The Teen Who Escaped Helter Skelter

the mystery of the caretaker at Cielo Drive

Four members of the infamous Manson Family who came to Cielo Drive to commit murder

Just after midnight on August 9th, 1969, four members of the Manson Family approached the property at 10050 Cielo Drive in Benedict Canyon. They drove there with the explicit intention of killing as many people as they found there, stealing their money, and staging the scene to look as though black people had committed the murders. This was at the urging of 34-year old ex-con Charles Manson, who believed that this would be the tipping point of a race war that was inspired by The Beatles’ White Album.

Sharon Tate was living at Cielo Drive. The 26-year old actress was married to Polish film director Roman Polanski, and expecting her first child. The couple moved to the residence in February 1969. Previously, it had been rented by Columbia Records producer Terry Melcher, who Manson knew.

Polanski was in Europe that summer, working on pre-production for the science fiction film Day of the Dolphin. His wife remained at home, along with two houseguests — Polanski’s friend Wojciech Frykowski and his American girlfriend, coffee heiress and social worker Abigail Folger.

On Friday, August 8th, Tate, Folger and Frykowski enjoyed a late dinner at Mexican restaurant El Coyote in Los Angeles, along with Sharon’s friend and former boyfriend, famed hairstylist Jay Sebring. After…