Helter Skelter - Part Seven - Tate Murder Should Have Never Happened

So Many Gary Hinman Murder Witnesses, You Need A Team Bus For Them All

With all the witnesses to the death threats of Charlie Manson to his mescaline cook, Gary Hinman, it is difficult even to see how Sharon Tate murders are allowed to happen two weeks later. First, Gary Hinman’s mescaline cooking partner, “Eric,” and his wife, hear Charlie Manson threaten Gary Hinman four days before the murder with, “this is your last chance Gary”. In his book entitled, “Sharon Tate”, Ed Sanders quotes the mescaline drug cooking partners of Gary Hinman recounting Charlie Manson’s threatening phone call to Gary Hinman.

Unbelievably, after leaving these two witnesses to his death threats, Manson sent a woman to kill Gary Hinman, who balked at doing the dastardly deed for Manson. She went with her husband, leaving two more witnesses that Manson wanted to kill Hinman.

Here is Manson at the Gary Hinman murder hearing in Santa Monica almost a year later in 1970 with Susan Atkins, who was one of the murderers present during the Hinman killing.

On July 26th, two friends of Gary Hinman try to reach him while the team of two women and two men who will murder Hinman are in the house. One friend calls, while another friend named Dave goes to the Hinman house only to be turned away. Two more witnesses.

On July 27th, we actually have a witness present when Manson issues the death order to Bobby Beausoleil for witness number seven, biker Danny Decarlo.

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-07-27/charles-manson-family-timeline

Decarlo is arrested with Manson during the Spahn Ranch raid a few weeks later on August 13th, but all are released three days later. Helter Sheltered. Then Manson enforcer Bruce Davis and Bobby Beausoleil drive the murdered Gary Hinman’s VW van to Manson at the Spahn Ranch, further linking the Hinman murder to Manson. Many Manson followers recognize the VW van as Gary Hinman’s van, and they know several members of the Manson clan that were sent out to do the Hinman murder. Five or six more witnesses are here now at the Spahn Ranch who recognized Hinman has been killed for his VW bus.

On July 30th, Bobby Beausoleil returned to the Hinman murder scene to wipe fingerprints, but he missed one, leading to his murder conviction. At this same time, his pregnant girlfriend, Kitty Lutsinger, flees the Spahn Ranch, pleading for help with a real estate agent, Frank Retz, who was interested in purchasing the Spahn Ranch.

Frank Retz takes Beausoleil’s pregnant girlfriend Kitty to the local Sheriff’s Station. Two more witnesses have now connected the Hinman murder to the Spahn Ranch, and now the local San Fernando County Sheriff has been notified of the strange goings-on. there. This was a full eight days before the Sharon Tate murders. Helter Sheltered.

What would the interview by the Sheriff’s deputies have sounded like with Kitty Lutsinger? (this is speculative, not an actual Sheriff’s transcript).

Q: Why are you running away from the Spahn Ranch?

A: I don’t feel safe there.

Q: How many people live there?

A: About thirty women and seven men.

Q: What goes on there?

A: Well, it is like a commune with music and sermons.

Q: Who is the leader?

A: A guy named Charlie. Charlie Manson.

(Deputy steps out of the room, then returns). Your friend Charlie Manson is in a heap of trouble. He is a felon, and he is violating his parole.

Q: Does he have weapons?

A: Yes, three rifles, lots of knives, and a sword.

Q: Are there any underage girls at the Ranch?

A: Yes, five or six.

So here is Scenario One - the Sheriff does nothing.

OK, well, we are going to wait to see if any of the other girls make it out of there. You seemed to make it out. We will hope for the best here at the Sheriff’s Office. I wish the other girls luck. It will be August 1st, tomorrow. I hope the heat and the eight-mile walk won’t make them too thirsty.

Here is Scenario Two: The Sheriff buzzes the Ranch in a helicopter and informs everyone by loudspeaker who is being forced to come forward against their will. The Sheriff notes all the vehicles at the Ranch and runs all the license plates. The Sheriff ends the case right there, connecting the Hinman murder VW van to the Spahn Ranch.

Unbelievably, Scenario One is what played out. Even after the Sheriff finally raided the ranch two weeks later with 100 officers, they didn’t interview any of the underage girls in recorded interviews at the Spahn Ranch. No interviews survived from the raid, even though three rifles were found with stolen credit cards in Charlie Manson’s pocket, in violation of a Felon’s parole. Helter Sheltered.

Tom O’Neill’s book title is correct if you add two words - LSD Operation.