Charles Manson Documentary Shows Never-Before-Seen Footage of Murderous Cult -- and It's Terrifying

By
ABC

Another true crime story is coming to primetime.

The two-hour documentary, Truth and Lies: The Family Manson, airing tonight on ABC, will revisit the brutal murders of Sharon Tate -- who was pregnant at the time -- and five of her friends that took place at her Hollywood home on Aug. 8, 1969, while her husband, Roman Polanski, was out of town. Tate was stabbed 16 times and had an "X" carved into her stomach.

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The following evening, Leno and Rosemary LaBianca were killed at their home, and the word "war" was carved into Leno's stomach, while "Helter Skelter" was written on the couple's refrigerator in blood.

The documentary will feature never-before-scene interviews with Charles Manson -- who was sent to prison for ordering these murders -- as well as interviews with law enforcement and first responders to the scene of such crimes.


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“That’s probably the worst homicide scene I’ve ever seen,” retired LAPD officer Jerry DeRossa, the first law enforcement official to arrive at the scene of the Tate home, recalls. “There was blood all over the place.”

Tate's younger sister, Debra, also agreed to be interviewed for the documentary as well as other friends and family members of the actress, and those who were present at Manson's trial. “At one point, he (Manson) leaped across the counsel table at the judge, screaming, ‘Someone should cut your head off, old man,’” Linda Deutsch, who covered the proceedings for the Associated Press, remembers.


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In addition, Beach Boys frontman Mike Love also recounts his interactions with Manson prior to the grotesque murders.

Now 82, Manson is serving a life sentence for nine murders at California’s Corcoran State Prison.


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