Charles Manson is a convicted murderer.
Charles Manson . In 1971 he was found guilty of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder for the deaths of seven people ( Abigail Ann Folger , Wojciech Frykowski , Steven Earl Parent , Sharon Tate Polanski , Jay Sebring , and Leno and Rosemary La Bianca ) -- most notably of the actress Sharon Tate -- all of which were carried out by members of the group at his instruction . Manson also received first-degree murder convictions for the deaths of Gary Hinman and Donald `` Shorty '' Shea . After Manson was charged with the crimes of which he was later convicted , recordings of songs written and performed by him were released commercially . Susan Denise Atkins ( May 7 , 1948 September 24 , 2009 ) was a convicted American murderer who was a member of Charles Manson 's `` Family '' .