1 00:00:10,280 --> 00:00:14,640 Speaker 1: You're listening to Unexplained Season five, episode five, when Love 2 00:00:14,720 --> 00:00:19,480 Speaker 1: Breaks Down, Part two. Please note the following episodes contain 3 00:00:19,560 --> 00:00:23,000 Speaker 1: details of events that some may find disturbing and are 4 00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:34,519 Speaker 1: not suitable for children. Things had been steadily sliding for 5 00:00:34,560 --> 00:00:37,560 Speaker 1: Susan after the death of her mother from cancer when 6 00:00:37,600 --> 00:00:41,559 Speaker 1: Susan was only fourteen, though in truth they'd been sliding 7 00:00:41,600 --> 00:00:45,800 Speaker 1: for some time before that. Susan Atkins was born in 8 00:00:45,880 --> 00:00:50,519 Speaker 1: nineteen forty eight in San Gabriel, California, with one older 9 00:00:50,560 --> 00:00:53,199 Speaker 1: and one younger brother. Her family moved a number of 10 00:00:53,200 --> 00:00:56,080 Speaker 1: times as she was growing up, but were based mainly 11 00:00:56,160 --> 00:01:00,760 Speaker 1: in San Jose, superficially, at least to sid as they 12 00:01:00,800 --> 00:01:04,959 Speaker 1: seemed normal enough. Later, Susan would claim that as a 13 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:08,080 Speaker 1: young girl, she was sexually abused by a male relative, 14 00:01:08,520 --> 00:01:12,400 Speaker 1: and that both her parents drank heavily. By twelve years old, 15 00:01:12,680 --> 00:01:16,680 Speaker 1: she was shoplifting regularly. Having been brought up to believe 16 00:01:16,720 --> 00:01:20,800 Speaker 1: in God, Her parents alcoholism, and later her mother's painful 17 00:01:20,840 --> 00:01:24,360 Speaker 1: and premature death left her angry and resentful that any 18 00:01:24,400 --> 00:01:28,640 Speaker 1: God would sanction such things. Being left to effectively take 19 00:01:28,680 --> 00:01:31,240 Speaker 1: over her mother's role in the home and having to 20 00:01:31,240 --> 00:01:34,320 Speaker 1: watch her father drink himself into a drunken stupor every 21 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:39,240 Speaker 1: night only served to harden her sense of injustice. Before long, 22 00:01:39,560 --> 00:01:42,200 Speaker 1: she would find herself secretly frequenting the bars on the 23 00:01:42,319 --> 00:01:45,760 Speaker 1: quieter edges of town, seeking comfort in the alcohol and 24 00:01:45,880 --> 00:01:50,560 Speaker 1: company she found there. Feeling increasingly restless and trapped by 25 00:01:50,560 --> 00:01:54,200 Speaker 1: her predicament, her grades at school began to suffer, and 26 00:01:54,280 --> 00:01:56,960 Speaker 1: after being told she would have to repeat her junior year, 27 00:01:57,360 --> 00:02:00,240 Speaker 1: she made the decision not to go back and headed 28 00:02:00,280 --> 00:02:05,080 Speaker 1: to San Francisco. Despite quickly picking up a job selling 29 00:02:05,120 --> 00:02:08,960 Speaker 1: subscriptions to magazines, her employer neglected to give her a 30 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:12,519 Speaker 1: steady wage, and before long she was struggling to pay 31 00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:17,360 Speaker 1: her bills. But something else was beginning to bite, a 32 00:02:17,480 --> 00:02:21,640 Speaker 1: deep and profound sense of loneliness, something she was beginning 33 00:02:21,639 --> 00:02:25,839 Speaker 1: to realize had dogged her her whole life. One night, 34 00:02:26,080 --> 00:02:30,360 Speaker 1: Susan attempted suicide by swallowing a bottle of codeine pills, 35 00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:32,640 Speaker 1: claiming later that it was just a cry for help. 36 00:02:33,760 --> 00:02:36,959 Speaker 1: Soon after, she met a guy and together along with 37 00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:39,360 Speaker 1: a friend of his, they