Where The Surviving Manson Family Members Are Today & Who Is Still In Prison

This article contains references to murder and graphic violence.

Netflix’s crime documentary, Chaos: The Manson Murders, offers new insight into some of the most infamous murders in American history and those who were a part of Charles Manson’s murderous cult. Adapted from the 2019 book, CHAOS: Charles Manson, the CIA, and the Secret History of the Sixties by Tom O’Neill, the documentary explores the mindset of Manson and his ability to manipulate young people into committing murder in Los Angeles throughout the late 1960s. The Netflix crime documentary gives a new perspective on the lifestyle of the Manson Family and the infamous Tate-LaBianca murders that were orchestrated by Manson.

During his life, Manson used his interests in singing and songwriting to attract young people; before the Tate-LaBianca murders in 1969, Manson had spent more than half his life in prison and, during his time incarcerated, he learned how to easily charm young people into believing his prophecies. Throughout the 1960s, Charles Manson and his gang committed a string of heinous crimes, with the Manson Family’s crime spree leaving at least nine people dead, including Hollywood actress, Sharon Tate. Charles Manson died in prison in 2014, but as shown in Netflix’s documentary, his crimes left a lasting impression on society.

1

Patricia Krenwinkel (Incarcerated)

Convicted Of First Degree Murder In The Tate-LaBianca Murders

Patricia Krenwinkel met Charles Manson in 1967 and accompanied him across America in an old bus over the next 18 months until they settled at Spahn Ranch. Known as “Katie” during her time in the Manson Family, Krenwinkel was involved in the Tate murders that took place at 10050 Cielo Drive in Los Angeles on August 9, 1969. In Chaos: The Manson Murders, Krenwinkel reveals in an interview that she chased Abigail Folger out of the house “with an upraised knife” and stabbed her to death. Krenwinkel recalled how Folger stated “I’m already dead” as she was being stabbed.

Following the death of Susan Atkins in 2009, Patricia Krenwinkel became the longest incarcerated female prisoner in California.

Krenwinkel was found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to death in 1971; after the death penalty was abolished in California, her sentence was commuted to life imprisonment. While she initially remained faithful to Manson, Krenwinkel later denounced him. In a 1994 interview with Diane Sawyer, Krenwinkel expressed remorse for her crimes and regrets for the murder (via Variety). Following the death of Susan Atkins in 2009, Krenwinkel became the longest-incarcerated female prisoner in California, having been denied parole 14 times; although she was granted parole in 2022, the decision was reversed by Governor Gavin Newsom (via AP News).

2

Charles “Tex” Watson (Incarcerated)

Convicted Of First Degree Murder In The Tate-LaBianca Murders

Charles Watson, known as “Tex” during his time with Manson, was described by his family as an honor student who “had everything going for him” before he began abusing drugs in 1966 (via Cielo Drive). Watson was involved in the shooting of Berard Crowe, after scamming him out of money intended for drugs. Watson participated in both the Tate and LaBianca murders and helped Manson in tying up Leno and Rosemary LaBianca before their deaths; Watson reportedly stated to one of his murder victims, Wojciech Frykowski, that “I’m the devil, I’m here to do the devil’s business” (via PoorStuart).

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After a legal battle that included extradition and a hunger strike, in 1971, Watson was convicted on seven counts of murder and sentenced to death, later commuted to life imprisonment. Watson converted to Christianity in 1975 and became an ordained minister in 1983; he has also denounced Manson, describing him as “very manipulative” (via CNN). Watson married in 1979, and later divorced in 2003. In 2025, Watson remains at Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego County, having been denied parole 18 times; he was given a five-year denial at his last hearing in 2021 (via The Mercury News).

3

Leslie Van Houten (Paroled)

Convicted Of First Degree Murder In The LaBianca Murders

Leslie Van Houten Being Taken To A Court Hearing

Netflix’s documentary reveals how Manson chose Leslie Van Houten to participate in the LaBianca murders that took place on August 10, 1969; through archival footage, Van Houten admitted to having stabbed Rosemary LaBianca 16 times and stated that “there was no mercy involved” in the killings. In 1971, Leslie Van Houten was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death, later commuted to life imprisonment; at 21, she was the youngest woman to be given the death penalty in California. In 1978, after two retrials, Van Houten’s sentence was commuted to seven years to life (via All That’s Interesting).

Leslie Van Houten served her sentence at the California Institute for Women and was denied parole more than 20 times, with governors considering her “an unreasonable risk of danger to society” (via Los Angeles Times). However, after an appeal, in July 2023, Leslie Van Houten was released on parole after serving over 53 years in prison. As of March 2025, Van Houten remains one of only two Manson Family members convicted of murder to be out on parole and the only one related to the Tate-LaBianca murders to be released.

