10 Unbelievable Facts About Charles Manson

It has been more than four decades since Charles Manson gained international prominence. But despite being incarcerated for that long, every now and then, the cult killer somehow manages to grab headlines from behind prison walls be it with shocking interviews, publicity stunts, or yet another blood-chilling revelation. Currently, the Charles Manson hospitalized news is further evidence of how much public interest he continues to generate despite being a convicted cult killer.

So what are the Charles Manson facts that make this mass murderer so attention-worthy? Below we examine some of them.

He Had a Difficult Childhood

Manson was conceived when his mother was only 15-years-old. Initially, Manson was named “no name Maddox” before being changed to Charles Milles Maddox. The surname by which the cult killer is known for was his stepfather’s, a man named William Manson.

When the mass murderer’s biological father was ordered to remit $5 to Charles Manson’s mother in child support, he never obeyed the court order. To make ends meet, Manson’s mother turned to crime and was imprisoned. At 13, Manson was put in a boy’s home but when he ran away from the home his mother rejected him.

He Believed Beatles’ Songs Contained Coded Messages

One of the well-known Charles Manson facts was that the cult killer was a great fan of the Beatles. Besides that, he also believed that the popular music group inserted coded messages directed at him. In his lectures to his cult members, he borrowed heavily from the lyrics. He also used the lyrics to justify his motivations.

His Oldest Son Committed Suicide

Charles Manson has been twice married and twice divorced and is believed to have fathered at least four children. In 1993, his oldest son committed suicide at the age of 37 in unclear circumstances.

Prolific Recipient of Mail

One of the incredible Charles Manson facts is that he has received more physical mail than any other inmate in history. On an annual basis, the cult killer gets more than 60,000 letters! You can expect that to increase following the Charles Manson hospitalized development.

He Could Have Become a Successful Musician

Charles Manson had an interest in music and songwriting. During one of his prison stints before the lifetime imprisonment conviction, he learned to play the guitar from a criminal genius named Alvin Karpis. Upon release, he went on to write some songs which gained fame following his elevation to notoriety status. Some of the songs were even covered by artists such as Redd Kross, Marilyn Manson, and Guns N’ Roses.

He Is Bisexual

For a cult leader who surrounded himself with young beautiful women before his life imprisonment sentence, it came as a surprise for him to reveal in 2013 that he was bisexual.

“Sex to me is like going to the toilet. Whether it’s a girl or not. It doesn’t matter. I don’t play that girl-guy s**t. I’m not hung up in that game,” Manson told Rolling Stone in an interview.

Influenced by Scientology and a Dale Carnegie Book

During one of his many prison terms, Manson signed up for a Dale Carnegie Institute classes which were developed around the best-seller How to Win Friends and Influence People. Manson devoted a lot of time reading the book and in particular a chapter that dealt with tactics and techniques one could employ in order to make others take ownership of a concept or idea. In his prison cell, it is said that he diligently practiced the exercises given in the book. Manson also studied the mind control methods employed by Scientologists.

Manipulative and Controlling Towards Women

One of the other incredible Charles Manson facts is how loyal most of the members of his cult, especially the women, were to him even while serving his prison sentence. Some of the tactics the cult killer used to ensure he had a complete hold on the women was to forbid them from reading books, carrying money, and even wearing spectacles even in situations where glasses were badly needed.

Charles Manson Never Actually Killed Anyone

Despite being convicted of mass murder, Charles Manson was never actually present during some of the murders that were blamed on him leave alone committing the killings himself. What he did was manipulate and order members of his cult to commit the murders. Being fiercely loyal and obedient to him, they did his bidding.

Motivation for the Killings Was to Start a Race War

In all the killings that the cult founded by Charles Manson committed, they always tried to pin the blame on Black Panthers in the hopes that this would start a race war which Manson thought would be won by the African-Americans. In Mason’s twisted logic, after winning the African Americans would ask him to lead them after proving incapable of governing themselves.

[Featured Image by AP Images File]