Susan Atkins

Susan Denise Atkins aka Sadie Mae Glutz (born May 7, 1948) is an American murderer and former member of the Charles Manson "Family". She swore before a Grand Jury to have stabbed actress Sharon Tate to death, and to have been present at, or an accomplice to, several other murders.

Grand Jury

By this time, Manson and the "Family" had been linked to the murders, but the prosecution case was not considered strong. Atkins was therefore offered immunity from prosecution in exchage for her continued cooperation, and appeared before a Grand Jury. She described how Charles Manson had instructed her, along with Charles "Tex" Watson, Patricia Krenwinkel and Linda Kasabian to go to that particular house and kill everyone there. The motive was to incite a race war which was to be called Helter Skelter. The song of the same name by the group The Beatles was interpreted by Manson and his followers as being an instruction to start this war. She said she had not known any of the victims and had not cared who would be killed. She restated what she had previously told Graham and added details that lost her the sympathy she had been trying to attract. When asked to identify the body of Steven Parent from a photograph she said "yes that's the thing I saw in the car". Later, when describing the death of Sharon Tate, she told how Tate had begged for the life of her unborn child. Atkins said she had replied "look bitch, I have no mercy for you. You're going to die and you'd better get used to it". According to Atkins's testimony it was then that she began stabbing Tate because she was "sick of listening to her". She also showed no emotion as she described taking a towel and smearing it with Tate's blood and then using it to write the word "PIG" on the front door.

Related Topics:
Grand Jury - Charles "Tex" Watson - Patricia Krenwinkel - Linda Kasabian - Race war - Helter Skelter - The Beatles

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Describing the sequence of events, she stated that Watson had shot Steven Parent in his car in the driveway because Parent had seen them enter the grounds of the residence. Linda Kasabian had been horrified by Parent's murder and had waited outside the house while the others entered. Watson shot Jay Sebring when he attempted to defend Sharon Tate. Krenwinkel and Atkins had both stabbed Frykowski but he'd struggled and had fled outside where Watson had then stabbed him until he stopped moving. Abigail Folger had then broken free and had fled out the back door with Krenwinkel in pursuit. Krenwinkel had stabbed her a number of times before being joined by Watson who had just finished killing Frykowski. He continued to stab Folger until she was dead. According to Atkins, Tate had been the last to die because "she had to see the others die first".

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Atkins said she had not entered the LaBianca residence the following night, and incriminated another "Family" member Leslie Van Houten, who had not been present at the Tate residence.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Atkins also admitted that she had participated in the murder of music teacher Gary Hinman, once again at the instruction of Charles Manson, in 1968.

Related Topics:
Gary Hinman - 1968

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~