It's been over 50 years since Charles Manson'sManson Family cult came into existence and went from being what appeared to be a hippie commune of sorts to a band of criminals and murderers. The cult formed in the late 1960s, but by the early '70s, many members of the family had been convicted of crimes including murder and conspiracy to commit murder. This includes Manson, who was sentenced to life in prison and died in 2017 at age 83.
Like Manson, many members of the Manson Family have died in the years since the Tate-LaBianca murders in 1969. But, some of them are still alive and have either been released from prison or are still serving their sentences. The group has been depicted on screen in recent years, including in the movies Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and Charlie Says. Read on to find out about the surviving Manson Family members and where they are now.
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Tex Watson
Charles "Tex" Watson participated in both the murders at 10050 Cielo Drive, which included the murder of pregnant actor Sharon Tate and five others, as well as the murders of Leno and Rosemary LaBianca.
Watson was convicted in 1971 on seven counts of murder and one count of conspiracy to commit murder. He was sentenced to death, but a change in the law meant that his sentence was changed to life in prison. As reported by NBC Los Angeles, Watson was denied parole for the 18th time in 2021. He will be eligible for another parole hearing in 2026.
Watson, now 77, married Kristin Svege while in prison in 1979. They welcomed four children together—prior to conjugal visits being banned for those sentenced to life in California, as reported by Rolling Stone—and divorced in 2003.
Squeaky Fromme
Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme was an early member of the Manson Family. While she did not participate in the Tate-LaBianca murders like some of the other members, she was sentenced to prison after being convicted of an assassination attempt on President Gerald Ford when he was visiting Sacramento, California.
Fromme, now 74, was granted parole in 2009 after serving 34 years. In 2019, she told ABC News that she still loves Manson. "I don't think you fall out of love," she said. "I feel very honored to have met him, and I know how that sounds to people who think he's the epitome of evil."
Patricia Krenwinkel
Like some of the other Manson Family members, Patricia Kenwinkel was sentenced to death—a sentence that was knocked down to life in prison—for seven counts of murder and conspiracy to commit murder for her participation in the Tate-LaBianca murders.
Now 75 years old, she has served over 50 years in prison. In 2022, Krenwinkel was granted parole, but the decision was blocked by California governor Gavin Newsom, who said that her release would be a public safety risk, according to the Associated Press.
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Leslie Van Houten
Leslie Van Houten was convicted and sentenced to death—then life in prison—for her role in the murders of the LaBiancas. Since then, she has had over 20 parole hearings. In 2022, the parole board's recommendation that she be released was blocked by a California governor for the fifth time, according to CNN. As with Krenwinkel, governor Newsom believed Van Houston to be too much of a threat. In response, Van Houten, 73, said via her lawyer, "I’m disappointed and I’m going to pursue my legal avenues."
Clem Grogan
Steven "Clem" Grogan is the only member of the Manson Family who has been released from prison after being convicted of murder. Grogan was sentenced to life in prison for his part in the murder of Donald Shea, a ranch hand at Spahn Ranch, which the Mason Family members made their residence.
According to LAist, Grogan was released on parole in 1985. According to the site, the now-71-year-old moved to the California Bay Area and is a musician. (The video above supposedly shows Grogan playing guitar.)
Catherine Share
Catherine Share was convicted in 1970 of witness intimidation in relation to the Tate-LaBianca murder trial and sentenced to 90 days in prison. The following year, she was convicted of armed robbery alongside other Manson Family members and ended up serving five years.
Share, 80, has spoken out about her experience with Manson in interviews over the years. In 2019, she said in a special for Oxygen (via The Hollywood Reporter), "I felt very, very sad for the victims … I also feel very sad for the young people who were turned into murderers."
Bruce M. Davis
Bruce M. Davis, who was called Manson's "right-hand man," was convicted in relation to the murders of Shea and of musician Gary Hinman, and found guilty of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and robbery. Davis has been eligible for parole multiple times, but the parole board has either denied him or their recommendation has been blocked by the governor. As reported by the Los Angeles Times, the 80-year-old was most recently denied parole in July 2022.
Sandra Good
Oxygen / YouTubeSandra Good was not convicted of a crime related to the murders, but she served prison time after being convicted in 1975 of sending threatening letters to corporate executives about environmental issues, as reported by UPI. The now 79-year-old was released on parole in 1985.
During the 2019 Oxygen special, Good said (via The Wrap), "You want to talk about devils and demonic and immoral and evil… go to Hollywood. We don’t touch the rotten horribleness of that world—don’t even skim it. However, we did skim it. We touched it. It needed to be touched… How can you point the finger at us and call us evil for being good soldiers and doing what needed to be done?”
Dianne Lake
Dianne Lake joined the Manson Family at only 14 years old. According to Newsweek, Lake did not participate in the murders and she later became a key witness during the Tate-LaBianca murders trial.
"Leslie [Van Houten], Susan [Atkins], Patty [Krenwinkel] and Tex [Watson] had all told me what they had done. And I was going to have to face Charlie. I was really afraid," Lake told ABC News in 2019. The now 70-year-old added, "I feel very strongly that it's only by the grace of God that I was protected throughout this, and I was a victim. You know, I was abused, I was neglected, I was abandoned. … I hope that my story will help tell a cautionary tale."
