Charles Manson's cult killings fueled by 'perfect storm' as theories get new analysis: criminal profiler

The enigma of Charles Manson’s motive successful notorious cult killings is getting a caller look arsenic an FBI transgression profiler reveals a "perfect storm" of factors came unneurotic for the infamous murders. 

Countless theories astir however Manson managed to person a radical of young adults to termination for him person been dissected, but manager Errol Morris is offering a caller position into the caput of the notorious cult person successful his Netflix documentary "CHAOS: The Manson Murders."

Based connected the 2019 publication "CHAOS: Charles Manson, the CIA, and the Secret History of the Sixties," authored by Tom O’Neill and Dan Piepenbring, the documentary delves into the mentation Manson whitethorn person been influenced by an outer unit erstwhile directing his followers. 

NEW CHARLES MANSON MURDER ADMISSIONS COULD POINT TO EVEN DARKER PATTERN FOR PSYCHOPATH: EXPERTS

Charles Manson astatine California Medical Facility successful Vacaville, Calif., successful August 1980.   (Albert Foster/Mirrorpix/Getty Images)

"I’ve recovered myself trapped successful a fig of antithetic true-crime stories, and the Manson murders are peculiar," Morris told Netflix's Tudum. "You could encapsulate the enigma successful conscionable 1 question: How is it that Manson managed to person the radical astir him that sidesplitting was OK?"  

Netflix and Morris did not instantly respond to Fox News Digital’s petition for comment. 

Morris explores the wide circulated mentation suggesting Manson whitethorn person been operating nether the power of the CIA’s arguable MK-ULTRA program, leaning into the taste involvement surrounding caput control, a wide fascination passim the 1950s and 1960s. 

However, experts person expressed skepticism astir the thought that Manson was acting nether authorities control. 

HIPPIE CULT LEADER CHARLES MANSON DEAD AT 83

Charles Manson is brought into the Los Angeles metropolis jailhouse nether suspicion of having masterminded the Tate-LaBianca murders of August 1969.  (Bettmann Archive via Getty Images)

"[Manson] was influenced by what helium wanted to do," erstwhile FBI profiler Mary Ellen O'Toole told Fox News Digital. "He was influenced by the information that helium wanted to go a precise well-known instrumentalist astatine the time, which is wherefore helium made friends with the influential radical that helium did. But was determination this extracurricular unit that compelled him to bash that? I don't judge that determination was. There was inactive his property that was chiseled to him [and] was not created by an extracurricular force."

The CIA has besides discredited the theory, archetypal explored by O’Neill, successful caller years. 

"The writer cannot definitively necktie Manson to MK-ULTRA oregon CHAOS; helium tin lone connote it connected circumstantial evidence," the CIA said in a reappraisal of O’Neill’s book. 

O'Neill did not instantly respond to Fox News Digital's petition for comment. 

DANNY TREJO RECALLS MEETING CHARLES MANSON BEHIND BARS IN NEW MEMOIR: HE WAS A ‘SLICK LITTLE WIMP’

(L-R) Susan Denise Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel and Leslie Van Houten laughter aft receiving the decease condemnation for their portion successful the Tate-LaBianca killings astatine the orders of Charles Manson.  (Bettmann Archive via Getty Images)

In 1969, the Manson household carried retired the brutal murders of 7 radical nether his watchful eye. Pregnant histrion Sharon Tate, Wojciech Frykowski, Jay Sebring, Steven Parent, Abigail Folger and Leno and Rosemary LaBianca were massacred by the household successful a drawstring of killings. 

SIGN UP TO GET TRUE CRIME NEWSLETTER

The radical carried retired 5 of its murders wrong Tate’s location Aug. 9, 1969. One time later, the last victims of the Manson family, the LaBiancas, were fatally stabbed wrong their home. 

CULT LEADER CHARLES MANSON CONFESSED TO ADDITIONAL MURDERS IN NEWLY REVEALED PHONE CALL

"[Manson] met up with a batch of his later-to-be followers successful the Haight-Ashbury territory of San Francisco, which, astatine that clip successful the '60s, was known for being a gathering spot for radical successful precise formative years," O’Toole told Fox News Digital. 

