The Murder of Sharon Tate | Cult Chronicles

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Sharon Marie Tate was born on January 24th, 1943 in Dallas, Texas. She was the eldest of three daughters to Colonel Paul James Tate and Doris Tate. When she was young she moved several times due to her fathers' job in the military and had lived in 6 different cities by the time she turned 16.

It wouldn't be until the start of the 60's that she started her acting career, and she was only 26 years old when her life was cut short.

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Image credit: Lily Laurent

Sharon and Roman Polanski got married in January 1968, but their marriage was not as idyllic as you would imagine. Roman's promiscuous ways continued even after he got married to Sharon, and it is reported that she stayed because she hoped he would change. She would confide in her friends and say things like: 

"We have a good arrangement. Roman lies to me and I pretend to believe him."

10050 Cielo Drive, home of Sharon Tate and Roman Polanski. Image credit: George

The Night of the Murder

On the 8th of August 1969, Tate was entertaining a few friends at 10050 Cielo Drive, and she confided in them that she was unhappy Roman was still away in London. Her friends were coffee heiress Abigail Folger, celeb hairstylist Jay Sebring, and actor Wojciech Frykowski. Tate was heavily pregnant at the time and due to give birth in a matter of weeks to her son.

Sharon had her friends over for lunch, but later that night they had dinner at her favourite restaurant. They all returned to the home at approximately 10:30pm.

Shortly after midnight followers of the cult leader Charles Manson broke into the house. Their names were Tex Watson, Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel and Linda Kasabian. They were sent to this address to "destroy everyone inside". Allegedly Manson chose this house because a music producer that wouldn't give him a record deal used to live there.

When the group got to the house Tex Watson cut the phone lines so they couldn't contact anyone. The group entered the house and put everyone together in one room. They tied Tate and Sebring to each other by their necks, and when Sebring confronted them about their treatment of pregnant Tate he was shot.

Her two other friends Folger and Frykowski were stabbed repeatedly when they tried to escape their attackers. Tate was the last one alive, and she pleaded with them to spare her life and her unborn child. But those cries fell on deaf ears, and Susan Atkins held Tate down and stabbed her 16 times.

Manson told the group to do something witchy at the house, so as they left Susan Atkins wrote the word "pig" on the front door in Sharon's blood.

When the bodies were discovered by their housekeeper it was a horrific scene. Tate was laid on her side, with an X carved into her stomach, and the rope still around her neck. The rope that was still tied to Sebring who laid dead a few feet away.

Image credit: George

There was another body found on the property. Their last victim was 18 year old Steven Parent. The young man was a friend of the properties caretaker and Steven was there visiting him that night. As he was leaving the property his car was stopped by Tex Watson and he pointed a gun at him. Steven begged him to let him go, but Watson shot him in the chest and abdomen. 

During the home invasion a total of 6 people were murdered. When Manson and his followers were caught they were sentenced to death, but this was changed to life sentences when the death sentence was abolished.

Where Are The Killers Now?

• Tex Watson is still in prison serving his time. He has been denied parole 17 times.
• Patricia Krenwinkel is also still in prison. She has been denied parole 14 times.
• Susan Atkins died in prison of terminal brain cancer in 2009.
• Linda Kasabian was granted immunity when she testified against Manson and the cult. She now lives a solitary life in Washington.
• Charles Manson served out his time in prison and died of natural causes in 2017.

This case is so upsetting and so many people lost their lives for no reason but to get revenge for Manson. They were all so young. Nobody deserves what happened to them, and the fact an unborn child was also a victim makes this crime all the more unforgivable. 

The group that did this were wicked to the core, and even though Charles was not present he is the worst of them all. None of the murders would have taken place if Charles had not orchestrated everything. 

What are your feelings about what took place that night at 10050 Cielo Drive? 

Thank you very much for reading and if you have any suggestions for future posts, please leave them in the comments section below.