embarked on a road trip 38 00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:42,160 Speaker 1: to Oregon for some business he had to attend to 39 00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:46,120 Speaker 1: the business turned out to be an unspecified heist of 40 00:02:46,160 --> 00:02:50,840 Speaker 1: some sort. Rather than being disturbed by the revelation, what 41 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:53,480 Speaker 1: Susan felt most of all as they sped toward their 42 00:02:53,520 --> 00:02:57,280 Speaker 1: destination was an intense sense of freedom and the sheer 43 00:02:57,360 --> 00:03:02,160 Speaker 1: thrill of it. Not long their journey, however, after holding 44 00:03:02,240 --> 00:03:04,840 Speaker 1: up a number of gas stations, the group were caught 45 00:03:04,919 --> 00:03:08,560 Speaker 1: by highway patrol officers on the lookout for their vehicle, which, 46 00:03:08,639 --> 00:03:13,799 Speaker 1: unbeknownst to Susan, had been stolen. Susan was given three 47 00:03:13,840 --> 00:03:16,400 Speaker 1: months in jail for her part in the operation, and 48 00:03:16,520 --> 00:03:20,960 Speaker 1: afterwards returned to San Jose. A month later, she was 49 00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:25,160 Speaker 1: back in San Francisco, still searching for somewhere to belong, 50 00:03:26,400 --> 00:03:32,440 Speaker 1: and then she discovered lysurgic acid diethylamite, also known as LSD. 51 00:03:39,640 --> 00:03:42,440 Speaker 1: It is a mode of all new generations to examine 52 00:03:42,440 --> 00:03:45,720 Speaker 1: and reevaluate the world left to them by their forebears. 53 00:03:46,320 --> 00:03:48,960 Speaker 1: For nineteen sixties youth in the West, that was a 54 00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:54,160 Speaker 1: world partly characterized by war and control. With its innate 55 00:03:54,240 --> 00:03:58,440 Speaker 1: ability to unravel the mind, LSD provided the perfect tool 56 00:03:58,720 --> 00:04:03,960 Speaker 1: to deconstruct this press reality. Though hallucinogenic drugs were nothing new, 57 00:04:04,480 --> 00:04:07,960 Speaker 1: having long been used by many ancient cultures throughout the world. 58 00:04:08,360 --> 00:04:12,520 Speaker 1: The nature of LST, a synthesized compound of lysurgic acid 59 00:04:12,800 --> 00:04:16,159 Speaker 1: invented in a lab in nineteen thirty eight, made it 60 00:04:16,240 --> 00:04:21,839 Speaker 1: perfect for cheap mass production and consumption. Susan's first trip 61 00:04:22,120 --> 00:04:25,520 Speaker 1: was a nightmare ride, taking it in the company of 62 00:04:25,600 --> 00:04:28,359 Speaker 1: the stranger she had procured it from all sense of 63 00:04:28,360 --> 00:04:32,920 Speaker 1: the world around her quickly dissolved into wild, kaleidoscopic patterns 64 00:04:32,960 --> 00:04:37,159 Speaker 1: and explosions of color. But before long, all sense of 65 00:04:37,200 --> 00:04:41,960 Speaker 1: herself began to dissolve too. As Susan battled the terror 66 00:04:42,080 --> 00:04:45,400 Speaker 1: that she might lose herself forever. The stranger did what 67 00:04:45,480 --> 00:04:48,720 Speaker 1: he could to reassure her, reminding her over and over 68 00:04:48,800 --> 00:04:52,080 Speaker 1: again that she was still Susan and that she was 69 00:04:52,160 --> 00:04:57,040 Speaker 1: not going to disappear. A few weeks after this experience, 70 00:04:57,400 --> 00:05:00,320 Speaker 1: Susan fell in with Barbara and her commune on the 71 00:05:00,360 --> 00:05:04,160 Speaker 1: corner of Oak and Lyons Street. Though warmly accepted by 72 00:05:04,200 --> 00:05:07,600 Speaker 1: the group, Susan continued to be plagued by that abject 73 00:05:07,680 --> 00:05:14,080 Speaker 1: sense of loneliness until the day she met Charlie. After 74 00:05:14,120 --> 00:05:16,800 Speaker 1: listening to him play guitar for the first time. The 75 00:05:16,880 --> 00:05:20,279 Speaker 1: pair had spent the night together a few days later, 76 00:05:20,440 --> 00:05:23,760 Speaker 1: while sat on the curb in hate Ashbury, Charlie attempted 77 00:05:23,800 --> 00:05:26,920 Speaker 1: to explain to her the importance of living in the now. 78 00:05:27,880 --> 00:05:30,000 Speaker 1: To live in the now was to be cleansed of 79 00:05:30,080 --> 00:05:33,560 Speaker 1: the baggage of the past and the expectations of the future. 