Tex Watson

Tex Watson
Watson in an undated prison photograph
Born
Charles Denton Watson

(1945-12-02) December 2, 1945
Dallas, Texas, U.S.
Other names
  • Charles Montgomery
  • Texas Charlie ("Tex")[2]: xvii 
Criminal statusIncarcerated
Spouse
Kristin Joan Svege
(m. 1979; div. 2003)
Children4
AllegianceManson Family
ConvictionsFirst degree murder
Conspiracy to commit murder
Criminal penaltyDeath; commuted to life imprisonment
Details
DateAugust 9–10, 1969
Date apprehended
November 30, 1969
Imprisoned atRichard J. Donovan Correctional Facility[1]

Charles Denton "Tex" Watson (born December 2, 1945) is an American mass murderer who was a central member of the "Manson Family" led by Charles Manson.[3] Watson is often described as the tactical ringleader of the Tate-LaBianca murders[4] on August 9–10, 1969, when Watson, Patricia Krenwinkel, and Susan Atkins murdered pregnant actress Sharon Tate, Jay Sebring, Wojciech Frykowski, Abigail Folger, and Steven Parent at 10050 Cielo Drive in Benedict Canyon, Los Angeles. The next night, Watson traveled to Los Feliz, Los Angeles, and participated in the murders of Leno and Rosemary LaBianca. Watson was convicted of murder in 1971 and sentenced to death. As a result of a 1972 California Supreme Court decision on the constitutionality in the state of the death penalty, he avoided execution but has remained incarcerated ever since. Watson has been denied parole 18 times since he became eligible for parole in 1976 after his death sentence was commuted.[5][6][7][8][9]

  1. ^ (CDCR), California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. "State of California Inmate Locator". inmatelocator.cdcr.ca.gov. Archived from the original on December 4, 2020. Retrieved March 15, 2024.
  2. ^ Bugliosi, Vincent; Gentry, Curt (1994) [1st pub. 1974]. Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders. New York: W. W. Norton. ISBN 978-0-393-08700-0. LCCN 94-20957. OCLC 30624822. OL 1096365M. Archived from the original on December 15, 2019. Retrieved April 4, 2016.
  3. ^ Linder, Doug (2014). "The Charles Manson (Tate–LaBianca Murder) Trial". University of Missouri–Kansas City School of Law. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016.
  4. ^ Linder, Doug (2014). "The People of California vs Tex Watson".
  5. ^ "Charles 'Tex' Watson, the Manson Family's most murderous disciple,... - UPI Archives". UPI. Retrieved April 27, 2025.
  6. ^ Archives, L. A. Times (November 1, 1985). "The Region : Tex Watson Denied a Parole Hearing". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 27, 2025.
  7. ^ Staff, Crimesider (November 17, 2011). ""Tex" Watson, Manson cult follower, denied parole again - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved April 27, 2025.
  8. ^ "Charles Manson's 'right-hand man' Charles 'Tex' Watson denied parole". Sky News. Retrieved April 27, 2025.
  9. ^ "Where Are the Manson Family Members Now? Inside Their Lives Over 50 Years After Their Killing Spree". People.com. Retrieved April 27, 2025.