Linda Kasabian

Linda Kasabian is an actual former hippie cultist and a member of the so-called "Manson" family. She was born Linda Darlene Drouin in Biddeford, Maine on June 21st, 1949. Linda's time with cult leader Charles Manson and her involvement with the Manson family trial has been recounted in various films, television specials, and documentaries. In the 1976 television movie Helter Skelter, she was played by Texas Chainsaw Massacre actress Marilyn Burns. On American Horror Story, she was portrayed by Billie Lourd.

Overview
Linda Drouin was born in Biddeford, Maine, but grew up in Milford, New Hampshire. She was the oldest child of Rosaire Drouin and Joyce Taylor. Rosaire abandoned the family when Linda was still a child and her mother remarried to Jake Byrd. Due to an unhappy relationship with her stepfather, Linda Drouin dropped out of high school and ran away from home at the age of sixteen.

Linda married Robert Peasley when she was only sixteen-years-old. The couple divorced and she married again to Robert Kasabian. Linda and Robert had a daughter named Tanya in 1968. The two split up, but reconnected when Robert invited Linda to come out to California. They had a second child together, and Robert Kasabian left for South America. Shortly thereafter, Linda Kasabian fell in with the hippie counter-culture movement and relocated to a commune out at Spahn Ranch in Death Valley. It was there that she met Charles Manson - a cult leader whose charisma enabled him to seduce various youths into following his every command and desire.

Kasabian's activities with the Manson family started out rather meager, involving otherwise small time criminal engagements, such as breaking into homes to steal valuables. Manson's followers referred to these exploits as "creepy crawls".

By August of 1969, things turned wickedly violent. Manson ordered his cult members, Tex Watson, Susan Atkins, and Patricia Krenwinkel to conduct a home invasion at the residence of film director (who was out of the country at the time), and his pregnant wife, Sharon Tate. As Linda was the only member of the group with a valid California drivers' license, she was made the getaway driver. On August 8th, the Manson family members broke into the Tate home and murdered five people, including Sharon Tate. Linda remained outside the whole time, though she did witness Tex Watson shooting Steve Parent to death on the front lawn.

The following evening, Manson ordered Family members to murder Leno and Rosemary LaBianca in their home in Los Feliz. Terrified to go against Charles Manson, Linda went with the group, but did not partake in the murders. Two days later, Linda Kasabian fled from Spahn Ranch to return home to New Hampshire.

Members of the Manson family were arrested in October over un-related matters, but evidence quickly presented itself implicating them in the Tate-LaBianca murders. A warrant for Linda Kasabian's arrest was issued and she turned herself into the police. Linda Kasabian was offered immunity from prosecution in exchange for turning state's evidence.

In 1970, Linda Kasabian was the star witness for the prosecution against Charles Manson and those who were present in the night of the murders. She issued testimony against the accused for eighteen consecutive days. Linda's testimony led to convictions for Charles Manson, Tex Watson, Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel, and Leslie Van Houten, who was involved in the LaBianca murders, but not the Tate murders. All of the defendants were given the death penalty, but this was commuted to life in prison following California's repeal of the death penalty.

Over the years, Kasabian has avoided and refused most news media attention. She appeared only once between 1969 and 2008, for an interview with the syndicated American television program A Current Affair in 1988.

Notes & Trivia

 * Linda Kasabian spent a total of four weeks with the Manson family.


 * Linda Kasabian was the only member of the group to express remorse and sympathy for the Manson Family victims.


 * An English rock band formed in 1997 is called Kasabian after Linda Kasabian.


 * On the "Charles (Manson) in Charge" episode of American Horror Story, cult leader Kai Anderson entertains his followers by recounting the events of the Tate murders. In Kai's fantasy re-enactment, the role of Linda Kasabian is played by Billie Lourd, who also plays Kai's sister, Winter Anderson.


 * Linda Kasabian was interviewed for the docu-drama known as Manson, which first aired in the United Kingdom on August 10th, 2009. It aired on the History Channel on July 20th, 2013.


 * Linda Kasabian appeared on Larry King Live on CNN on September 2nd, 2009.

Films

 * Helter Skelter

Television

 * American Horror Story: Charles (Manson) in Charge