Leslie Van Houten, a follower of infamous cult leader Charles Manson, has been released from prison after serving 53 years for two murders in 1969. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation confirmed her release on Tuesday, stating that she will be under parole supervision. The decision to release Van Houten comes after Governor Gavin Newsom decided not to block her parole, a move that he had previously done three times since taking office. Erin Mellon, the Communications Director for the Office of the Governor, released a statement expressing disappointment in the Court of Appeal’s decision to release Van Houten, but stated that further action would be unlikely to succeed in challenging it.
Throughout her time in prison, Van Houten was recommended for parole five times since 2016, but those requests were repeatedly rejected by both Newsom and former Governor Jerry Brown. However, a state appeals court ruled in May that Van Houten should be released, citing her “extraordinary rehabilitative efforts, insight, remorse, realistic parole plans, support from family and friends,” and favorable behavior reports.
Van Houten’s attorney, Nancy Tetreault, expressed her client’s gratitude for the recognition of her growth and transformation during her time in prison. Tetreault also mentioned that Van Houten would spend about a year in a halfway house, where she will learn basic life skills such as using an ATM and getting a debit card.
The LaBianca murders, in which Van Houten participated, occurred in August 1969, the day after Manson followers brutally killed actress Sharon Tate and four others. Van Houten held down Rosemary LaBianca with a pillowcase over her head while others stabbed her, and Van Houten herself stabbed the woman multiple times. The daughter of Leno LaBianca, Cory LaBianca, expressed her heartbreak and the void in her family caused by the loss of her father and stepmother. Cory LaBianca’s family, including her children and grandchildren, never had the opportunity to know the couple.
Charles Manson himself died in prison in 2017 at the age of 83 from natural causes after spending nearly half a century behind bars. The Manson family’s crimes and the subsequent trials still hold a place in the public’s collective memory, making Van Houten’s release a topic of controversy and discussion.