80 00:05:34,400 --> 00:05:37,680 Speaker 1: It was as pure estate as you could reach. And 81 00:05:37,800 --> 00:05:40,839 Speaker 1: should you ever want for anything, he explained, all you 82 00:05:40,920 --> 00:05:43,279 Speaker 1: have to do is think it and it will be so. 83 00:05:45,480 --> 00:05:49,360 Speaker 1: If you want a quarter, for example, just visualize a quarter. 84 00:05:50,760 --> 00:05:54,640 Speaker 1: A moment later, Susan watched with utter amazement as a 85 00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:58,560 Speaker 1: stranger approached, holding out a quarter and placed it in 86 00:05:58,680 --> 00:06:03,960 Speaker 1: Charlie's hand. When he asked her later that day to 87 00:06:04,040 --> 00:06:07,120 Speaker 1: go with him to Los Angeles, it was as if 88 00:06:07,120 --> 00:06:17,160 Speaker 1: he already knew what she was going to say. Sharon 89 00:06:17,200 --> 00:06:20,080 Speaker 1: and Roman had returned to Los Angeles in early nineteen 90 00:06:20,160 --> 00:06:22,880 Speaker 1: sixty seven after Sharon was offered a part in an 91 00:06:22,880 --> 00:06:26,760 Speaker 1: adaptation of the nineteen sixty six novel Valley of the Dolls, 92 00:06:27,520 --> 00:06:31,120 Speaker 1: while Roman secured a three picture agreement with Paramount Pictures 93 00:06:31,160 --> 00:06:35,680 Speaker 1: in Hollywood. In August, Roman left for New York to 94 00:06:35,760 --> 00:06:38,839 Speaker 1: begin principal photography on the first of these three films, 95 00:06:39,440 --> 00:06:44,240 Speaker 1: an adaptation of the Irah Levin book Rosemary's Baby. The film, 96 00:06:44,600 --> 00:06:47,800 Speaker 1: now regarded as one of the finest psychological horror films 97 00:06:47,800 --> 00:06:50,720 Speaker 1: of all time, follows the story of Rosemary and her 98 00:06:50,760 --> 00:06:53,520 Speaker 1: husband Guy as they prepare for the birth of their 99 00:06:53,560 --> 00:06:58,240 Speaker 1: first child. When their eccentric neighbors take an unusually keen interest, 100 00:06:58,720 --> 00:07:01,920 Speaker 1: Rosemary becomes convinced they are part of a Satanic coven 101 00:07:02,279 --> 00:07:05,680 Speaker 1: intent on stealing it. Without wanting to give too much 102 00:07:05,680 --> 00:07:08,920 Speaker 1: away for those who haven't seen it, the tortured Rosemary 103 00:07:09,279 --> 00:07:14,720 Speaker 1: isn't entirely wrong in her assumptions. At one point, Sharon 104 00:07:14,840 --> 00:07:17,320 Speaker 1: was considered for the lead role of Rosemary, which was 105 00:07:17,360 --> 00:07:21,480 Speaker 1: offered in the end to Mia Pharaoh. Though she was disappointed, 106 00:07:21,840 --> 00:07:24,280 Speaker 1: nineteen sixty seven was still set to be a big 107 00:07:24,360 --> 00:07:27,160 Speaker 1: year for her, with no less than three movies due 108 00:07:27,240 --> 00:07:30,080 Speaker 1: for release at the end of the year. Much to 109 00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:35,200 Speaker 1: Sharon's further disappointment. However, or three films, The Fearless Vampire Killers, 110 00:07:35,560 --> 00:07:38,600 Speaker 1: I of the Devil, and finally, Valley of the Dolls, 111 00:07:39,240 --> 00:07:44,600 Speaker 1: were poorly received, both commercially and critically. The response left Sharon, 112 00:07:44,800 --> 00:07:49,000 Speaker 1: who already felt insecure about her acting abilities, deeply despondent 113 00:07:49,360 --> 00:07:53,920 Speaker 1: and questioning