page_title: Manson Family
section_title: Encounter with Tate
hierarchical_section_title: Manson Family / Formation / Encounter with Tate
caption_attribution_description: Photo of actress Sharon Tate from the 1967 film Valley of the Dolls.
context_page_description: The Manson Family was a desert commune and cult led by Charles Manson that was active in California in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The group consisted of approximately 50 of his followers who lived an unconventional lifestyle with habitual use of hallucinogenic drugs such as LSD. Most of the group members were young women from middle-class backgrounds, many of whom were radicalized by Manson's teachings and drawn by hippie culture and communal living.
  Manson was released from prison for petty crimes in 1967, and the Family moved to San Francisco and later to a deserted ranch in the San Fernando Valley. According to group member Susan Atkins, the Family believed that Manson was a manifestation of Jesus and that his prophecies were reliable concerning an imminent, apocalyptic race war. They gained international attention after the murder of Sharon Tate and four others in 1969. The murders were committed by Tex Watson, Susan Atkins, and Patricia Krenwinkel. Linda Kasabian was also present, but did not take part. Group members were also responsible for a number of other murders, assaults, petty crimes, and thefts.
context_section_description: Manson entered 10050 Cielo Drive uninvited on March 23, 1969, which he had known as Melcher's residence. This was Altobelli's property; Melcher was only a previous tenant, and the tenants were now Sharon Tate and Roman Polanski.
  Manson was met by Shahrokh Hatami, an Iranian photographer who befriended Polanski and Tate during the making of the documentary Mia and Roman. He was there to photograph Tate before her departure for Rome the next day. He had seen Manson through a window as he approached the main house and had gone onto the front porch to ask him what he wanted. Manson told him that he was looking for someone whose name Hatami did not recognize, and Hatami informed him that the place was the Polanski residence. He advised Manson to try "the back alley," by which he meant the path to the guest house beyond the main house. He was concerned about the stranger on the property and went down to the front walk to confront Manson. Tate then appeared behind Hatami in the house's front door and asked him who was calling. Hatami said that a man was looking for someone. He and Tate maintained their positions while Manson went back to the guest house without a word, returned a minute or two later, and left.
  That evening, Manson returned to the property and again went back to the guest house. He entered the enclosed porch and spoke with Altobelli, who was just coming out of the shower. Manson asked for Melcher, but Altobelli felt that Manson had come looking for him. This is consistent with prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi's later discovery that Manson had apparently been to the property on earlier occasions after Melcher's departure from it.
  Altobelli told Manson through the screen door that Melcher had moved to Malibu, falsely stating that he did not know his new address. Altobelli said that he was in the entertainment business, although he had met Manson the previous year at Wilson's home and he was sure that Manson already knew that. He had complimented Manson lukewarmly on some of his musical recordings that Wilson had been playing. He then informed Manson that he was going out of the country the next day, and Manson said that he would like to speak with him upon his return; Altobelli lied that he would be gone for more than a year. Manson explained that he had been directed to the guest house by the persons in the main house; Altobelli expressed the wish that Manson would not disturb his tenants. Manson left.
  Altobelli flew with Tate to Rome the next day, and Tate asked him whether "that creepy-looking guy" had gone back to the guest house the day before.
caption: Sharon Tate in 1967.
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