Manson follower and convicted murderer, once on death row, released from prison.

Former Manson Follower Leslie Van Houten Released from Prison

After more than 50 years behind bars, Leslie Van Houten, a former high school homecoming princess and follower of Charles Manson, walked out of a California prison on Tuesday. The shocking 1969 killings of a wealthy Los Angeles couple, carried out by Van Houten and others, captivated the nation during a tumultuous era marked by war and social unrest.

Van Houten, now 73, was released to parole supervision, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. She left the California Institution for Women in Corona and was driven to transitional housing.

“She’s still trying to get used to the idea that this is real,” said her attorney Nancy Tetreault.

Days earlier, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that he would not fight a state appeals court ruling granting Van Houten parole. The Manson Family slayings, which occurred the day after the brutal murder of actress Sharon Tate and four others, shocked the nation and became a symbol of the turbulent times.

A New Beginning

At a parole hearing in 2016, Van Houten revealed that the murders were part of Manson’s twisted plan for a race war called “Helter Skelter.” She was sentenced to death in 1971 for her involvement in the LaBianca killings, but her sentence was later commuted to life in prison.

Now, Van Houten is the first Manson follower involved in the killings to be released. However, she faces the challenge of adjusting to a world that has drastically changed in the past half-century.

“She has to learn to use the internet. She has to learn to buy things without cash,” Tetreault explained. “It’s a very different world than when she went in.”

A Fresh Start

Van Houten, who holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in counseling earned while in prison, hopes to find employment as soon as possible. She worked as a tutor for other incarcerated individuals and is expected to spend about a year at a halfway house.

Her release was not without controversy. Despite being recommended for parole five times since 2016, it was repeatedly denied by Newsom and former Governor Jerry Brown. However, a state appeals court reversed Newsom’s rejection, citing Van Houten’s rehabilitative efforts, remorse, and support from family and friends.

While some are relieved by Van Houten’s release, others, including the families of the victims, feel the pain and loss caused by the Manson cult. Manson himself died in prison in 2017, and other followers, such as Charles “Tex” Watson and Patricia Krenwinkel, have been denied parole multiple times.

Van Houten’s journey from high school cheerleader to convicted murderer has been a long and tragic one. Now, as she begins her new life outside prison walls, she faces the daunting task of rebuilding and adapting to a world that has moved on.

The Western Journal has reviewed this Associated Press story and may have altered it prior to publication to ensure that it meets our editorial standards.

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