the state of her career prospects. Meanwhile, Roman 114 00:07:54,080 --> 00:07:58,160 Speaker 1: was glowing after wrapping up Rosemary's baby in December, convinced 115 00:07:58,160 --> 00:08:02,080 Speaker 1: he'd captured something special with Sharon, turning her thoughts to 116 00:08:02,160 --> 00:08:05,200 Speaker 1: settling down and perhaps having a baby of their own. 117 00:08:05,840 --> 00:08:08,920 Speaker 1: The couple were married in January the following year, and 118 00:08:09,040 --> 00:08:19,560 Speaker 1: traveled back to Europe to spend a honeymoon. A few 119 00:08:19,560 --> 00:08:24,840 Speaker 1: months previously, Susan, Charlie, and five other young women were 120 00:08:24,880 --> 00:08:29,360 Speaker 1: speeding down Route One inside a black painted bus heading 121 00:08:29,800 --> 00:08:34,960 Speaker 1: toward Los Angeles. Halfway down, the group pulled over to 122 00:08:35,040 --> 00:08:40,679 Speaker 1: admire the golden Californian coastline and dropped acid together. Doing 123 00:08:40,679 --> 00:08:44,360 Speaker 1: it with Charlie was an altogether different experience from Susan's 124 00:08:44,360 --> 00:08:49,000 Speaker 1: first time in San Francisco. Whereas before she'd resisted the 125 00:08:49,040 --> 00:08:52,360 Speaker 1: assault on her sense of self, Charlie urged her to 126 00:08:52,400 --> 00:08:56,360 Speaker 1: embrace it, telling her you must die to self in 127 00:08:56,480 --> 00:09:01,000 Speaker 1: order to become one with the world. Arriving in La 128 00:09:01,160 --> 00:09:05,200 Speaker 1: later that day, the group settled into Panga Canyon, an 129 00:09:05,200 --> 00:09:09,440 Speaker 1: area of rugged country northwest of Santa Monica and home 130 00:09:09,520 --> 00:09:12,480 Speaker 1: to a slew of artists and musicians keen to escape 131 00:09:12,520 --> 00:09:16,440 Speaker 1: the city. Over the next few months, living off the 132 00:09:16,520 --> 00:09:21,400 Speaker 1: charity of others, their lives centered around LSD and marijuana 133 00:09:21,520 --> 00:09:25,199 Speaker 1: and the ceaseless teachings of Charlie, imploring them to shed 134 00:09:25,240 --> 00:09:28,680 Speaker 1: all inhibitions and to forget about yesterday and to morrow, 135 00:09:29,040 --> 00:09:33,680 Speaker 1: and to live only in the eternal now. Sometimes it 136 00:09:33,679 --> 00:09:37,079 Speaker 1: would be the odd lines uttered throughout the day. Other 137 00:09:37,120 --> 00:09:41,000 Speaker 1: times Charlie would give long, intense lectures to drive home 138 00:09:41,080 --> 00:09:44,520 Speaker 1: his point, urging anyone willing to listen, to throw off 139 00:09:44,520 --> 00:09:47,679 Speaker 1: the shackles of the plastic world, even to reject all 140 00:09:47,800 --> 00:09:52,640 Speaker 1: concept of time, since it too was just another meaningless construct. 141 00:09:53,520 --> 00:09:56,319 Speaker 1: And whenever Susan threatened to dip into one of her 142 00:09:56,360 --> 00:10:00,720 Speaker 1: familiar lows, whenever that sense of loneliness gan knocking at 143 00:10:00,720 --> 00:10:05,959 Speaker 1: the door, there was Charlie to remind her. You are beautiful, 144 00:10:06,679 --> 00:10:10,600 Speaker 1: you are perfect, and you must learn to love yourself. 145 00:10:17,160 --> 00:10:20,079 Speaker 1: By the spring of nineteen sixty eight, the tide was 146 00:10:20,120 --> 00:10:23,439 Speaker 1: already turning against the Summer of Love and the optimism 147 00:10:23,559 --> 00:10:27,120 Speaker 1: of the Flower Power generation, as their dreams of bringing 148 00:10:27,120 --> 00:10:31,600 Speaker 1: an expanded consciousness to the wider population was already beginning 149 00:10:31,600 --> 00:10:35,560 Speaker 1: to fade. The war in Vietnam continued to drag on, 150 00:10:36,000 --> 00:10:39,640 Speaker 1: and as the opposition to it became increasingly hostile, so 151 00:10:39,720 --> 00:10:43,679 Speaker 1: too did the government's