Charles Manson’s Follower Freed 53 Years after Killings - Murdered Sharon Tate’s Sister Speaks Up

• Leslie Van Houten has just been released from prison after serving 53 years.
• Houten was involved in the killing of the LaBianca couple when she was a member of the Charles Manson cult.
• As much as many people have protested her release, Houten is now out on parole and hopes to live a normal life.

Leslie Van Houten, a follower of Charles Manson, was released from prison on July 11, 2023, after serving 53 years of a life sentence.

The 73-year-old was sentenced to life for her participation in two infamous murders. She gained her freedom again in the early morning on Tuesday.

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation noted that Houten was "released to parole supervision." Her attorney Nancy Tetreault said Houten was taken to transitional housing after release. As per Tetreault, Houten is still trying to adjust to this big move and convince her mind that this release was real.

Before Houten was released, California Governor Gavin Newsom said that he wouldn't fight a state appeals court that ruled that the 73-year-old should be granted parole.

What Is Leslie's Story?

At 19, Houten assisted a violent and manipulative cult leader in carrying out the murder of a wealthy Los Angeles couple. The murdered couple was Leno LaBianca, a grocer, and his wife, Rosemary. They were murdered in their home.

Houten described in court how she violently murdered the LaBiancas with a pillow case and a knife. The killing of the LaBiancas happened a day after the Manson followers murdered Sharon Tate and four others. Houten wasn't part of the Tate murders.

Houten lived a normal life before things started going wrong when she was 14 after her parents divorced. She began using drugs and became pregnant, a pregnancy that her mother forced her to terminate. The two buried the fetus in the family's backyard.

Houten then met Manson and his followers at an old movie ranch on the outskirts of Los Angeles. In 2016, she revealed that Manson asked his followers to kill in order to get ready for a race war he called "Helter Skelter," after a Beatles song.

Now that she has been released, Houten may stay for a year at the halfway house and may be on parole for three years. She will have to learn how to live in the modern world of technology.

Manson taught his followers to fight and can food so that they could one day disappear and live in a hole in a desert. Manson spent close to half a century in prison and died at 83 of natural causes. Other Manson cult followers, such as Susan Atkins, died in prison in 2009, while Patricia Krenwinkel was denied parole several times.

After Houten was found guilty, she was originally sentenced to death. However, the California Supreme Court overturned the state's death penalty law in 1972, leading to the change of Houten's sentence to life in prison.

Voters and lawmakers later reinstated the death penalty, but it hasn't been used retroactively. Houten, who is now free, was recommended for parole five times, and these recommendations were rejected by Gavin and former governor Jerry Brown.

Gavin said the victims' families still felt the pain of the brutal killings their loved ones experienced at the hands of the Manson cult.

Before Houten was released, Leno LaBianca's daughter, Cory LaBianca, noted that her family was heartbroken and disappointed by the news that she could be freed. Victims' relatives and online users have also shared their opinions and feelings about Houten's release.

What Are Relatives' and Online Users' Opinions On Leslie's Release?

Sharon Tate's sister, Debra Tate, said she was disappointed that Houten had been released from prison. And while Houten was absent during Sharon's murder, she said publicly that she wanted badly to be a part of it.

Debra said the victims' families were outraged that Houten would spend the rest of her life free. They had believed the life sentence would keep her behind bars until her death.

Debra has an online petition seeking to keep all the other members of the Manson cult locked up. Sharon's sister doesn't believe Houten is rehabilitated, and thinks she is likely to go back down a dark path and kill again.

However, Tetreault, who spoke on behalf of Houten, said her client has accepted full responsibility for the murders and no longer poses a danger to society.

Some people online agreed with Tetreault. One person said Houten "had lots of time to think, and hopefully is a new person." Another individual hopes Houten will give an interview.

An online user noted that Houten had done "more than her time" and that she was reformed, making it right to release her because prisons were meant to "reform" and not to "merely punish."

Online users who are against Houten's release said they hope "she won't kill anyone else before she dies." A person concurred, "Look in her eyes-she still has the look." Another person commented:

"Disgraceful! Should have NEVER been released."

An online user said Houten was in a cult and would probably continue with what Manson started. "We need to keep her locked up," the person added, "This is so wrong! She should breathe her last breath behind bars." More users agreed with the victims' families:

"Life sentence should mean just that! Her victims don't get a second chance. Why should she?"

Tetreault, who supports Houten's release, said Houten had done courses that helped her take responsibility for the murders. She disclosed that Houten had had 40 years of psych evaluation to get parole.

What's Next for Leslie?

Now that she has been released, Houten may stay for a year at the halfway house and may be on parole for three years. She will have to learn how to live in the modern world of technology.

Tetreault said Houten must learn how to use the internet and buy things without cash because the world she is in right now is different from the one she left.

Houten's attorney added that Houten got a bachelor's and master's degree in counseling while in prison. She worked as a tutor while behind bars and hopes to get a job soon.

Tetreault concluded that Houten was a reformed person who was grateful to the people who realized she wasn't the same person who committed violent murders years back.

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