"There was the usage of drugs and alcohol, and radical came unneurotic without a batch of outer oversight by a genitor oregon a caregiver, truthful they were precise susceptible astatine that point. [Then], present comes Charlie Manson, with his property and his quality to get radical — particularly young radical — to travel him, and that's what I'm talking astir successful respect to the cleanable storm."

A motion astatine the Spahn Movie Ranch, owned by American rancher George Spahn and the residence of the Manson Family successful Los Angeles County, Aug. 28, 1970.  (Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

After the killings, Manson and his "family" moved to Spahn Ranch, located astir 30 miles northbound of Los Angeles, wherever helium subjected his followers to outlandish lectures portion providing them with drugs and overseeing orgies. 

FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON X

Authorities arrested Manson 3 months aboriginal arsenic details of the killings rattled Los Angeles and investigators delved into theories astir the murders. 

During the trial, prosecutors argued Manson was utilizing his presumption with his all-white followers successful an effort to ignite a contention war, citing his expected misinterpretation of the Beatles’ 1968 song, "Helter Skelter." Manson ne'er really carried retired the murders himself, relying wholly connected his followers to termination for him. 

MANSON FAMILY MEMBERS SPEAK OUT 50 YEARS LATER IN SHOCKING DOC, RECALL MEETING CULT LEADER: ‘I FELT ACCEPTED’

Charles Manson, who led a cult that committed murders successful Los Angeles successful the 1960s, is clean-shaven successful a close-up photo.  (Bettmann Archive via Getty Images)

"[Manson] truly was idiosyncratic that knew close from wrong," O'Toole said. "He knew the repercussions and the extremity results of his actions. He took nary work for his actions oregon the actions of his group, and helium was precise deliberate successful his thinking." 

In 1971, Manson and 3 followers — Leslie Van Houten, Susan Atkins and Patricia Krenwinkel — were convicted for their roles successful the murders and subsequently sentenced to death. A 4th "family" member, Charles "Tex" Watson, was convicted respective months later. 

The 4 defendants were resentenced to beingness successful situation aft a 1972 ruling from the California Supreme Court abolishing the state’s decease penalty. 

CALIFORNIA LEGAL BATTLE OVER CHARLES MANSON'S ESTATE WORTH UP TO $1M INCLUDES DNA TESTS, SIGNATURE COMPARISONS

Charles Manson is shown successful the custody of Los Angeles constabulary officers.  (Bettmann Archive via Getty Images)

Manson was 83 years aged erstwhile helium died of earthy causes Nov. 19, 2017. 

In 2023, Van Houten walked escaped aft serving much than 50 years successful a California situation for the killings of the LaBiancas, making her the lone subordinate of the Manson household to beryllium released from prison. 

While Manson ne'er really carried retired the murders helium was imprisoned for, Peacock’s 2024 "Making Manson" documentary revealed helium whitethorn person committed much killings himself. 

SHARON TATE'S SISTER SAYS THERE ARE UNSOLVED MANSON MURDERS, NEW DOC INVESTIGATES

Charles Manson travels successful a constabulary van to the Santa Monica Courthouse to look successful tribunal for a proceeding successful the execution of euphony teacher Gary Hinman successful Los Angeles June 25, 1970.  (Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

In a teaser clip, Manson tin beryllium heard confessing to further crimes portion connected a jailhouse telephone call. 

GET REAL-TIME UPDATES DIRECTLY ON THE TRUE CRIME HUB

"There’s a full portion of my beingness that cipher knows about," Manson can beryllium heard saying. "I lived successful Mexico for a while. I went to Acapulco, stole immoderate cars." 

Manson goes connected to uncover much details astir the expected murders. 

"I conscionable got progressive successful immoderate worldly implicit my head, man," helium added. "Got progressive successful a mates of killings. I near my .357 Magnum successful Mexico City, and I near immoderate dormant radical connected the beach."

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

"I would ne'er gully the enactment and accidental Charlie Manson could manipulate radical to bash his bidding, but helium himself would ne'er bash it," O’Toole said. "I would ne'er gully that line. You can't simply accidental that due to the fact that Charlie hurting different radical was portion of his repertoire. So, whether helium had idiosyncratic other bash it oregon helium did it himself is surely thing that has to beryllium explored." 

Fox News Digital's Ashley Papa and Greg Wehner contributed to this report.