response to that opposition, metering out 152 00:10:43,840 --> 00:10:47,840 Speaker 1: violent retribution to many who rallied and protested against it. 153 00:10:49,080 --> 00:10:52,360 Speaker 1: In April nineteen sixty eight, after all the gains of 154 00:10:52,400 --> 00:10:56,000 Speaker 1: the civil rights movement, the assassination of Martin Luther King 155 00:10:56,120 --> 00:11:00,319 Speaker 1: Junior was a brutal reminder of the segregationist attitude that 156 00:11:00,520 --> 00:11:04,920 Speaker 1: continued to underpin much of the nation. Then, in June, 157 00:11:05,360 --> 00:11:09,559 Speaker 1: presidential hopeful Robert Kennedy, a long time supporter of civil 158 00:11:09,640 --> 00:11:12,880 Speaker 1: rights who also recognized the folly of persisting with the 159 00:11:12,920 --> 00:11:18,280 Speaker 1: American Vietnam War, was also assassinated, effectively handing that year's 160 00:11:18,320 --> 00:11:24,040 Speaker 1: presidential election to Richard Nixon. Sharon and Roman had dinner 161 00:11:24,040 --> 00:11:27,280 Speaker 1: with Kennedy a few nights before he was murdered. A 162 00:11:27,320 --> 00:11:32,040 Speaker 1: few days later, Roman received the distressing news that Christoph Commoda, 163 00:11:32,360 --> 00:11:35,959 Speaker 1: who composed the score for Rosemary's Baby, had been involved 164 00:11:36,000 --> 00:11:39,120 Speaker 1: in an altercation at a house party and fallen off 165 00:11:39,160 --> 00:11:43,400 Speaker 1: the edge of the property. Commoda was knocked unconscious, sending 166 00:11:43,480 --> 00:11:46,120 Speaker 1: him into a coma from which he would never wake up, 167 00:11:46,679 --> 00:11:51,840 Speaker 1: dying four months later. Some noticed similarities with the accident 168 00:11:52,320 --> 00:11:55,880 Speaker 1: and the fate of a character in Rosemary's Baby, leading 169 00:11:55,920 --> 00:12:00,600 Speaker 1: some to suggest that perhaps the film was cursed. The 170 00:12:00,679 --> 00:12:04,479 Speaker 1: couple's marriage was struggling too, not helped by the discovery 171 00:12:04,520 --> 00:12:07,480 Speaker 1: one night by Sharon and her friends of a set 172 00:12:07,520 --> 00:12:11,360 Speaker 1: of unmarked video tapes belonging to Roman. Putting one on 173 00:12:11,520 --> 00:12:14,760 Speaker 1: out of curiosity, they watched with horror when it became 174 00:12:14,800 --> 00:12:18,040 Speaker 1: clear that they were tapes of Roman having sex with 175 00:12:18,080 --> 00:12:23,480 Speaker 1: another woman. Sharon turned increasingly to her ex boyfriend Jay 176 00:12:23,760 --> 00:12:27,320 Speaker 1: for support, with the pair having remained close since Sharon 177 00:12:27,360 --> 00:12:31,280 Speaker 1: and Roman got together. It was that year also that 178 00:12:31,400 --> 00:12:34,480 Speaker 1: Sharon began work on the Wrecking Crew, during which she 179 00:12:34,600 --> 00:12:38,600 Speaker 1: was interviewed by Hollywood correspondent de Kliner and reminded of 180 00:12:38,600 --> 00:12:42,280 Speaker 1: that horrifying night she'd spent at Jay's house On eastern 181 00:12:42,360 --> 00:12:53,400 Speaker 1: drive back into Panga Canyon. Susan's new family was growing 182 00:12:53,480 --> 00:12:55,920 Speaker 1: larger by the week to include a number of men 183 00:12:56,080 --> 00:12:58,760 Speaker 1: to add to the six women that originally traveled to 184 00:12:58,880 --> 00:13:05,680 Speaker 1: La with Charlie. Sparn Ranch was the perfect solution. Nestled 185 00:13:05,679 --> 00:13:09,439 Speaker 1: in the Santa Susanna Mountains just fifteen kilometers to the north, 186 00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:12,840 Speaker 1: the ranch dressed up to look like an old Western 187 00:13:12,880 --> 00:13:15,920 Speaker 1: film set, had previously been hired out by a number 188 00:13:15,960 --> 00:13:19,720 Speaker 1: of films and TV shows. By nineteen sixty eight, however, 189 00:13:20,240 --> 