History of Charles Manson in Timeline
Charles Manson was an American cult leader and criminal who led the Manson Family. In 1969, members of his cult committed at least nine murders across four locations, most notably the murder of actress Sharon Tate. Manson was convicted in 1971 of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder for the deaths of seven people. The prosecution argued successfully that his ideology instigated the murders even though he never directly ordered them. Manson and several other members of the "Manson Family" received life sentences for their crimes.
August 1934: Marriage of Maddox to William Eugene Manson
In August 1934, before Charles Manson's birth, Ada Kathleen Maddox married William Eugene Manson.
November 12, 1934: Charles Manson's Birth
On November 12, 1934, Charles Milles Maddox (later Manson) was born to Ada Kathleen Maddox in Cincinnati, Ohio.
April 30, 1937: Divorce of Maddox and William Eugene Manson
On April 30, 1937, Ada Kathleen Maddox and William Eugene Manson divorced after William alleged "gross neglect of duty" by Maddox. Charles retained William's last name of Manson.
1937: Paternity Suit and Judgment
In 1937, Ada Kathleen Maddox filed a paternity suit against Colonel Walker Henderson Scott, Sr., resulting in an agreed judgment.
August 1, 1939: Arrest of Kathleen and Luther Maddox
On August 1, 1939, Kathleen and Luther Maddox were arrested for assault and robbery, and sentenced to five and ten years of imprisonment, respectively.
1942: Manson's Mother Paroled
In 1942, Charles Manson's mother, Ada Kathleen Maddox, was paroled from prison.
August 1943: Marriage to Lewis Woodson Cavender Jr.
In August 1943, Manson's mother, Maddox, married alcoholic Lewis Woodson Cavender Jr. after meeting him through Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.
1947: Placement in Gibault School for Boys
In 1947, at the age of 13, Charles Manson was placed in the Gibault School for Boys in Terre Haute, Indiana, a school for male delinquents run by Catholic priests.
1948: First Documented Crime
In 1948, Charles Manson committed his first documented crime by robbing a grocery store in Indianapolis.
1949: Placement in Boys Town and Subsequent Crimes
In 1949, a sympathetic judge sent Manson to Boys Town, a juvenile facility in Omaha, Nebraska. After four days, he and another student stole a gun and a car to commit two armed robberies.
February 1951: Escape from Indiana Boys School
In February 1951, Charles Manson escaped from the Indiana Boys School with two other boys and robbed filling stations while attempting to drive to California in stolen cars until they were arrested in Utah.
October 1951: Transfer to Natural Bridge Honor Camp
In October 1951, Charles Manson was transferred to Natural Bridge Honor Camp, a minimum security institution in Virginia, based on a psychiatrist's recommendation.
February 1952: Parole Hearing Scheduled
Charles Manson had a parole hearing scheduled for February 1952.
May 1954: Early Release from Reformatory
In May 1954, Charles Manson was granted an early release from the maximum security reformatory at Chillicothe, Ohio, due to good behavior.
January 1955: Marriage to Rosalie Willis
In January 1955, Charles Manson married Rosalie "Rosie" Jean Willis.
November 1955: Expected Release Date
Charles Manson was expected to be released from the maximum security reformatory at Chillicothe, Ohio on his 21st birthday in November 1955, before being granted an early release.
March 1956: Arrest in Indianapolis
In March 1956, Charles Manson was arrested in Indianapolis for failing to appear at a Los Angeles hearing on an identical charge filed in Florida.
April 10, 1956: Birth of Charles Manson Jr.
On April 10, 1956, Rosalie, Manson's wife, gave birth to their son, Charles Manson Jr.
March 1957: Visits from Wife Cease
In March 1957, Charles Manson's wife Rosalie ceased visiting him in prison and his mother informed him she was living with another man.
September 1958: Parole and Divorce
In September 1958, Charles Manson received parole from prison. In the same year, Rosalie received a decree of divorce.
September 1959: Guilty Plea and Marriage to Leona Stevens
In September 1959, Charles Manson pleaded guilty to a charge of attempting to cash a forged U.S. Treasury check. He received a suspended sentence and probation after Leona Rae Stevens made a plea before the court and then married Manson.
April 1960: Indictment for Mann Act Violation
In April 1960, Charles Manson was indicted for violating the Mann Act after taking Leona and another woman to New Mexico for prostitution purposes.
July 1961: Transfer to McNeil Island
In July 1961, Charles Manson was transferred from the Los Angeles County Jail to the United States Penitentiary at McNeil Island, Washington.
