Tex Watson

Charles Denton "Tex" Watson (born December 2, 1945) is an American murderer who was a central member of the "Manson Family" led by Charles Manson.

Watson was born in Dallas, Texas, on December 2, 1945, and grew up in nearby Copeville.

He was the youngest of three children.

Watson grew up attending church locally, and was an honor student, editor on the school paper, and captain of the football team, and set a record for the high hurdles at Farmersville High School.

Using free airline tickets to travel, he visited a fraternity brother in Los Angeles; there he became interested in the psychedelic and music lifestyle of the late 1960s.

While driving one day, Watson picked up a hitchhiker, Dennis Wilson of The Beach Boys, and drove him to Wilson's house.

There he was first introduced to the Manson Family who lived with Wilson.

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.

In January 1967, Watson began working at Braniff International as a baggage handler.

In December 1968, Watson left the Manson Family.

He moved in with a woman who sold small quantities of marijuana and LSD to his friends, and became her lover.

The two lived in Hollywood for a few months, improving their illegal activity, until Watson became restless and rejoined the Family.

Following Manson's orders to "find money for Helter Skelter", Watson contrived to steal money from his lover's friend, Bernard Crowe.

Crowe called the ranch, spoke to Charles Manson and told him he would come to the ranch and kill everyone if he did not get his money back.

In response, Manson shot Crowe in the stomach using the same pistol that Watson would use in the Tate murders.

The two encountered one another in the California Men's Colony in the early '80s.

Following a long conversation about the past and religion Crowe forgave Watson for his role in the theft and the shooting.

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, Watson traveled to Los Feliz, Los Angeles, and participated in the murders of Leno and Rosemary LaBianca.

On August 9, 1969, as a member of the Manson Family, Watson led Susan Atkins, Linda Kasabian, and Patricia Krenwinkel to 10050 Cielo Drive, the home of Roman Polanski and Sharon Tate.

They murdered all four people inside the house, and also Steven Parent in the driveway.

Watson and his crime partners inflicted 28 stab wounds to one victim, Abigail Folger, alone.

The following night, Watson and six others went to the home of Leno and Rosemary LaBianca.

Manson and Watson entered the home.

According to Watson's book Will You Die For Me?, Manson held the occupants at gunpoint while Watson tied them up, before the gang killed them.

On October 2, 1969, Watson fled the Spahn Ranch and headed back to his native state of Texas.

On November 30, 1969, he was arrested in Texas for the Tate–LaBianca murders.

He and his lawyers fought extradition to California for nine months.

Upon arriving in California, he stopped talking and eating, losing 55 pounds, and began regressing to a catatonic state.

He was admitted to Atascadero State Hospital for a 90‑day evaluation period to determine if he was fit to stand trial.

Watson was convicted of murder in 1971 and sentenced to death.

He stayed there until February 1971, when he was deemed able to stand trial.

On October 12, 1971, Watson was convicted on seven counts of first-degree murder and one count of conspiracy to commit murder.

One week later, the same jury took only two and a half hours to determine that he was sane.

On October 21, 1971, he was sentenced to death.

He arrived on California's death row on November 17, 1971, but avoided execution when the California Supreme Court's People v. Anderson decision resulted in the invalidation of all death sentences imposed in California prior to 1972.

He was found guilty of the murders of seven people: Abigail Folger; Wojciech Frykowski; Steven Parent; Sharon Tate Polanski, who was eight months pregnant; Jay Sebring; Leno LaBianca; and Rosemary LaBianca.

As a result of a 1972 California Supreme Court decision on the constitutionality in the state of the death penalty, he avoided execution but has remained incarcerated ever since.

According to his prisoner outreach website, Watson converted to Christianity in 1975.

Will You Die for Me?, Watson's autobiography, as told to Raymond "Chaplain Ray" Hoekstra, was published in 1978.