00:13:23,280 Speaker 1: much like the paint on the various outhouses dotted about 190 00:13:23,280 --> 00:13:27,640 Speaker 1: the place, its glory days had long since faded. When 191 00:13:27,720 --> 00:13:31,560 Speaker 1: Charlie approached branch owner George Sparne, offering to look after 192 00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:34,240 Speaker 1: the maintenance of the property in return for his group 193 00:13:34,320 --> 00:13:38,160 Speaker 1: living there rent free. Sparne, who was eighty years old 194 00:13:38,160 --> 00:13:41,240 Speaker 1: at the time and almost completely blind, was more than 195 00:13:41,280 --> 00:13:45,200 Speaker 1: happy to agree. That he was apparently offered occasional intimate 196 00:13:45,240 --> 00:13:47,640 Speaker 1: time with some of the young women who would be 197 00:13:47,679 --> 00:13:53,320 Speaker 1: living there, only served to sweeten the deal. Shortly before arriving, 198 00:13:53,760 --> 00:13:57,760 Speaker 1: Susan discovered she was pregnant, fearing it might jeopardize her 199 00:13:57,760 --> 00:14:00,200 Speaker 1: position in the group. She was relieved to find that 200 00:14:00,280 --> 00:14:03,959 Speaker 1: Charlie was overjoyed at the prospect, insisting that children were 201 00:14:03,960 --> 00:14:06,520 Speaker 1: the best of them since they were completely pure and 202 00:14:06,720 --> 00:14:11,559 Speaker 1: uncorrupted by the plastic world. Likely due to her drug use, 203 00:14:12,000 --> 00:14:16,520 Speaker 1: Susan gave birth two months premature in October. The baby, 204 00:14:16,840 --> 00:14:20,360 Speaker 1: weighing only two pounds at the time, was named Zeso 205 00:14:20,480 --> 00:14:25,200 Speaker 1: zes sad Frack. Life at the ranch was a fairly 206 00:14:25,280 --> 00:14:30,360 Speaker 1: languid affair, consisting mostly of the group sitting around smoking pot, 207 00:14:30,920 --> 00:14:35,600 Speaker 1: playing cards, and making love to each other. Everything was shared, 208 00:14:35,880 --> 00:14:39,400 Speaker 1: from clothes to food, with dinner often involving the group 209 00:14:39,560 --> 00:14:42,120 Speaker 1: sitting round a large pot of stew and rice and 210 00:14:42,240 --> 00:14:45,920 Speaker 1: taking it in turns to eat from it and throughout 211 00:14:45,960 --> 00:14:51,720 Speaker 1: it all. Charlie continued his teachings. Then in November, with 212 00:14:51,840 --> 00:14:55,320 Speaker 1: the release of the Beatles White album, the Teachings took 213 00:14:55,320 --> 00:15:05,360 Speaker 1: a darker tone with their new album. Charlie believed the 214 00:15:05,360 --> 00:15:09,120 Speaker 1: Beatles were trying to communicate with him directly, and it 215 00:15:09,280 --> 00:15:12,200 Speaker 1: was in one song in particular that their message was 216 00:15:12,280 --> 00:15:17,680 Speaker 1: most abundantly clear. Helter Skelter, according to some, is a 217 00:15:17,760 --> 00:15:23,720 Speaker 1: brilliantly frenetic, sexually charged blast of proto heavy rock. To Charlie, however, 218 00:15:24,040 --> 00:15:27,320 Speaker 1: it was nothing less than a coded prophecy signaling the 219 00:15:27,360 --> 00:15:32,840 Speaker 1: oncoming of an apocalypse. Charlie had already begun discussing the 220 00:15:32,880 --> 00:15:36,560 Speaker 1: potential for apocalypse prior to the album's release, putting his 221 00:15:36,640 --> 00:15:40,320 Speaker 1: own spin on the stories contained in the Book of Revelations. 