Helter Skelter

Charles Milles Maddox was born to a young 16-year-old by the name of Ada Maddox on 12th November 1934.

Charles Milles Maddox turned himself into Charles Manson - one of THE most notorious killers in American history.

Little did anyone at that stage in Manson's life know just how infamous he would become.

Manson is pretty well-known for his brutal, hippie, and drug-fueled murderous escapades, which claimed the life of the famous and very pregnant Sharon Tate and her companions who were visiting her that night. Her companions that night were Jay Sebring, Abigail Folger, Wojciech Frykowski, and Steven Parent.

The following evening, while everyone was still recovering from shock and horror, the Manson family murdered supermarket executive Leno LaBianca and his lovely wife Rosemary at their home in Los Angeles.

Who actually killed these seven people? Was it Manson himself?

No! Actually, he was the instigator and told his hippie followers, Tex Watson, Susan Atkins, Linda Kasabian, and Patricia Krenwinkel to get themselves to the Tate home and totally destroy everyone inside and to quote Manson, "as brutally as you can". 

How horrible, how ghastly - the four women and Tex Watson went to Sharon Tate's home, knowing that Sharon's husband, Roman Polanski, was away filming. 

Sharon and Roman met while making a film, and they were married in London on 20th January 1968.

On the night of the 8th August 1969, Manson's followers, ie, the ones mentioned above, carried out the brutal killings.

Sharon Tate, who was 8 months pregnant, and the other occupants of her home were relaxing around midnight when the murderous four arrived at the property. Young 18-year-old Steven Parent was driving home after visiting the caretaker of the property. Watson shot and killed Parent, and then Atkins and Krewinkel smashed into the home, leaving Kasabian outside.

All of them inside were made to cluster in the living room and were linked by ropes around their necks. Atkins and Watson fatally stabbed Jay and Sharon even though she was pleading for her baby, asking them to take her with them so she could give birth. They laughed, tortured, and killed her, and wrote "PIG" on the front door in her blood.

Abigail and Wojciech freed themselves and dashed out of the door, only to be gunned down so horribly in the driveway of the home.

The next night, Leno and his wife Rosemary were tied up by Watson and Manson and robbed. Manson left, and Leno and Rosemary were stabbed to death by Watson, Van Houten, and Krewinkel. Once again, leaving words written in blood on the walls.

When you consider what those poor people must have suffered and how cruelly they died, it is very, very sad even thinking about it.

Manson and his crew were all arrested, tried, and all received the death penalty, which was changed to life when California abolished capital punishment.

Since then, Manson died on 19th November 2017 - he was 83 years old. Tex Watson is still in prison. Susan Atkins died in prison on 24th September 2009. Linda Kasabian died on 21st January 2023, aged 73. Patricia Krewinkel is still in prison after 56 years.

Manson had believed that the Beatles song "Helter Skelter" contained an apocalyptic vision - so sad really!

So, where does that leave us as Christians? Jesus gave His life so that we can be forgiven, which in reality is amazing. Jesus took our punishment for us - how extraordinary that would have been if Manson and his followers had had a glimpse of Jesus and what he did for us.

Jesus paid for our sins by his sacrifce on Calvary all those years ago, How amazing would it have been in Charles Manson had come to the realisation of his need for Jesus to take control of his life - I can just imagine what a great Christian Manson would have been considering he had such sway over his followers.

Through Jesus' death, and if you accept that He died for you, it means that your sins are washed clean, and Jesus has offered us all a real path to forgiveness and a miraculous reconciliation with God. 

We all need to recognise the very need of Jesus as our saviour and trust in His death on that horrible day on Calvary as His amazing way of opening the gates of Heaven for us.

Have a great week, and please let us know if we can help you in your walk with Christ.

God bless