon Tate, celebrity hairstylist Jay Sebring, coffee heiress Abigail Folgers and white check for Koski and a friend of Polanski. God, the terror they inflicted that night. 00;27;59;10 - 00;28;32;00 Unknown It's even hard to discuss. They woke the sleeping occupants, gathered them into the living room, and it's reported that they bound Tate and Sebring together by their necks with ropes and slung the ropes over the living rooms ceiling beams. And when Sebring protested the rough treatment of the pregnant teen, Watson shot him. Then the chaos escalated quickly. Frykowski and Folgers managed to briefly escape, but they were chased down and brutally stabbed outside of the house. 00;28;32;01 - 00;29;04;02 Unknown Susan Adkins then turned her attention back to Sharon Tate, who pleaded for her life and that of her unborn child. But mercy wasn't on the cards that night. Adkins coldly rejected Tate's pleas and brutally murdered her. Before leaving, Adkins use Tate's blood to write pig on the front door. A grisly message intended to shock and confuse authorities in the aftermath was just as horrifying as the murders themselves. 00;29;04;04 - 00;29;36;17 Unknown The police found the scene the next morning, and it was something out of a horror movie. Blood everywhere. And the victims. It was just a massacre. It shook Hollywood to its core. Celebrities were terrified. Everyone thought they might be next. The randomness and brutality of the murders left everyone bewildered and frightened. This single night's events would ripple through the cultural consciousness for decades, but we'll explore the next. 00;29;36;21 - 00;30;05;01 Unknown This wasn't the end of the Manson reign of terror, right? If anyone thought the horror at Cielo Drive was a nightmarish one off, they were horribly mistaken. The next night, August 10th, Manson himself decided to up the ante. He wasn't satisfied with just directing. In this time. He wanted to ensure his grim message was loud and clear. That's true. 00;30;05;01 - 00;30;36;01 Unknown Tracy Manson, unhappy with the random chaos of the previous night that his followers hadn't made enough of an impact. So he took Watson, Krenwinkel and Leslie Van Houten this time and drove off to select a new target, leaving them to the LaBianca residence in Los Feliz. Manson and Watson entered the LaBianca home first under the guise of being robbers, subduing Leno and Rosemary LaBianca at gunpoint. 00;30;36;03 - 00;31;06;27 Unknown They reassured the couple that they wouldn't be hurt and were just there to rob them. The calm before the storm. Absolutely sickening. After tying up the LaBianca, Manson returned to the car to fetch Krenwinkel and Van Houten. He then left, directing his minions to leave a sign. Something witchy that followed was a brutal, unnecessary slaughter. We'll be back after these messages. 00;31;06;29 - 00;31;37;20 Unknown With you. Hello. My name is April and I'm the host of the History podcast. Walkie talkie is two words. Your and key. It's a play on the word Yorkie, which is really fitting because I'm a dork who loves to talk about history and random events and people from history. So come join me as I dive into these events and people from Let's See The Iceman to Studio 54. 00;31;37;27 - 00;32;04;24 Unknown I covered up in a way that's easy to consume. Get ready to hear a new and different perspective and gain a deeper understanding of the past, while having some fun along the way. Welcome to jerky. You can find and subscribe to dorky anywhere you listen to podcasts, and dorky is on all social medias. As doorkeeper guard, so be sure to check all of that out as well. 00;32;04;26 - 00;32;38;02 Unknown Talk to you soon friends. And back to the show. Watson and Krenwinkel took on Leno LaBianca, stabbing him multiple times. They carved the word war into his abdomen and left a carving fork sticking out of his stomach, a grotesque overkill. Meanwhile, Leslie Van Houten repeated. Lee stabbed Rosemary LaBianca in the back, ensuring that the scene at the LaBianca house was as horrific as the one at Cielo Drive. 00;32;38;05 - 00;33;10;27 Unknown The murderers used the LaBianca blood to write a message like Rise and Death to Pigs on the wall. They even left a pillowcase over Rosemary's head, secured with a lamp cord. The scene was meticulously designed to shock and terrorize. A clear escalation from the previous night's madness. The randomness of these attacks, the fact that the LaBianca were just ordinary people chosen at random, intensified the fear gripping Los Angeles. 00;33;11;00 - 00;33;44;08 Unknown The city was paralyzed, thinking anyone could be next. The Manson family had sown terror in the heart of Hollywood and now broader L.A. was on the edge. Manson's apocalyptic vision had morphed into a tangible, horrifying reality. Next, we'll dive into how this nightmare came to an end. How the Manson Family was finally caught and brought to justice. So after all that horror, the big question is how did they finally catch these monsters? 