Crime Scene Photos: Inside Look At The Infamous & Brutal Manson Family Murders

Over forty years ago, members of the cult, who called themselves the Manson Family, broke into the home of Hollywood director Roman Polanski, located at 10050 Cielo Drive in upscale Benedict Canyon outside of Los Angeles.

At the time, Polanski was not home but due to his wife's pregnancy, Tate was home with friends. Tate was hosting a get-together with friends that included screenwriter Wojciech Frykowski, hairstylist Jay Sebring, and Abigail Folger, heiress of the Folger coffee fortune.

Frykowski and Folger both lived with Tate at her home. Another person, Winifred Chapman, who was the cook and housekeeper, was at the home on the day of the murders but left before the horrors took place in August 1969.

The family members — who were identified as Susan Denise Atkins, Linda Kasabian, Patricia Krenwinkel, and Tex Watson — devised an intricate plan of horror to inflict on the home's residents, under the direction of Manson, who was not present for the murders.

Watson cut a screen from one of the home's windows and ordered Kasabian to stand guard outside as a lookout, while the rest of the family members began their reign of terror on the unsuspecting victims.

Frykowski was the first victim to be discovered by Watson and the family members, as he lay asleep on a couch. Watson then woke up the screenwriter and kicked him in his head while telling him, "I’m the devil, and I’m here to do the devil’s business."

While Watson was with Frykowski, the remaining family members tracked down the other victims in the house.

The family members then located Tate, Sebring, and Folger.

Atkins, Kasabian, and Krenwinkel stabbed Tate and Sebring to death in the living room, leaving a gruesome scene for authorities to come upon. It was later found that the victims pleaded for mercy from the Manson family, however, due to a state of psychosis, the family members refused their pleas and left no mercy for the pregnant actress and her friends.

Tate was stabbed 16 times and Sebring was stabbed seven times and suffered a fatal gunshot wound. The bodies were discovered in the living room, connected by a piece of rope.

Meanwhile, Frykowski attempted to flee from Watson. Unfortunately, Watson was able to catch Frykowski. Watson shot Frykowski twice before inflicting an additional 51 stab wounds.

The chaotic and gruesome scene continued to unfold as Folger attempted her escape.

Folger managed to get out of the mansion turned crime scene but was met by Krenwinkle and Watson on the home's front lawn.

Krenwinkle and Watson then stabbed Folger numerous times in the yard, where her bloodied body was later found when the home's housekeeper returned the following day. Upon discovering the ghastly scene on August 9, Chapman called the police.

Police discovered the word "pig" written in blood on the front door of the home. No items of importance were taken from the home and money and jewelry were on the victims' bodies when they were discovered.

Months later on December 1, following an extensive investigation, the Los Angeles Police Department issued warrants for the arrest of Watson, Krenwinkel, and Kasabian. Atkins and Manson were charged later on.

Four of the five Manson family members received a life sentence. Kasabian, who did not participate in the killings but served as a lookout, was placed in witness protection after testifying against the other defendants.

In 2009, Atkins died of natural causes at the Central California Women's Facility in Chowchilla. Manson passed from natural causes in 2017 at a California hospital near Corcoran State Prison, where he was serving his life sentence.

Watkins and Krenwinkel remain in prison serving their sentences.