The infamous ’60s cult leader Charles Manson has died at the age of 83.

Charles Manson has died in Kern County Hospital in Bakersfield, California after a lingering health issue that has affected him since the 19th January 2017. This marks the end of his life sentence from his admittance on the 25th January 1971. He had been denied severale paroles and had been charged for over 100 violations inside including possession of weapons, assault and threatening staff.

Manson spent his life in prison for organising the brutal murders of seven people including actress Sharon Tate in 1969. Inspired by The Beatles’ White Album, Manson ordered members of his “Family” to hack people apart and write ‘Helter Skelter’ on the walls with their victims blood in order to cause a “race war”.

Manson had dreams of becoming a rock star and continued to make music from prison. He befriended Dennis Wilson of The Beach Boys, before the murders, and hoped that he would help him project to stardom. The Beach Boys used Manson’s song ‘Cease To Exist’ on their 20/20 album but the producer Terry Melcher refused to help Manson further.

When Manson and his family were sentenced, they managed to release Lie: The Love and Terror Cult; an album which was full of Manson’s songs. Guns N’ Roses even covered one of the tracks, ‘Look At Your Game Girl‘.

Overtime, Manson has campaigned for his release, stating that he ‘never killed nobody’. Although true, other family members have since claimed that Manson brainwashed them into commiting the horrible crimes with the use of LSD, and severe manipulation.

Discover more about Manson in our Psychedelic Issue.