NBC Dateline Explores the Manson Family’s Motive for Killing Actress Sharon Tate

In a highly anticipated episode titled “The Summer of Manson,” NBC Dateline delves into one of the most infamous murders of the late 1960s and early 1970s.

The episode sheds light on the shocking crimes committed by the Manson family, a cult led by Charles Manson.

Quentin Tarantino's recent film, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, also revisits these horrific events.

On August 8, 1969, four members of the Manson family entered the residence of actress Sharon Tate and carried out a brutal murder spree.

Alongside Tate, several others present at the house fell victim to this heinous act.

Led by Charles Manson, the Manson family was a commune consisting of approximately 100 members who committed various crimes and murders under his influence.

In August 1969, the cult made headlines worldwide when they carried out the Tate-LaBianca murders in California.

The upcoming episode of NBC Dateline promises exclusive interviews with insiders, offering viewers a glimpse into Manson's world.

It aims to unravel how a career criminal convinced his followers to commit such senseless acts of violence and grant him the notoriety he craved.

Don't miss the episode of NBC Dateline airing on August 20, 2022, at 10/9c, as it delves deeper into the Manson family murders.

NBC Dateline Investigates the Events at Sharon Tate's Residence on August 8, 1969

During that fateful night, four members of the Manson family, namely Tex Watson, Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel, and Linda Kasabian, entered Sharon Tate's residence with the mission to “totally destroy” everyone inside.

Manson's instructions emphasized the need to make the killings as gruesome as possible.

The victims present at 10500 Cielo Drive included Sharon Tate, who was pregnant with film director Roman Polanski's child, renowned hairstylist Jay Sebring, Polanski's friend Wojciech Frykowski, Frykowski's girlfriend Abigail Folger (heiress to the Folgers coffee fortune), and Steven Parent.

While Linda Kasabian remained a bystander, Tex Watson and the other women entered the house and carried out a brutal massacre.

They began by shooting Steven Parent in the driveway and then proceeded to gather the rest of the victims in the living room.

One by one, they were stabbed and shot multiple times, leaving behind a gruesome scene.

Sharon Tate, desperately pleading for her life and that of her unborn child, offered herself as a hostage.

However, Watson and Atkins ignored her pleas and brutally stabbed her 16 times, resulting in her tragic death.

Sadly, the child she carried also perished due to cerebral anoxia in the womb.

NBC Dateline Explores the Motive Behind Sharon Tate's Murder by the Manson Family

Charles Manson, an aspiring musician, employed unconventional tactics to network within the music industry and Hollywood in hopes of advancing his career.

He had previously attempted to secure a record contract with Terry Melcher, a record producer who had lived at the Cielo Drive residence with his girlfriend Candice Bergen and musician Mark Lindsay.

However, Melcher ultimately decided against signing Manson.

It is possible that Sharon Tate and the other victims were not the intended targets of the Manson family that night.

Rather, they may have been targeted because the previous residents of the house had crossed paths with Manson, who likely remained unaware of the change in occupants.

Contradictory evidence exists, as Susan Atkins, one of the individuals involved in the murders, claimed that Tate and the others were targeted to commit a crime that would shock the world.

She suggested that Manson knew Melcher no longer lived at