00;33;44;10 - 00;34;11;17 Unknown It's almost anti-climatic, but the downfall of the Manson family started with a bunch of car thieves, not a master detective cracking the case. Yeah, I can't believe Manson's grand scheme unraveled over something as mundane as a car theft. In late 1969, the family got a bit too greedy and started a spree of stealing cars. They were planning to use them to escape to the desert. 00;34;11;20 - 00;34;40;02 Unknown Part of Manson's delusional plan for surviving Helter Skelter. You know, they were hoarding dune buggies and other vehicles to prepare for the apocalypse. Only this plan led to their capture. In October 1969, the police raided Spahn Ranch thinking they were busting a major auto theft ring. Little did they know, they were actually stepping into the layer of the Tate LaBianca murders. 00;34;40;05 - 00;35;14;16 Unknown During the raid, the cops nabbed almost everyone, including Manson. But initially, they had no idea they were arresting the culprits behind those gruesome murders. It was only because Susan Atkins, who was already in jail for another crime, started bragging about the killings that the police put two and two together. Classic case of loose lips sink ships. Atkins was there for auto theft charges, and she started spilling the beans to her cell mates about how she and her family had carried out the murders at Cielo Drive. 00;35;14;19 - 00;35;39;16 Unknown You know, boasting about killing Sharon Tate really caught the attention of the authorities. That's when the pieces of the puzzle began to fit together. The LAPD and the sheriff's department, who had been working these cases separately, started to connect the dots, linking the bizarre writings in blood at the murder scene to the Atkins confessions. And once Atkins started talking, the floodgates opened. 00;35;39;19 - 00;36;07;25 Unknown Eventually, Tex Watkins, Patricia Krenwinkel and Leslie Van Houten were also arrested and charged. The trial itself was a spectacle, but the confessions and evidence were overwhelming. It's ironic, isn't it? Manson's family, bound by secrecy and loyalty, ultimately undone by their own people. If they hadn't got greedy with the cars, who knows how long they might have continued their reign of terror? 00;36;07;28 - 00;36;39;22 Unknown It's terrifying to imagine Jeremy. Even the most calculated crimes can be unraveled by the simplest mistakes. And boy, was that trial is spectacle. The Manson Family saved all their theatrical antics for the courtroom. The trial of Charles Manson and his followers kicked off in June 1970, and it quickly turned into a media circus for sure. Jeremy. From the get go, Manson orchestrated his defense like a dark, twisted show. 00;36;39;24 - 00;37;07;01 Unknown He walked into the courtroom with an ax carved into his forehead, which he later turned into a swastika. It was his way of declaring that he was axing himself out of society by his right. Goodbye, crazy. And his followers didn't just sit there quietly, either. They mimicked his behavior, shaved their heads, and even carved crosses into their own foreheads. 00;37;07;03 - 00;37;35;22 Unknown Outside the courtroom, more family members sang songs and chanted, trying to sway public opinion and create a scene. And let's not forget the disruptions inside the courtroom. Manson was constantly being silenced or removed for outbursts. One time, he leapt across the defense table trying to attack the judge. If it wasn't so terrifying, it'd be like something out of a bizarre movie. 00;37;35;25 - 00;38;09;05 Unknown Exactly. And amidst all this chaos, the actual evidence was overwhelming. The prosecution laid out a detailed account of how Manson had masterminded the murders, directing his followers to kill. The testimonies from Linda Caspian and other key witnesses painted a vivid and chilling picture of those nights. Speaking of chilling, remember when Susan Atkins, who was not part of the main trial because she had already pleaded guilty, testified during the penalty phase for her co-defendants? 00;38;09;11 - 00;38;40;13 Unknown She recounted the Tate murders with such cold detail that it left the courtroom in shock. Yeah, her testimony was a bombshell. But throughout at all, Manson maintained that he was innocent, that he hadn't actually killed anyone. His defense argued that he was a scapegoat, a symbol of societal fear towards the counterculture. But given all the evidence and the testimonies of his co-defendants, it was a hard sell. 00;38;40;15 - 00;39;07;19 Unknown Hard sell, indeed. And it didn't work. The jury didn't buy it for one second. Manson and several key followers were found guilty on all counts. It was a verdict that felt like a small measure of justice. But the scars they left on so many lives could never be erased after that bombshell of a trial, the next big question was what kind of sentence would they face? 00;39;07;21 - 00;39;44;23 Unknown Initially, Manson, Watson, Krenwinkel and Van Houten were sentenced to death, but that was just the beginning of a long, convoluted aftermath. Oh, no doubt about it. But then 1972 rolled around, and California's Supreme