The notorious cult leader Charles Manson has died at the age of 83. According to NBC News, “Manson died at 8:13 p.m. (11:13 p.m. ET) at a hospital in Kern County.”
According to CBS News, the California State Prison contacted Debra Tate, sister of actress and murder victim Sharon Tate, and informed her of Manson’s death around 8:30 PM local time.
Manson formed a quasi-cult commune in the late 1960s that would later become known as the “Manson Family.” He was convicted of orchestrating a bloody two-night rampage in the summer of 1969 leaving seven dead, most notably actress Sharon Tate who was 8 1/2 months pregnant.
During his trial Manson and the five other defendants carved X’s into their foreheads, as did the other members of the family in days to come.
At the time of his death, Manson was serving nine consecutive life sentences at Corcoran State Prison in Corcoran, California. He had been denied parole on 12 different occasions before his death.
Manson was a former convict who had spent more than half his life in prison when he formed his cult.
Manson was rushed to the hospital earlier this week in “grave condition.” His cause of death was ruled as natural causes.