Ok, so I don't know if this has been mentioned on this board ...I just thought of it last night, while reading Helter shelter again. So there has been theory as to if the murders, were 'hits' or at least the victims were chosen.. Anyway, I was reading where Linda is talking about the happenings of the night of the La Bianca killing..and she talks about driving around and going to try to hit a church, get a priest...they go to a another house and he won't kill the occupants of that house because of the pics of children on the walls. Then it says after awhile, Manson gets very specific with directions, and takes her to the La Bianca residence.... Ironically, they killers showed up not long after the La Biancas returned home.. My theory is...was Manson wasting time, until later....giving the illusion they were out on a manhunt, looking for random prey, and just trying to make the others believe that...really getting their minds going, , when all along he was wasting time until the La Bianca's were back? Of course, there were no cell phones back then, so he couldn't be driving around waiting for a call or a text saying 'ok, they are home"....but was it a timed thing? IMHO I think it is a pretty big coincidence that they JUST got home and shortly after, the 'Family" makes their house call. Thoughts?
Not a bad theory. While possible, how did Manson and company know when to strike? The LaBianca's had just returned home from Lake Isabella, a trip of about 3 to 4 hours back then. And you may have missed in your reading that Charlie was intent on killing someone that night as evidenced by the near-killing of a motorist at a street light. He did get out of the car to shoot the driver but he sped away before Charlie could shoot him. You are right though...it was a conincidence with the timing. Just my two cents worth...which is now about one cent worth.
I actually meant to mention the part about the sports car at the light, and I am wondering if he took the chance that the light would turn green...if you are approaching a light, you can normally ball park when it will turn...and I think CM was pretty intelligent...and this would further get everyone else in the car all hopped up.... I also just noticed that I called it Helter Shelter...wt?
But didn't he make a call box call just before making a beeline to the LB's? Could have been told by contract setter they'll be home later tonight, but call us and we'll confirm that they've passed by or dropped in, and on way home.
I've believed that for years now. It has been mentioned on this board before and I've argued it as well then. Every single time Charlie was going to "murder" someone, there was an excuse...the children at one house...no one answered at the church. I believe Charlie knew no one was at the church. As for the traffic light..well, back in 1971 or thereabouts, we would be sitting at a red light and my grandfather would say to me, "Watch now, I'm going to make that light turn green with my finger". My grandfather would motion his finger at the red light and "ZAP" ! The light turned green. It was years later before I realized my grandfather would watch the opposite light at the intersection and when that one turned yellow he would do his "magic trick" and our light would turn green. Charlie could have easily timed the light. And I think he did. Either Charlie knew what time to go by the LaBianca's and was wasting time or they did stop and make a call and someone told him then it was time to go to the LaBianca's. I believe the LaBianca was the "contract" hit and Tate was a Charlie personal hit. I am so glad to see someone else open up to this LaBianca theory. Thanks !
Actually, I'm not sure if it was mentioned before on this site, I could be confused with seeing it somewhere else. But, I have argued this before.
He was clearly psyching the others into a follow the leader game in prep for the real thing, and clearly he had no intent whatsoever of getting his own hands dirty.
Maybe Charlie called the La Bianca's house to see if they were home yet and not someone offering the contract. I have always had a creepy feeling that it might have been that dopey daughter of Rosemary's, Susan. In one of his interviews Charlie admitted knowing Joe Dorgan (her boyfriend) through the Straight Satans or that other motorcycle group he was friendly with. There has been some speculation that Tex knew her when he lived near her apartment. From what I've read she is quite the whacko. FB
That is who I had in the back of my mind...Susan....and yes, she does seem quite the whacko...now is that because of what happned, or did what happen, happen because she is whacko? Chicken and egg..and yes, I never even thought, that maybe he called the La Bianca house! Even more suspicious.....
Yes, I think Call Box is Phone Booth too... I LEAN towards a contract hit because I would think back then or through the years they would have been able to connect Susan. And I don't think the cops explored enough possiblity of organized crime being involved. They touched it and moved on quickly. With that being said, I am still open to the possiblity that Susan may have tipped Manson off. Especially if Tex and Susan were connected somehow thru Joe Dorgan or other ways. And the relationship Susan established with Tex post trial which included forgiveness. And now I am open to Manson making a call himself to LaBianca's residence. Thanks Freebird ! One thing I am convinced...Manson stalled by driving around that night. How ironic, Manson always preached that "awareness" and "fear is awareness" etc...but Family, save a few possibly, were anything BUT aware. They had no clue what Manson was really doing.
a lot of the information on suzan struthers came from bill nelson. i have a five minute video of nelson skulking around on struthers property without her knowing it--he was trespassing and was brazen enough to film it. if it wasn't for her showing up at watson's parole hearing i would say it was all a creation of nelson, but the parole hearing does make me question her. i do not believe she had anything to do with the murders.
HI, Brian. Not getting at you, but .. ... you know, if I had wanted to hire a killer I really don't think I would have have considered CM or any of his entourage. None of them seemed very bright, trustworthy or likely to keep their mouths closed. Hiring a killer is a tricky business, one that leaves the hirer extremely exposed, and you need to be very careful. Contract assassins are (usually) ruthlessly efficient, one or two shots to the head and out of there, not playing with the cutlery, painting on the walls, showering, having lunch, etc. Not saying it didn't happen, cos I don't know, but to me it seems unlikely anyone would hire CM or his drug-fuelled family for that kind of work. Jem.
No but people do hire bike gangs and it is not unheard of for lazy ones to sub contract. A possible scenario if one was in drug debt to them as well. One common undetected murder method in my country is to get an indebted junky to inject a target with an overdose, our unsophisticated Police do not question such deaths - even in non users. Now these sorts used to do this are not your typical hitmen and tend tyo be chaitic, but can be relied upon to kep mouths shut out of fear of higher rankers in the criminal underworld that their drug addictions tie them to. Hit men and women do not necessarily have to fit the standard high range profiles.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWBGlnE9b88 I watched this interview of a dialogue between Tex and Susan LaBerge back when I first started getting interested in this case. It still chills my blood. Look right around 3:50 they start talking about each other like they met on Match.com. I remember thinking back then that just when I think this case can't get any weirder... It wouldn't surprise me at all if Susan were involved. Not at all.
Suzan and Joe Dorgan: Dunno. He doesnt "look" the biker type that DeCarlo and Springer did. Someone I know talked with Dorgan, and he said that he wasnt a biker nor a Straight Satan. That is all Nellie's doing I believe. Though, I would wonder if I would be truthful now about it if I had something to hide. The Suzan/Tex union is indeed weird and sickening. The part that gets me is she only forgave and went out on a limb for Tex, and not the others. Something is up with that to me.