Court invalidated all death sentences issued prior to 1972. Due to constitutional concerns that meant these sentences were automatically commuted to life in prison, which opened up a whole new can of worms with parole hearings and all that jazz. 00;39;44;26 - 00;40;17;22 Unknown Indeed, and those parole hearings became their own kind of spectacle. Manson himself turned each appearance into a stage for his bizarre rants and theatrics. He never showed any remorse, continuing to spout his strange philosophies and blaming society for his crimes. In a strange twist of fate, he also wrote a letter expressing his desires to be imprisoned at the same prison his mom went to the prison he visited regularly at the tender age of four. 00;40;17;24 - 00;40;45;20 Unknown The authorities of that prison actually responded to the letter and wrote that it would be a cold day in hell before they allowed him behind their bars. Yes. Definitely. And very bizarre. And the women, Krenwinkel, Van Houten and Atkins took slightly different paths over the decades. Each of them became involved in prison programs, education, counseling, you name it. 00;40;45;23 - 00;41;19;10 Unknown They claim to have reformed, which I suppose will never really know. Speaking of sparking debates, the Manson Family have had a huge influence on media and entertainment to their stories became a dark inspiration for creators across books, films and music. No question, Jeremy, I mean, look at us now. We're recording a whole podcast about them. You can't talk about the cultural impact of the Manson Family without mentioning some of the most iconic works they've inspired. 00;41;19;13 - 00;41;49;07 Unknown Take the book Helter Skelter, written by the prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi. So it's pretty much the definitive account of the Manson Family murders and the trial. That book became a bestseller. It was even turned into a television movie, which scared the heebie jeebies out of viewers back in the day. Oh for sure. And then there's the music world. Manson always fancied himself a musician, and before everything went down, he was rubbing elbows with the Beach Boys. 00;41;49;09 - 00;42;25;19 Unknown Dennis Wilson actually recorded a song Manson wrote originally titled Cease to Exist, but it was reworked into Never Learned Not to Love and are released on their album, which gives me the creeps just thinking about it. I will never think of the Beach Boys the same again. It's just super creepy. Jeremy Manson's influence did not stop there. Bands like Guns and Roses and Marilyn Manson, whose stage name is partly inspired by Charles Manson, have covered his songs or mentioned him in their music. 00;42;25;22 - 00;42;56;07 Unknown It's like his infamy added this allure that still captures the imagination of musicians. And let's not forget the films. I mean, how many movies have we seen that touch on or dive deep into the Manson lore? There's the Manson Family, which was more of an indie take, but then you've got big Hollywood names like Tarantino filming Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, which reimagines the era and events in a very traditional way. 00;42;56;10 - 00;43;36;08 Unknown Right? And it's not just the traditional media either. The Manson story has been examined and reexamined, and countless documentaries and podcast podcasts. What are those really? It's trying to understand the why and how are simply to retell the terrifying events. There's no doubt that the Manson Family saga has become ingrained in the fabric of American pop culture. Whether it's seen as a cautionary tale or just morbid fascination, it keeps coming back into the spotlight, getting us to look deeper into the psyche behind the madness. 00;43;36;10 - 00;44;09;19 Unknown That's the power of storytelling, Jeremy. It can turn history into horror. Lessons in the legacies and Real-Life monsters in the media. Myths. We're fascinated, repelled, and captivated all at once. And speaking of myths and legacies, let's talk about the lasting impact this whole Manson saga had on American culture, especially on the 60s counterculture. There was defined by peace and love, but the Manson Family kind of flipped that on its head totally. 00;44;09;19 - 00;44;42;24 Unknown Jeremy. The 60s counterculture was all about rejecting conventional society, exploring new freedoms, and challenging the status quo. There was this idea of building a better, more open and accepting the world. Then comes Manson, who on the surface seemed to embody these anti-establishment ideals. But boy, did he twist them into something dark. Absolutely. He exploited the openness and the trust that defined the counterculture, using its own ideals against it. 00;44;42;26 - 00;45;07;21 Unknown After the murders, there was a massive shift. The vibe of love and freedom started to get overshadowed by suspicion and fear. People began to question the movement, wondering if it had allowed monsters like Manson to hide in plain sight. And it wasn't just a fleeting moment of doubt either. The Manson Family murders