September 1961: Annual Review at McNeil Island
In September 1961, Charles Manson's annual review noted he had a "tremendous drive to call attention to himself."
1963: Divorce from Leona
In 1963, Leona Stevens was granted a divorce from Charles Manson. During the process she alleged that she and Manson had a son, Charles Luther Manson.
September 1964: Continued Observation
In September 1964, a review of Manson echoed the same observations from the 1961 review, stating Manson had a "tremendous drive to call attention to himself".
1965: Urban Legend Debunked
In late 1965, there is an urban legend that Manson auditioned unsuccessfully for The Monkees; however, he was still incarcerated at McNeil Island at the time.
June 1966: Transfer to Terminal Island
In June 1966, Charles Manson was sent for the second time to Terminal Island in preparation for early release.
March 21, 1967: Release from Prison
On March 21, 1967, Charles Manson was released from prison after spending more than half of his life in correctional institutions.
1967: Manson Seeks Success as Musician
Between 1967 and 1969, Manson was a struggling pop musician, seeking to make it big in Hollywood. During this time, The Beach Boys recorded one of his songs.
1967: Rape Claim by Manson Family Member
In 1967, a member of the Manson Family claimed that she was raped by Manson, leading to her pregnancy and eventual birth of Matthew Roberts on March 22, 1968. She left the family mid-1967 following the rape.
March 22, 1968: Birth of Matthew Roberts
On March 22, 1968, Matthew Roberts was born. His biological mother, a former member of the Manson Family, claimed Manson raped her in 1967, leading to the pregnancy. Roberts was put up for adoption.
1968: Manson and The Beatles' eponymous album
In 1968, Charles Manson often talked about The Beatles, including their eponymous album. Manson felt guided by his interpretation of the Beatles' lyrics and adopted the term "Helter Skelter" to describe an impending apocalyptic race war.
1968: The Beach Boys record Manson's song
In 1968, the Beach Boys recorded Charles Manson's song "Cease to Exist", renamed it to "Never Learn Not to Love" and released it as a single B-side. Manson was uncredited for the song.
August 1969: Manson Family Murders
In August 1969, members of the Manson Family committed a series of at least nine murders at four locations in California.
1969: Manson Seeks Success as Musician
Between 1967 and 1969, Manson was a struggling pop musician, seeking to make it big in Hollywood. During this time, The Beach Boys recorded one of his songs.
March 6, 1970: Release of Manson's Album LIE
On March 6, 1970, LIE, an album of Manson's music, was released. This album included "Cease to Exist", a Manson song the Beach Boys had recorded with modified lyrics and the title "Never Learn Not to Love". Only about 300 of the album's 2,000 copies sold.
June 1970: Rolling Stone Features Manson on Cover
In June 1970, Rolling Stone magazine made Manson their cover story, increasing his notoriety.
1970: The Family Jams Recorded
In 1970, after Manson and others had been arrested, The Family Jams were recorded. The album includes two compact discs of Manson's songs recorded by the Family.
1971: Manson's Conviction
In 1971, Charles Manson was convicted of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder for the deaths of seven people.
January 1973: Lucas Begins Writing Star Wars
Between January 1973 and March 1976, George Lucas wrote the screenplays for the first Star Wars film, originally using the names Luke and Annikin Starkiller for the main characters. Later, the surname was changed to Skywalker due to the unpleasant connotations of "Starkiller" sounding like "celebrity killer" in the wake of Manson's notoriety.
March 1976: Lucas Finishes Writing Star Wars
Between January 1973 and March 1976, George Lucas wrote the screenplays for the first Star Wars film, originally using the names Luke and Annikin Starkiller for the main characters. Later, the surname was changed to Skywalker due to the unpleasant connotations of "Starkiller" sounding like "celebrity killer" in the wake of Manson's notoriety.
1977: Star Wars released
In 1977, the film Star Wars was released after George Lucas changed the name Skywalker due to connotations with Manson.
1989: Crispin Glover Covers Manson Song
In 1989, Crispin Glover covered "Never Say 'Never' to Always" on his album The Big Problem ≠ The Solution. The Solution=Let It Be.
1993: Guns N' Roses Records Manson Song
In 1993, American rock band Guns N' Roses recorded Manson's "Look at Your Game, Girl", including it as an unlisted track on their album "The Spaghetti Incident?".