222 00:15:41,600 --> 00:15:46,359 Speaker 1: At some point, Charlie, a confirmed white supremacist, became convinced 223 00:15:46,440 --> 00:15:49,200 Speaker 1: that a race war was going to take place in America, 224 00:15:49,400 --> 00:15:53,040 Speaker 1: whereby white Americans would fight each other over the treatment 225 00:15:53,240 --> 00:15:56,800 Speaker 1: of Black Americans. What was left of the white population 226 00:15:57,120 --> 00:16:01,480 Speaker 1: would then be slaughtered by black militants. Charlie's plan was 227 00:16:01,520 --> 00:16:04,200 Speaker 1: to find somewhere for their group to hide until it 228 00:16:04,240 --> 00:16:08,160 Speaker 1: was over, after which they would emerge and subjugate the 229 00:16:08,200 --> 00:16:12,320 Speaker 1: black population, since, according to him, they would be incapable 230 00:16:12,440 --> 00:16:17,120 Speaker 1: of running the country. The Book of Revelations speaks of 231 00:16:17,120 --> 00:16:21,040 Speaker 1: a bottomless pit from which the fifth angel Abadon will 232 00:16:21,080 --> 00:16:24,720 Speaker 1: release a plague of locusts on to the world. Charlie, 233 00:16:25,000 --> 00:16:28,360 Speaker 1: who believed himself to be Abodon, surmised that the group 234 00:16:28,400 --> 00:16:31,080 Speaker 1: would have to find this bottomless pit in order to 235 00:16:31,080 --> 00:16:36,040 Speaker 1: survive the apocalypse and fulfill his prophecy. Helter Skelter would 236 00:16:36,120 --> 00:16:40,200 Speaker 1: quickly become Charlie's shorthand for this racist vision, and one 237 00:16:40,240 --> 00:16:44,200 Speaker 1: that began increasingly to consume him and in turn seep 238 00:16:44,400 --> 00:16:53,520 Speaker 1: into his followers. Do you ever have trouble sleeping? One 239 00:16:53,680 --> 00:16:57,000 Speaker 1: especially spooky podcast keeping you up all night? Perhaps? Do 240 00:16:57,040 --> 00:16:59,160 Speaker 1: you ever worry that you aren't getting all the nutrients 241 00:16:59,160 --> 00:17:02,160 Speaker 1: you need for your body to thrive? 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Make an investment in your health 260 00:17:59,400 --> 00:18:01,600 Speaker 1: to day and by the ultimate all in one wellness 261 00:18:01,680 --> 00:18:05,160 Speaker 1: Bundle and support your immunity, gut, health and energy by 262 00:18:05,240 --> 00:18:10,200 Speaker 1: visiting Athletic greens dot com. Slash unexplained that Athletic Greens 263 00:18:10,240 --> 00:18:19,720 Speaker 1: dot com slash unexplained. In February nineteen sixty nine, Sharon 264 00:18:19,840 --> 00:18:23,040 Speaker 1: fell pregnant and with Patty Duke neading her home back, 265 00:18:23,520 --> 00:18:26,200 Speaker 1: she decided with Roman to find somewhere a little more 266 00:18:26,200 --> 00:18:30,040 Speaker 1: permanent to raise the baby. It was around this time 267 00:18:30,080 --> 00:18:34,240 Speaker 1: that Sharon heard her friends Terry Melcher and Candy's Bergen's 268 00:18:34,240 --> 00:18:38,719 Speaker 1: house was going on the market. The house, located at 269 00:18:38,760 --> 00:18:42,320 Speaker 1: one hundred and fifty Clo Drive in Benedict Canyon, was 270 00:18:42,359 --> 00:18:46,399 Speaker 1: built in nineteen forty four with previous residents including Carrie 271 00:18:46,440 --> 00:18:50,679 Speaker 1: Grant and Henry Fonder. Located at the furthest end of 272 00:18:50,680 --> 00:18:54,479 Speaker 1: the road, the long, one story house was surrounded by 273 00:18:54,560 --> 00:18:58,080 Speaker 1: tall pines and cherry blossom, with a much prized view 274 00:18:58,200 --> 00:19:01,719 Speaker 1: overlooking the canyon down cross to Beverly Hills and all 275 00:19:01,760 --> 00:19:04,320 Speaker 1: the way to the sparkling waters of the Pacific Ocean 276 00:19:04,640 --> 00:19:08,760 Speaker 1: about ten miles away. Sharon and Roman knew the place well, 277 00:19:09,160 --> 00:19:13,040 Speaker 1: having attended numerous parties there before, and needed little convincing 278 00:19:13,119 --> 00:19:16,919 Speaker 1: to take it off the market. Sharon was especially taken 279 00:19:17,080 --> 00:19:20,040 Speaker 1: with the line of Christmas lights that former owner Candies, 280 00:19:20,200 --> 00:19:23,240 Speaker 1: had strung up across the front of the property, lending 281 00:19:23,240 --> 00:19:28,080 Speaker 1: it a perennial air of festive spirit. Presently, it was 282 