served as kind of a wake up call. 00;45;07;24 - 00;45;34;07 Unknown The media latched on to Manson as the symbol of the dangers lurking within the hippie movement. It was like overnight, the flower power idealism got a dose of sinister reality, coloring public perception of the counterculture from then on, certainly. And it changed the music scene to the peace loving tune of the early 60s started to evolve into something with a harder edge. 00;45;34;09 - 00;45;59;21 Unknown Bands like Rolling Stones and LED Zeppelin brought in darker, more complex themes in their music. I agree, Jeremy. And on a broader scale, the Manson murders marked the end of an era the 70s rolled in with much more jaded and guarded approach to personal freedom and community living. Communes and open door policies weren't seen the same way anymore. 00;45;59;24 - 00;46;22;17 Unknown It's like the innocence of the 60s was lost, and in its place, a more cautious and skeptical culture emerged. A single event or in this case, a series of tragic events, can ripple through society for decades after a movement founded on peace was forever altered by an act of violence that goes nicely into what we're talking about next. 00;46;22;17 - 00;46;55;10 Unknown The nature of cults and their leaders. The Manson Family was also a classic example of how charismatic leaders can manipulate those vulnerabilities in our social fabric. I agree Jeremy Manson's ability to manipulate his followers was classic cult leader behavior. He exploited their search for meeting their need for belonging and twisted it for his own horrifying ends. It's a pattern we see repeated in cults across history and even today. 00;46;55;13 - 00;47;22;13 Unknown Right? And it all comes down to the power of dynamics, doesn't it? These leaders often present themselves as messiahs, as the only ones who can provide answers during turbulent times. Manson did just that. He presented himself as a sort of prophet of the apocalypse and promised his followers salvation, all while binding them to him with fear and manipulation. 00;47;22;16 - 00;47;48;13 Unknown And what's really chilling is how these leaders use techniques, but they take them to the extreme. They're masters of exploiting weaknesses, aren't they? It started with love bombing, showering new recruits with affection and acceptance. Then it moves into isolating them from their old lives, their family and friends. And before you know it, the leader's voice becomes the only one they can hear. 00;47;48;15 - 00;48;17;26 Unknown The only one they believe. And the scary part is, once someone is drawn into that web, it's incredibly difficult to break free. The psychological grip of a cult can be stronger than any physical chains. We saw that with the Manson family. How deep the devotion ran and how far they were willing to go for Manson. Understanding how these cult figures operate could help prevent the rise of such dangerous influences. 00;48;18;02 - 00;48;44;05 Unknown Well said Jeremy. Education, awareness and open conversations like this one are best tools against manipulation. And who knows, our podcast just might save the world one day. Or we'll have our own Cults of conundrum. It could go either way at this point. True that. Haha. And that concludes another gripping episode of Total Conundrum. We've uncovered the dark shadows of the Manson saga, and it's been a wild ride. 00;48;44;08 - 00;49;07;20 Unknown Thanks for sticking with us, conundrum crew. Make sure to follow, rate, and review our podcast on Apple and Spotify. Don't forget to subscribe and like on YouTube and hit that notification bell so you're always in the loop. Your feedback is super important to us. If you have any story, ideas or recommendations, feel free to reach out at Torah conundrum.com or connect with us on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. 00;49;07;24 - 00;49;39;19 Unknown Until we meet again in the next episode. Keep on keepin on. We love you. Catch you later. Conundrum crew. Bye. Thanks for hanging out with us here at Total Conundrum. Please make sure to check out our website and blog at Turtle conundrum.com for news, upcoming events, merch, bloopers, and additional hysteria. You never know or pop up, so be sure to follow along if you want to show your support for Turtle Conundrum and gain access to all of our bonus content, please visit our Patreon page. 00;49;39;21 - 00;50;07;09 Unknown You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. The links are available in our show notes. If you have any questions, comments, recommendations or stories to share, please email us at contact at. Total conundrum.com. Episodes are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. If you liked the show, please rate, review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts. 00;50;07;11 - 00;50;13;18 Unknown We appreciate the love. Keep on keepin on, mother truckers. 00;50;13;21 - 00;50;20;09 Unknown And. 00;50;20;11 - 00;50;25;16 Unknown Family and. 00;50;25;19 - 00;50;32;26 Unknown Friends and family. 00;50;32;28 - 00;50;46;19 Unknown And.