25-06-2025
Charles Manson's final words in chilling interview before his agonising death
Charles Manson, the notorious killer and cult leader who cast a shadow over California's history, could only ever leave prison in one way after being handed nine life sentences - and that was in a coffin.
The mastermind behind the chilling 1969 murders of Sharon Tate and eight others in Los Angeles passed away in 2017 at the age of 83 from colon cancer.
Nearly half a century had elapsed since Manson orchestrated the infamous killings when he died. His followers, known as the 'Manson Family', carried out the brutal acts across four locations in July and August 1969, following his orders.
Manson and several members of his cult were apprehended and indicted in December that year.
The slayings that shook the hills of L.A. were part of Manson's twisted plan to ignite a racial conflict he dubbed "Helter Skelter."
He envisaged this apocalyptic event would result in the Manson Family emerging victorious, enabling them to create a stronghold of power, reports the Mirror US.
The country was gripped by a mix of intrigue and horror throughout the nine-month trial that followed. Although Manson was initially sentenced to death in 1971 for his role in orchestrating the savage crimes, his sentence was reduced to life imprisonment when California repealed capital punishment in 1972.
The declaration sealed Manson's fate, ensuring he would spend the bulk of his existence locked away, and although his life was extended, the notorious cult leader was never to experience freedom again. He faced parole rejection a staggering twelve times throughout his incarceration.
People Magazine reported that at the time of Manson's death, his last words were shrouded in mystery. The LA Times noted that Manson had been "seriously ill" in the lead-up to his demise.
In November 2017, he was hospitalised due to gastrointestinal bleeding linked to his colon but was considered too frail for surgery, according to the New York Times. Subsequently, he was returned to Corcoran State Prison in Bakersfield, California.
Later in the year, TMZ reported that Manson was readmitted to the hospital in critical condition and would not make it back to prison. His death occurred just two days after news of his hospitalisation broke.
Manson's death certificate revealed his health status at the time of death and the cause.
Manson's final battle was with metastatic colon cancer. Respiratory failure and cardiac arrest were the ultimate causes of his passing.
Manson's life came to an end on November 19, 2017, at 8.13 pm PT. Throughout his time in prison, Manson accumulated over 100 infractions, including threats to prison staff, weapon possession, and assault.
Charles Manson's final words remain a mystery, but he engaged in several interviews with author and TV producer James Buddy Day during the last year of his life.
Day, who would go on to pen the 2019 publication 'Hippie Cult Leader: The Last Words of Charles Manson', is credited as the last individual to extensively interview Manson, as highlighted by TIME.
Manson consistently proclaimed his innocence regarding the infamous murders right up to his passing, Day remarked.
In his ultimate recorded conversation with Day, Manson asserted over the phone: "I didn't have nothing to do with killing those people. They knew I didn't have anything to do with it."
