Woman learns Charles Manson was her grandfather after DNA test
American criminal and cult leader Charles Manson (1934 – 2017) traveling on a police van to the Santa Monica Courthouse to appear in court for a hearing regarding the murder of music teacher Gary Hinman, Los Angeles, California, 25th June 1970. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
(NewsNation) — A woman who discovered her grandfather was notorious cult leader Charles Manson has turned the discovery into a documentary.
Sophia Maddox grew up knowing that her father had never met his own father. But it wasn’t until a DNA test that the truth came out. Her paternal grandfather was the criminal cult leader whose followers committed multiple murders.
Maddox’s film, which is premiering on Hulu, examines her feelings about being related to an infamous criminal and features interviews with members of the Manson Family.
As the leader of the Manson Family, Charles Manson held incredible influence over his followers, preaching about an upcoming race war he called “Helter Skelter,” after a Beatles song.
In 1969, Manson ordered his followers to commit multiple crimes, the most famous being the Tate-LaBianca murders.
Members of the cult broke into the home of actor-director Roman Polanski and murdered his wife, Sharon Tate, who was 8 1/2 months pregnant, and her guests, hairdresser Jay Sebring, heiress Abigail Folger, houseguest Steven Parent and a family friend, Wojciech Frykowski.
The next night, followers broke into the home of executive Leno LaBianca, killing him and his wife, Rosemary.
Manson was convicted of the crimes, along with followers Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel, Leslie Van Houten and Charles “Tex” Watson. Manson died in prison at the age of 83 in 2017.
The film includes Maddox’s journey grappling with the legacy of her grandfather as well as generational impacts like childhood trauma and mental health issues.