4

Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme (Paroled)

Convicted Of Attempted Murder In The Attempted Assassination of Gerald Ford

Lynette Fromme with members of the Manson Family

Lynette Fromme joined Manson’s Family in 1967, aged 19, after being thrown out of her house by her parents. During her time at Spahn’s Ranch, Fromme was given the nickname “Squeaky” due to the sounds she’d make whenever the ranch’s owner, George Ranch, touched her (via Biography). During Manson’s trial for the Tate-LaBianca murders, Fromme, alongside other Manson followers, camped outside the court, making statements protesting Manson’s innocence and preaching his beliefs (via Charles Manson). Fromme served a brief prison sentence for contempt of court after refusing to testify during the trial.

On September 5, 1975, Fromme traveled to Capitol Park in Sacramento to murder the then-US president, Gerald Ford, in protest of the government’s refusal to halt environmental pollution; her assassination attempt failed after the gun malfunctioned, and she was apprehended at the scene (via Star News). In November 1975, Fromme was convicted of attempted murder and given a life sentence. After serving 34 years in prison, she was released on parole. In an interview following her release from prison, Fromme admitted that she “was still in love with Charlie” and she felt “very honored to have met him” (via New York Post).

5

Steven “Clem” Grogan (Paroled)

Convicted Of First Degree Murder In The Murder of Donald Shea

Manson famaily sits together in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Considered by many to be the most intellectually impaired member of the Manson Family, Steven “Clem” Grogan was a talented musician who joined Manson’s gang in 1967. Grogan, similar to Charles Manson, had a connection to the Beach Boys, through his friendship with Dennis Wilson. During the family’s stay at Wilson’s Los Angeles home, Grogan allegedly crashed Wilson’s uninsured Ferrari (via Rolling Stone). As shown in Chaos: The Manson Murders, Grogan accompanied Watson, Atkins, and Krenwinkel to 10050 Cielo Drive on August 9, 1969, but stayed in the car during the murders.

While not involved in the Tate-LaBianca murders, Grogan assisted Manson in the murder of stuntperson and actor, Donald Shea, on August 26, 1969. Initially sentenced to death in 1971, Grogan’s sentence was commuted to life imprisonment after Judge James Kolts cited Manson as the mastermind and stated Grogan “was too stupid and too hopped up on drugs to decide anything on his own” (via Cielo Drive). In 1985, Grogan was released on parole after he led investigators to the location of Shea’s body, one of only two Manson Family members convicted of murder to be released (via People). Grogan has remained out of the public eye since his release.

6

Bobby Beausoleil (Incarcerated)

Convicted Of First Degree Murder In The Murder of Gary Hinman

Growing up, Bobby Beausoleil had a strong passion for music and performing, and as a teenager, performed in various amateur bands, including The Grass Roots. Love, led by Arthur Lee (via Psychedelic Baby Magazine). In 1967, Beausoleil was living with music teacher, Gary Hinman, when he became involved in the Manson Family. On July 25, 1969, Manson ordered Beausoleil, Atkins, and Mary Brunner to kill Hinman and obtain his money; Hinman was held hostage for two days before he was stabbed to death by Beausoleil. Beausoleil reportedly wrote “political piggy” on the wall in Hinman’s blood (via Forbes).

Beausoleil has been incarcerated for over 55 years and has been denied parole 19 times.

Beausoleil was arrested on August 6, 1969, after being caught driving in Hinman’s car and, in 1970, was convicted of murder and given a life sentence; his arrest is reportedly what led Manson to order the Tate-LaBianca murders (via The Tribune). After a stabbing incident in 1982, Beausoleil distanced himself from Manson. He has been incarcerated for over 55 years and denied parole 19 times. Per Chaos: The Manson Murders, Beausoleil stated that he believed Manson “wasn’t a mastermind” of murder but rather “paranoid of his own people” and “wanted to bind them to him through they’re committing bad crimes.”

7

Bruce M. Davis (Incarcerated)

Convicted Of First Degree Murder In The Murder of Donald Shea

Bruce M Davis (left) being taken to court

Similar to Tex Watson, Bruce M. Davis lived a regular life in Alabama, attending the University of Tennessee for three years, before he ultimately dropped out and fell into drugs. In a podcast interview with Keith Rovere, Davis stated that he met Manson in Topanga in 1968 after an arrest for drug possession. On August 26, 1969, Davis, alongside Manson and Grogan, abducted and murdered Donald Shea; Davis later stated that Manson ordered Shea’s murder as he believed Shea to be a “snitch” and would report the Family to the police (via Mail Tribune).

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Davis turned himself in and was convicted of the murders of Donald Shea and Gary Hinman in 1972. Initially sentenced to death, his sentence was commuted to life in prison. Davis is incarcerated at San Quentin State Prison and was denied parole 34 times. Davis was found eligible for parole seven times since 2010, but every decision was reversed. At his 2022 hearing, it was acknowledged that Davis “had made efforts to improve himself over the last 50 years” but was “outweighed by negative factors that demonstrate he remains unsuitable for parole at this time” (via Los Angeles Daily News).

