CHARLES Manson encouraged his cult members to go on a vicious two-night killing spree in Los Angeles in the late 60s.
Members of the commune - including a then young Tex Watson - carried out horrific murders on Manson's orders, including killing actress Sharon Tate.
Who is Tex Watson?
Tex Watson was born in Dallas, Texas, on December 2, 1945, and grew up in nearby Copeville.
He was the youngest of three children and grew up attending church locally.
He was an honour student, editor on the school paper, and captain of the American football team.
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In September 1964, Watson moved to Denton, Texas, to attend the University of North Texas, where he became a member of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity.
But in January 1967 he travelled to LA and was introduced to the Manson Family and became part of the cult.
Who did Tex Watson kill?
On August 9, 1969, Watson, Patricia Krenwinkel, and Susan Atkins murdered pregnant actress Sharon Tate, Jay Sebring, Wojciech Frykowski, Abigail Folger, and Steven Parent at 10050 Cielo Drive in Benedict Canyon, Los Angeles.
The next night, together with Leslie Van Houten and Krenwinkel, he travelled to Los Feliz, LA, and participated in the murders of Leno and Rosemary LaBianca.
Watson allegedly tried strangling Rosemary but she was able to grab a lamp and launch it at Van Houten.
Van Houten allegedly held Rosemary down while Krenwinkel stabbed her in the chest several times.
The knife apparently jammed in Rosemary’s clavicle bone and Van Houten cried to Watson for help.
Watson had already murdered Leno, stabbing him repeatedly as he was tied up in the living room.
Van Houten allegedly stabbed Rosemary's lower back and glute area over a dozen times.
What happened to Tex Watson?
On October 2, 1969, Watson fled the Manson family ranch and headed back to his native Texas.
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On November 30, 1969, he was arrested for the Tate–LaBianca murders.
Watson was convicted of the murders in 1971 and sentenced to death.
As a result of a 1972 California Supreme Court decision on the constitutionality in the state of the death penalty, he avoided execution and was sent to prison.
Where is Tex Watson now?
To this day, Watson remains behind bars.
He is incarcerated at Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego, California.
As of July 2023 he has been in prison for 52 years.
Will Tex Watson ever be released?
Watson's latest attempt to be released was in 2021, but he was denied.
Since he was first sent to prison he has been denied parole 18 times.
Meanwhile, fellow Manson family member Leslie Van Houten was released on July 11, 2023.
Who played Tex Watson in Once Upon A Time In Hollywood?
In the 2019 film Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, Austin Butler played Watson, first appearing in the movie's Spahn Ranch scene.
After this role, the actor took the world by storm when he played the lead role of Elvis Presley in the biopic, Elvis.
The talented star is also known for for his roles in Switched At Birth, The Carrie Diaries and The Shannara Chronicles.
