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This Boy Scout Was Smarter Than The Police
Steven Weiss found the gun used by the Manson Family for murder
Just after midnight on August 9, 1969, four members of the Manson Family scaled the fence at 10050 Cielo Drive in Benedict Canyon in the Hollywood Hills. They had been sent there by Charles Manson, an ex-convict with a long rap sheet who had attracted several dozen young people with his anti-establishment propaganda. That evening, Charlie was desperate — a member of his so-called Family (really, a cult) had recently been arrested for murder and might implicate Manson, and two women he sent to buy supplies (with stolen credit cards) so that he could escape, also were arrested. He needed a diversion. A distraction. Something that would save him, at the risk of his most ardent followers.
On August 9th, Charles ‘Tex’ Watson, Susan ‘Sadie’ Atkins and Patricia ‘Katie’ Krenwinkel murdered five innocent people. A fourth participant, Linda Kasabian, witnessed some of the murders but did not actively take part.
The first murder was that of 18-year old Stephen Parent, a guest of the property caretaker who was departing the residence just as the killers approached. He was slashed several time with a knife by Watson, and then shot with a .22 Buntline longhorn revolver.
