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Who Was Linda Kasabian?
Linda Kasabian, born Linda Darlene Drouin on June 21, 1949, in Biddeford, Maine, was a pivotal figure in one of the most infamous criminal cases in American history. At the age of 20, she was a young mother with a two-time divorce record when she encountered Charles Manson, leading her to move to his desert ranch in July 1969. Just a month later, she was involved, albeit peripherally, in the shocking murders of several individuals, including actress Sharon Tate. Although she did not participate in the killings directly, she was present during the events and subsequently became a crucial witness for the prosecution during Manson’s trial. Kasabian passed away in January 2023 at the age of 73.
Joining the Manson Family
Kasabian relocated to Los Angeles in 1968, where she met Manson through Catherine “Gypsy” Share on July 4, 1969. At that time, she was pregnant and the mother of a young daughter. Kasabian moved to Spahn Ranch, where she quickly became enamored with Manson’s charisma and ideology. Initially attracted by his seemingly peaceful message, she soon found herself entangled in a climate of violence and paranoia, particularly as Manson introduced the concept of “Helter Skelter,” a race war he believed was imminent.
The Manson Murders
To incite the chaos he envisioned, Manson instructed Kasabian to accompany Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel, and Charles “Tex” Watson to the residence at 10050 Cielo Drive. Although Manson ordered her to remain outside, she witnessed the gruesome murders unfold, including that of writer Wojciech Frykowski, who died at her feet on the front lawn. The brutal attacks claimed the lives of Sharon Tate, coffee heiress Abigail Folger, celebrity hairstylist Jay Sebring, and others. Following this horrific event, Kasabian found herself paralyzed by fear for her daughter back at the Spahn Ranch and ultimately fled the scene. The next night, she again waited in the car while Manson and others committed additional murders at the LaBianca residence, before fleeing the cult entirely just two days later.
Manson Family Prosecution and Aftermath
In October 1969, the Manson family’s new hideout at Barker Ranch was raided, revealing their involvement in the earlier murders. Kasabian turned herself in two months later and became the principal witness for the prosecution, whose testimony was instrumental in securing the convictions of Manson, Atkins, Krenwinkel, and fellow follower Leslie Van Houten. In exchange for her cooperation, Kasabian was granted immunity from prosecution.
After the trial, she relocated to New Hampshire to live with her mother but soon faced intense media scrutiny. To escape the attention, she changed her name and moved again, living in obscurity until a documentary crew discovered her in 2009, when she was living in relative poverty in a trailer park.
Death
Linda Kasabian died on January 21, 2023, in Tacoma, Washington, at the age of 73. At the time of her passing, she was known as Linda Chiochios. Her life remains a complex narrative of entrapment, fear, and ultimately, survival within one of America’s most notorious cults.