The Netflix doc didn’t cover it, so what really happened to Charles Manson’s family after jail?

The crimes of Charles Manson and his twisted family are etched into the collective consciousness, but despite the case having a spotlight for literally 50 years, we are all as hooked as ever.

Religious fanatic and musician Charles Manson was perhaps the most famous cult leader in the world after he, along with his family, perpetrated crimes ranging from drug dealing to murder. Though there are further murders said to be connected to the family, confirmed killings included Gary Hinman, actress Sharon Tate, Abigail Folger, Jay Sebring, Wojciech Frykowski, Steve Parent, Leno LaBianca, Rosemary LaBianca and Donald ‘Shorty’ Shea.

Last week, Netflix dropped Chaos: The Manson Murders which is based on Tom O’Neill’s non-fiction book CHAOS: Charles Manson, the CIA, and the Secret History of the Sixties. It unpacked the horrific crimes of the Manson family but with special attention paid to the conspiracies and corruption surrounding the case.

Though Chaos: The Manson Murders offered insight into the family it was left on a bit of a cliffhanger and the fates of the Manson Family were left ambiguous so here’s what happened to them.

Credit: Everett/Shutterstock

1. Ruth Ann Moorehouse

Ruth Ann Moorehouse was not involved in any of the murders but she was at the centre of a plot to kill fellow Manson family member Barbara Hoyt using an acid-laced hamburger in Hawaii. She fled before sentencing, but four years later in 1975, she was arrested once again before being released by the judge because of her rough upbringing.

According to CieloDrive.com, Ruth now resides in the Midwest with her husband and three kids after receiving help from family members.

2. Steven ‘Clem’ Grogan

Most Read

Lily Phillips just slept with an 82-year-old man in a care home and the videos are grim

Omg, Nathan from MAFS UK is dating this Love Island 2023 Islander after messy Lacey split

Who’s official who’s not: Nearly one month on, the status of each Love Island All Stars couple

Steve Grogan was convicted for helping with the murder of Donald ‘Shorty’ Shea in 1969, and while he was initially sentenced to death, the judge later recanted that judgment as he cited Steve’s rampant drug use as inhibiting his judgment.

He spent a total of 17 years in prison before being released. He is now a musician residing in Northern California.

3. Bruce Davis

12/2/1969 : Charles Manson’s right hand man Bruce Davis turns himself into to police after going into hiding . Davis was wanted for his involvement in the murder of Donald Shea . Shea was a beer hall bouncer , stunt man , who once had an argument with Manson & got killed. pic.twitter.com/RNHqv8A1vF

— William Bowery 🔫 🇮🇹 (@crimejunkiejoe) December 2, 2024

Bruce David was convicted for the murders of Gary Hinman and Donald ‘Shorty’ Shea and was sentenced to life in prison. He remains in prison to this day, now 82, and has been denied parole multiple times. Now a born-again Christian, Bruce’s most recent rejection in 2024 was because of his appearance on a True Crime podcast.

Dark fact: Bruce was once thought to be the Zodiac Killer but he was eventually ruled out as a suspect.

4. Bobby Beausoleil

In the Netflix documentary, we heard how Charles Manson ordered Bobby Beausoleil to clean up his mess by killing drug dealer Gary Hinman. He has been denied parole 20 times but the California Board of Parole Commissioners has recommended his release again. The Governor of California is reportedly still considering Bobby’s 2025 release.

5. Tex Watson

Credit: California Department Of Corrections

Charles ‘Tex’ Watson is one of the more famous members of the Manson Family because of his involvement in the Tate/LaBianca murders that claimed the lives of seven people. He was initially handed a death sentence but that was commuted to life in prison just one year later.

Tex is still in prison now but over the years he’s fathered four kids via conjugal visits, married, divorced, earned a degree in business management, and became ordained as a minister. After his 18th parole rejection in 2021, his next hearing will be in 2026.

6. Patricia Krenwinkel

1971: Susan Denise Atkins, (left), Patricia Krenwinkel and Leslie Van Houten,(right), laugh after receiving the death sentence for their part in the Tate-LaBianca killing at the order of Charles Manson. pic.twitter.com/qThSj8WAPi

— Bad Spit (@BadSpit) February 5, 2025

Patricia Krenwinkel was involved in both the Tate and LaBianca murders and has become California’s longest-serving female inmate after the death of her Manson family sister Susan Atkins. Throughout her life behind bars, she’s earned a bachelor’s degree in human services, played on the prison volleyball team and given dance lessons.

In 2022, Governor Gavin Newsom denied parole citing how she “still poses an unreasonable danger to society if paroled at this time.” Her next hearing is set for May 2025.

7. Leslie Van Houten

For her involvement in the gruesome LaBianca murders, Leslie Van Houten was sentenced to life in prison after THREE separate trials – the first of which was rescheduled after her lawyer was found dead. She married a fellow prisoner, earned a bachelor’s degree in English literature, and edited the prison newspaper before her release in 2023.

The last we heard of Leslie she was living in a halfway house in California but that was over two years ago.

8. Susan Atkins

Susan Atkins was sentenced to death after being convicted of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. After the sentence was adjusted to life in prison, she married two fellow inmates and dedicated her life to Jesus Christ.

Susan died in 2009 from brain cancer after her parole was denied numerous times.

9. Mary Brunner

Mary, who was the first Manson family member, received immunity for the killing of Gary Himan after agreeing to testify against Susan Atkins and Bobby Beausoleil. Unfortunately, she had another brush with the law a few years later after attempting to break Charles Manson out of prison by hijacking a plane at gunpoint. She received 20 years to life but was released on parole in 1977.

It’s believed she now resides in the Midwest but very little is known about her life. The son she had with Charles Manson was reportedly raised by her parents.

10. Lynette Fromme

Despite not being involved in any of the actual murders, Lynette ‘Squeaky’ Fromme continued to be one of the Manson Family’s most dedicated members for years afterwards. She founded a terrorist group dedicated to killing CEOs, and in 1975, she was convicted for the attempted assassination of President Gerald R. Ford.

Despite attempting to break out of prison when Charles Manson was diagnosed with cancer, Lynette was released in 2009 and went on to write a memoir about her life in 2018. Just a year later she concerningly admitted to still being in love with Charles Manson.

Chaos: The Manson Murders is available on Netflix now. For all the latest Netflix news, drops, quizzes and memes like The Holy Church of Netflix on Facebook. 

Featured image credit: Everett/Shutterstock/Netflix