Debra Tate Opens Up About Sister Sharon Tate's Murder By Manson Followers
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Fifty years after her sister was murdered by the Manson Family, Debra Tate found Margot Robbie's portrayal of Sharon Tate in the film "Once Upon A Time In Hollywood" bittersweet.
Debra Tate had given director Quentin Tarantino her blessing to write Sharon's persona into the film, and she was mesmerized on the set of the movie as she watched Robbie capture her sister's essence perfectly.
"I wanted that visit to go on forever," Tate said. "You know I didn't want the movie to end. I wanted to have access to the current version of Sharon."
It was a bright spot in the 50 years Debra Tate has spent vigilantly working to keep the members of the Manson Family behind bars. She was 16 years old when she spent most of the summer of 1969 at her sister's home on El Cielo Drive in Los Angeles.
Sharon Tate and her husband Roman Polanski were expecting at the time, but Polanski happened to be out of the country and Debra Tate at her parent's home the fateful weekend Manson's followers came to the home. Debra Tate believes they were looking for revenge on the previous homeowner, music producer Terry Melcher, who apparently rejected the musical ability of Charles Manson and his followers.
Fifty years ago Friday, a pregnant Sharon Tate and four others were stabbed to death a total of 102 times. The following night, the LaBiancas in Los Feliz became the next random victims of Manson and his followers.
A jury in 1971 sentenced Manson and the Tate-LaBianca killers to death. But the next year, the California Supreme Court abolished the death penalty, giving the Manson Family members life with the possibility of parole. Debra Tate has been at every parole hearing.
"You hear the psych reports…I've read every scrap of material all the way back to their trial," Debra Tate said. "They are still dangerous individuals."
She also maintains a website, noparoleformansonfamily.com, urging people to sign petitions and keep Bobby Beausoleil, Leslie Van Houten, Bruce Davis, Patricia Krenwinkel and Tex Watson behind bars.
Debra Tate says she has been warned by the Corcoran State Prison, where Manson was incarcerated, that followers called Mansonites were spreading nationwide.
"I'm very fearful for the influence and what kind of message is being sent to our children today if we let these core killers out of prison," she said.
The LAPD reportedly still has 12 unsolved homicides linked to the Manson Family.