On August 9, 1969, Sharon Tate was found dead at her residence along with aspiring screenwriter Wojciech Frykowski, his girlfriend and book editor Abigail Folger and hairstylist Jay Sebring. Tate was eight months pregnant at the time of her passing and all four victims were reported to have been murdered by members of the Manson family, a deadly cult led by Charles Manson active in the late 1960s.
The Manson family comprised approximately 100 members. Most of them were young women and the use of hard drugs was common among many. Susan Atkins, Tex Watson, and Patricia Krenwinkel, important members of the Manson family, broke into Sharon Tate’s home and murdered the four victims. Another member, Linda Kasabian, was also present but did not take part in the murders.
Charles Manson allegedly instructed Tex Watson to take Atkins, Krenwinkel, and Kasabian to “that house where Melcher used to live” and to destroy everyone who was there. The Manson family functioned with a larger philosophy of promoting chaos and racial war. However, the murder of Sharon Tate and her friends seemed to be motivated by a thirst for revenge. Manson was known to have brainwashed the family members so they would follow instructions without thinking too much about the motivation.
At the time of her passing, Sharon Tate was married to Roman Polanski with whom she shared the house. Before they moved in, Terry Melcher, an American music producer, lived in the house as a tenant. Charles Manson was an aspiring musician. Terry Melcher allegedly considered giving Manson a recording contract but later denied him the opportunity. It is believed that Tate and the rest of the victims weren’t indeed Manson’s targets.
How was Sharon Tate killed & what was the cause of death?
The murders of Sharon Tate, Wojciech Frykowski, Abigail Folger, and Jay Sebring didn’t just stand out because of the fame of the victims. The killings were indeed some of the most brutal crimes that the country had seen. The fact that someone as powerful as Tate was a victim of such violence shook the country.
The Manson family members entered Sharon Tate’s residence well into the night. They encountered an 18-year-old named Steven Parent in a car in the driveway. Tex Watson shot Steven and entered the house along with Atkins and Krenwinkel. Kasabian stayed outside and looked out for them.
The four members inside the home were asked to gather in the living room. Their necks were then tied with rope. Jay Sebring was shot and stabbed to death. Frykowski and Folger managed to free themselves and run for their lives but were allegedly chased by Watson and Krenwinkel, who shot them down and killed them. Frykowski is known to have been stabbed about fifty times and shot twice.
Sharon Tate was the last one to die. She was reportedly stabbed 16 times and killed. Her blood was then used to paint the word ‘PIG’ on the front door of the house. Watson is known to have repeated the phrase “I am the devil” multiple times that night during the murders.
The Manson Murders is a 2023 documentary that follows the crimes of the Manson family. It studies how Charles Manson, one of the most horrific serial killers that the world has seen managed to convince such a large pool of individuals into committing brutal murders. It is streaming on Prime Video.
