The History
The house at 10050 Cielo Drive was a secluded ranch-style property tucked into the hills above Benedict Canyon in Los Angeles. It had previously been rented by Terry Melcher, a music producer and son of actress Doris Day. Melcher had met Charles Manson and rejected his musical ambitions, a slight that Manson never forgot.
In early 1969, director Roman Polanski and his wife, actress Sharon Tate, moved into the property. Tate was a rising star, having appeared in "Valley of the Dolls" and other films. By August 1969, she was eight months pregnant. Polanski was in London working on a film, leaving Tate at home with friends.
The Crime
On the night of August 8, 1969, Charles Manson directed four of his followers — Tex Watson, Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel, and Linda Kasabian — to go to the Cielo Drive house. "Leave something witchy," he told them.
Watson cut the telephone wires and the group entered the property. They murdered five people: Sharon Tate (26, eight months pregnant), celebrity hairstylist Jay Sebring (35), coffee heiress Abigail Folger (25), her boyfriend Voytek Frykowski (32), and Steven Parent (18), who was visiting the property's caretaker. The word "PIG" was written in blood on the front door.
The following night, Manson accompanied his followers to the home of Leno and Rosemary LaBianca in the Los Feliz neighborhood, where the couple was murdered. "DEATH TO PIGS" and "HEALTER SKELTER" (misspelled) were written in blood on the walls.
The murders terrorized Los Angeles and marked the symbolic end of the 1960s counterculture era. Manson and his followers were convicted in 1971. Manson died in prison in 2017.
Key Facts
Helter Skelter
Manson believed the murders would trigger an apocalyptic race war he called "Helter Skelter," after the Beatles song. Prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi's book of the same name became a true crime classic.
Sharon Tate's Legacy
Tate's murder led her mother, Doris Tate, to become a pioneering victims' rights advocate. Her work helped establish victim impact statements in California courts.
The House Demolished
The Cielo Drive house was demolished in 1994. A new home was built on the site with the address changed to 10066 Cielo Drive. The new structure bears no resemblance to the original.
Cultural Impact
Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" (2019) reimagined the events of that night. The case remains one of the most written-about crimes in American history.
What's There Now
Cielo Drive Today
Address: 10066 Cielo Drive, Los Angeles, CA (renumbered from 10050)
Status: The original house was demolished in 1994. A completely new home was built on the site.
Note: The property is private, gated, and not accessible to the public. The street itself is a quiet residential road in the Hollywood Hills. Please be respectful of residents.
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