March 27, 1997: Manson Refuses to Attend Future Parole Hearings
After his March 27, 1997, parole hearing, Manson refused to attend any of his later hearings. The panel noted his controlling behavior and mental health issues, deeming him too dangerous to be released.
February 14, 2002: Channels Claims Manson's Will
On February 14, 2002, Manson's pen-pal Michael Channels claimed to have a will from Manson dated that day which left Manson's entire estate and body to Channels.
April 2005: One Mind Album Released
In April 2005, One Mind, an album of music, poetry, and spoken word by Charles Manson, was released under a Creative Commons license.
2007: Lucas Explains Skywalker Name Change
In 2007, George Lucas explained that the surname Starkiller was changed to Skywalker for the Star Wars movie because it could be misconstrued as "celebrity killer" due to Manson's notoriety.
2009: Matthew Roberts Claims Manson as Father
In 2009, Los Angeles disc jockey Matthew Roberts released correspondence suggesting Charles Manson might be his father. Roberts' biological mother claimed Manson raped her in 1967 and she gave birth to Roberts in 1968. In 2009, Roberts claimed Manson as his biological father
2009: Manson Records Acoustic Album "Completion"
In 2009, Manson recorded an album of acoustic pop songs with additional production by Henry Rollins, titled "Completion". Only five copies were pressed. The album remains unreleased.
2010: Manson Caught with Cell Phone
In 2010, the Los Angeles Times reported that in 2009, Manson was caught with a cell phone and had contacted people in California, New Jersey, Florida and British Columbia. It was unknown if Manson had used the phone for criminal purposes.
April 11, 2012: Manson Denied Parole for 15 Years
On April 11, 2012, Manson was denied release at his twelfth parole hearing, which he did not attend. It was determined that Manson would not be reconsidered for parole for another fifteen years, not before 2027.
2012: DNA Test Debunks Roberts' Claim
In 2012, CNN conducted a DNA test between Matthew Roberts and Jason Freeman, Manson's grandson, showing that Roberts and Freeman did not share DNA. Subsequently, Roberts' direct DNA test with Manson proved they were not related. This all happened in 2012.
2012: CNN Runs DNA Match on Freeman and Roberts
In 2012, CNN ran a DNA match to see if Freeman and Roberts were related to each other and found that they were not. Two prior attempts to DNA-match Roberts with genetic material from Manson failed, but the results were reportedly contaminated. These attempts were made in 2012.
2013: Manson Declares Bisexuality
In 2013, Manson stated that he was bisexual, explaining his views on sex and gender.
2014: Manson Engaged to Afton Elaine Burton
In 2014, Manson became engaged to 26-year-old Afton Elaine Burton, who he nicknamed "Star". They obtained a marriage license on November 7, 2014. Burton had been visiting him in prison for nine years and maintained websites proclaiming his innocence.
February 5, 2015: Manson's Marriage License Expires
On February 5, 2015, Manson's wedding license with Afton Elaine Burton expired without a marriage ceremony taking place, allegedly due to Manson's belief that Burton wanted to exploit his corpse.
January 1, 2017: Manson Hospitalized for Gastrointestinal Bleeding
On January 1, 2017, Manson, held at Corcoran Prison, was rushed to Mercy Hospital in Bakersfield due to gastrointestinal bleeding. Doctors considered him "too weak" for surgery. He was returned to prison on January 6.
January 2017: Gurecki Claims Manson's Will
In January 2017, Ben Gurecki claimed to have a Manson will dated January 2017 which gives the estate and Manson's body to Matthew Roberts.
November 15, 2017: Manson Returns to Hospital
On November 15, 2017, it was reported that Manson had returned to a hospital in Bakersfield, but the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation did not confirm this.
November 19, 2017: Charles Manson's Death
On November 19, 2017, Charles Manson died while serving his prison sentence.
2017: Manson dies from colon cancer
In 2017, Charles Manson died from complications from colon cancer while serving his time in prison.
March 12, 2018: Freeman Wins Court Case Over Manson's Body
On March 12, 2018, the Kern County Superior Court in California decided in favor of Jason Freeman in regard to Manson's body.
March 17, 2018: Manson's Funeral Service and Cremation
On March 17, 2018, a funeral service was held for Manson, after which Jason Freeman had his remains cremated and scattered on a California hillside.
2027: Manson's Next Parole Hearing Scheduled
In 2027, Manson was scheduled for a parole hearing, though it was determined on April 11, 2012, that he would not be reconsidered for parole before this date.
Mentioned in this timeline
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