Charles “Tex” Watson was considered to be cult leader Charles Manson’s right-hand man, one of the few males in a cult made up primarily of women who would act as Manson’s muscle. As such, he was primarily involved in the most notorious of the Manson Family’s crimes: the horrific murder of Sharon Tate, who was eight months pregnant, and four guests at the actress’ home in Los Angeles. Days later, Watson was also involved in the LaBlanca murders along with Leslie Van Houten and others.
In 1971, Watson was convicted of the murder of a total of seven people, and sentenced to death. However, his life was spared in 1972, when the Supreme Court outlawed capital punishment for crimes committed in California.
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Watson’s memoir, “Will You Die For Me?” — with the subtitle: “Once ready to die for Charles Manson, now living a new life for Christ” — outlines the murderer’s apparent renunciation of his former cult and his turn toward Christianity, which has seen him ordained as a minister behind bars. Watson has also married in prison, and has fathered four children through conjugal visits, though such visits have since been outlawed to life prisoners. He has been denied parole 18 times, most recently in 2021.
