Following news that Charles Manson was hospitalized in grave condition last week, the cult leader and killer passed away on Sunday night at a hospital in Bakersfield, California, TMZ reports and CBS LA confirms (via Manson’s sister, who received a call from prison officials at around 8:30 pm PST). Manson’s health had been steadily deteriorating, due to a number of medical ailments, and he was deemed too weak to undergo surgery for intestinal bleeding earlier this year. Upon his death, Manson had spent over half his life in prison. He was 83 years old.
Thus ends 46 years behind bars for the madman. After killing Sharon Tate and six others in 1969, Manson and other members of his “family” were convicted of multiple first-degree murder counts. The cult ringleader was originally sentenced to death penalty, but when California abolished the punishment in 1972, Manson’s sentence was commuted to life in prison. He then tried to secure parole twelve times but was denied in every attempt.
From behind bars, Manson still managed to pose a danger to others in countless instances, and at best, his behavior acted as a persistent nuisance for prison staff and officials. The ever-defiant cult leader set fires and tried to cause floods. He lashed out at other prisoners, busted heads, and burned guards with hot coffee. Although old age slowed down the frequency and intensity of Manson’s chaos-filled antics, he reportedly felt he was immortal.
To repeat, Charles Manson is dead at age 83.