Convicted Of Armed Robbery & Witness Intimidation

Brad Pitt, Margaret Qualley, and Lena Dunham on Spahn Ranch in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Catherine Share was introduced to Charles Manson through fellow Manson member, Bobby Beausoleil, in 1967. She moved with Manson and his followers to Spahn’s Ranch, where she adopted the nickname, Gypsy (via Oxygen). While not involved in any of the gang’s murders, Share testified at the murder trial, blaming Family member, Linda Kasabian, for the killings. In 1970, Share was charged with witness intimidation, after attempting to prevent a former Family member, Patricia Hoyt, from testifying. Share served 90 days in prison and gave birth to a son while incarcerated, who was fathered by Clem Grogan.

In 1971, Share, along with five other Manson Family members, were arrested for armed robbery in Hawthorne, California, after robbing a Western Surplus Store and shooting at police officers. She served five years in prison and was released in 1975. Following her release, Share denounced Manson and later converted to Christianity (via Manson2Jesus). Over the years, Share has taken part in several documentaries about the Manson murders, discussing her experiences as part of the Manson Family. In an interview with 60 Minutes in 2019, Share reflected that Manson “just made you feel good about yourself” (via 9News).

9

Ruth Ann Moorehouse (Paroled)

Convicted Of The Attempted Murder Of Barbara Hoyt

The youngest child of a Protestant minister, Ruth Ann Moorehouse was introduced to Charles Manson by her own father in 1967; the two men had bonded over music and the Bible and Moorehouse’s father also briefly became a member of the Manson Family (via Cielo Drive). Moorehouse was given the nickname “Ouisch” and was in charge of taking care of the children and panhandling for money (via Medium). Alongside other Manson Family members, Moorehouse stood outside the courthouse during the murder trials, professing her loyalty to Manson and denying any knowledge to the authorities of the Tate-LaBianca murders.

Moorehouse was sentenced to 90 days in prison, but never served her sentence after failing to appear at her hearing.

In 1970, Moorehouse was indicted for the attempted murder of former Family member, Patricia Hoyt, to prevent her from testifying at the murder trial. Moorehouse was sentenced to 90 days in prison, but never served her sentence after failing to appear at her hearing; in 1975, it was ruled that Moorehouse would not go to prison after she distanced herself from Manson (via The New York Times). Moorehouse has maintained a low profile since the Manson killings and was last reported living with her three surviving children at an undisclosed location (via Cielo Drive).

10

Sandra “Blue” Good (Paroled)

Convicted Of Conspiracy To Send Threatening Letters

Born and raised in San Diego, Sandra Good joined the Manson Family in 1968 and moved into their base at Spahn Ranch. Similar to other members, Manson gave Good a nickname, giving her the name “Blue” to represent clear air. Good was not present at the Tate-LaBianca murders as she was serving a prison sentence alongside fellow member, Mary Brunner, for credit card theft (via LAIST). In 1975, Sandra Good was arrested for sending threatening letters to corporate executives and was sentenced to 15 years in prison (via San Francisco State University).

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Good was released on parole in 1985 after serving 10 years of her sentence and moved to Vermont. Unlike others, Good remains loyal to Charles Manson and, for years, ran a now-defunct website where she professed Manson’s innocence in the murders (via Esquire). In a 2019 interview, Good further professed her loyalty by stating that meeting Charles Manson as a young girl “saved [her] life” and that she was “thankful” to him for having “saved [her] life” (via TheWrap).

11

Mary Brunner (Paroled)

Convicted of Armed Robbery and Credit Card Fraud

Mary Brunner met Manson in 1967 while she was working as a library assistant at the University of California, Berkeley. She and Manson soon became lovers, and they traveled across California; Brunner is considered by many to be Manson’s first follower (via Yahoo). In 1968, Brunner gave birth to Manson’s son, Valentine Michael. Brunner was serving a sentence for credit card theft during the Tate-LaBianca murders. In 1969, Brunner was charged with the murder of Gary Hinman, but was granted immunity from prosecution after agreeing to testify against Bobby Beausoleil and Susan Atkins (via ThoughtCo).

In 1971, Brunner was one of several Manson Family members who were arrested for armed robbery in Hawthorne, California and was given a 20-year prison sentence. Since being paroled in 1977, Brunner has remained out of the public spotlight and her whereabouts are unknown. Her son, Valentine Michael, was placed in the care of his grandparents in Wisconsin. As per Men’s Journal, he refused to have anything to do with Manson and his grandparents later had his name changed to allow him “a normal childhood” and escape being associated with the horrific murders documented in Chaos: The Manson Murders.

Source: Variety, AP News, Cielo Drive (1), PoorStuart, CNN, The Mercury News, All That’s Interesting, Los Angeles Times, Biography, Charles Manson, Star News, New York Post, Rolling Stone, Cielo Drive (2), People, Psychedelic Baby Magazine, Forbes, The Tribune, Mail Tribune, Los Angeles Daily News, Oxygen, Manson2Jesus, 9News, Cielo Drive (3), Medium, The New York Times, Cielo Drive (4), LAIST, San Francisco State University, Esquire, TheWrap, Yahoo, ThoughtCo, Men’s Journal