Charles "Tex" Watson

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Tex Watson during the Tate-La Bianca trial.
Tex Watson during the Tate-La Bianca trial.

Charles Denton "Tex" Watson (born December 2, 1945 in Dallas, Texas) is an American murderer and former member of Charles Manson's "Family". He was convicted of the murders of Sharon Tate, Steven Parent, Abigail Folger, Wojciech Frykowski and Jay Sebring, which took place in the early hours of August 9, 1969, in the Tate residence at 10050 Cielo Drive in Benedict Canyon, and also of Leno and Rosemary LaBianca at the LaBianca residence in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles the following night. Watson's accomplices in the murders were Susan Atkins, Leslie Van Houten and Patricia Krenwinkel. Watson himself personally inflicted many of the wounds to the victims.

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[edit] Early life

Watson's family was strict and religious, with his mother considered a domineering presence in the home and in her son's life. He was a model child who did well in school, was a star football player and popular among his peers.

Watson briefly attended college after graduating from high school. This was his first time away from home and the controls of his family, and he began using drugs and became uninterested in school. He briefly had a job as a baggage handler for an airline, which afforded him travel opportunities. After visiting a friend in California, he decided to move there. He again briefly attended college and worked at a wig shop. He soon dropped out of college and also opened his own wig business, which quickly failed. During this time, he also became more involved with using and dealing drugs. One night, he picked up Dennis Wilson of the Beach Boys, who was hitch-hiking. Wilson invited him back to his home, where Watson met Charles Manson.[1]

[edit] Sentencing - present

Watson was tried separately from the others convicted in the murders. He was convicted, and sentenced to death on October 21, 1971. Watson escaped 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. Having been denied parole 13 times, Watson remains incarcerated to this day in Mule Creek State Prison (MCSP) in Ione, California. His last hearing, which he did not attend, was in 2006. He received a maximum five-year denial. His next scheduled parole hearing is in September 2011, when he will be 65 years old and will have spent nearly two-thirds of his life in prison.

In 1978, Watson wrote a book entitled Will You Die For Me?, and married Kristin Joan Svelte in 1979. They were able to have four children through conjugal visits. Largely through the lobbying of Doris Tate, mother of murder victim Sharon Tate, conjugal visits for imprisoned individuals convicted of murder were banned. Watson separated from and divorced his wife of 25 years in 2003. [2]

Watson became a born-again Christian in prison and operates Abounding Love Ministries while incarcerated. He has written about his role in the murders and the sorrow he feels for his involvement, and has apologized to the family members of his victims on his website, stating that he believes he is "forgiven by God." His ministry and website have generated controversy regarding substantial income earned, and that this income was not reported by his then-wife, who had also received public benefits.

[edit] Tex Watson in popular culture

[edit] References

  1. ^ Watson, Charles as told to Ray Hoekstra. Will You Die for Me? Cross Roads Publications, 1978. Chapter 6. Retrieved 1 December 2007.
  2. ^ Manson Family Timeline

[edit] External links

Persondata
NAME Watson, Charles Denton
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Watson, Tex
SHORT DESCRIPTION Manson family member, convicted murderer
DATE OF BIRTH December 2, 1945
PLACE OF BIRTH Dallas, Texas
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH
Languages