CORCORAN >> Charles Manson, a death row inmate and mastermind of one of the nation’s most infamous murder sprees, died of natural causes at 8:13 p.m. on Sunday at a Kern County hospital, according to state prison officials.
He was 83.
A California Department of Corrections official said she could not release any more information about Manson’s death or what the cause may have been, saying the Kern County coroner will be handling any autopsy. TMZ reported his death was due to natural causes.
Manson was convicted of seven first degree murder charges and one count of conspiracy to commit murder for the August 1969 deaths of actress Sharon Tate, Abigail Ann Folger, Wojciech Frykowski, Steven Earl Parent, Jay Sebring, Leno La Bianca and Rosemary La Bianca. He was admitted to the state’s Death Row on April 22, 1971, but the state Supreme Court vacated and set aside capital punishment in 1972. Manson was commuted to seven consecutive life sentences.
Manson had been housed in the Protective Housing Unit at California State Prison-Corcoran since 1989, but was recently moved to Kern County hospital. Manson had also served time at San Quentin State Prison, California Medical Facility, Folsom State Prison and Pelican Bay State Prison.
In January, Manson was rushed to Mercy Hospital in Bakersfield for what authorities at the time would describe only as a serious medical problem. He was returned to prison a few days later.
During his four decades of incarceration, Manson has been anything but a model prisoner. Among other things, he has been cited for assault, repeated possession of a weapon, threatening staff and possessing a cellphone.