00:19:28,119 --> 00:19:31,600 Speaker 1: occupied by a young man who'd been staying there temporarily, 283 00:19:31,880 --> 00:19:34,800 Speaker 1: having been living previously with a group of hippies out 284 00:19:34,840 --> 00:19:39,760 Speaker 1: on an old Western movie set called Spahn Ranch. In 285 00:19:39,840 --> 00:19:43,520 Speaker 1: late February, Sharon and Roman signed the lease and promptly 286 00:19:43,560 --> 00:19:48,040 Speaker 1: moved in, before both taking jobs in Europe while they 287 00:19:48,080 --> 00:19:51,119 Speaker 1: were away. The couple offered the place to their friends 288 00:19:51,240 --> 00:19:56,960 Speaker 1: Abigail Fulgier and Voychek Vraikovsky. In late March, the day 289 00:19:56,960 --> 00:19:59,680 Speaker 1: before Susan was due to travel to Italy to begin 290 00:19:59,720 --> 00:20:03,400 Speaker 1: work on her latest film, she invited her friend photographer 291 00:20:03,480 --> 00:20:07,359 Speaker 1: shiroc Hertamy to the property to take some publicity stills 292 00:20:07,359 --> 00:20:11,800 Speaker 1: of her. Later that afternoon, they were joined for dinner 293 00:20:11,920 --> 00:20:18,120 Speaker 1: by j Voytek and Abigail. At some point, Sharroc noticed 294 00:20:18,160 --> 00:20:21,680 Speaker 1: a shortish looking man with long dark hair and an 295 00:20:21,680 --> 00:20:24,800 Speaker 1: intense look on his face making his way across the 296 00:20:24,840 --> 00:20:29,840 Speaker 1: front lawn. Moments later, the man drew up to the porch. 297 00:20:31,200 --> 00:20:34,879 Speaker 1: Angered by the stranger's sudden appearance, Shiroc went over to 298 00:20:34,880 --> 00:20:37,240 Speaker 1: meet him and asked him what he was doing there. 299 00:20:38,480 --> 00:20:40,920 Speaker 1: When the man said he was looking for Terry Melcher, 300 00:20:41,440 --> 00:20:44,240 Speaker 1: Shirac informed him that he no longer lived there and 301 00:20:44,359 --> 00:20:48,520 Speaker 1: promptly sent him on his way. As the man walked away, 302 00:20:48,840 --> 00:20:53,200 Speaker 1: Sharon arrived suddenly to inquire who he was. It's nobody, 303 00:20:53,320 --> 00:20:57,120 Speaker 1: explained Sharroc. He's just looking for someone who wasn't here. 304 00:21:04,440 --> 00:21:10,160 Speaker 1: Aside from impending apocalypse, Charlie's other obsession was music, specifically 305 00:21:10,440 --> 00:21:14,720 Speaker 1: becoming a verified recording artist in his own right. Convinced 306 00:21:14,720 --> 00:21:16,760 Speaker 1: he was just as talented as any of the other 307 00:21:16,840 --> 00:21:20,000 Speaker 1: bands clogging up the air waves, he made numerous efforts 308 00:21:20,080 --> 00:21:23,359 Speaker 1: during his time at sparn Ranch to secure a record deal. 309 00:21:24,600 --> 00:21:27,520 Speaker 1: At some point, Charlie had worked himself into the orbit 310 00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:31,639 Speaker 1: of Beach Boy Dennis Wilson and spent many hours accompanied 311 00:21:31,640 --> 00:21:34,520 Speaker 1: by Susan and other members of the group, hanging at 312 00:21:34,520 --> 00:21:39,800 Speaker 1: Wilson's house. Wilson was sufficiently impressed by Charlie's songwriting that 313 00:21:39,920 --> 00:21:43,719 Speaker 1: he even appropriated one of his songs called Ceased to Exist, 314 00:21:44,280 --> 00:21:46,280 Speaker 1: to use as a B side on the Beach Boy's 315 00:21:46,359 --> 00:21:50,640 Speaker 1: single Blue Birds Over the Mountain, released in December nineteen 316 00:21:50,680 --> 00:21:55,399 Speaker 1: sixty eight. Wilson recommended Charlie to his friend and producer 317 00:21:55,600 --> 00:21:58,639 Speaker 1: Terry Melcher, suggesting that he worked with him on a 318 00:21:58,640 --> 00:22:02,560 Speaker 1: few tracks. After spending a few sessions with him in 319 00:22:02,600 --> 00:22:06,320 Speaker 1: the spring of nineteen sixty nine, however, Melcher was unconvinced 320 00:22:06,320 --> 00:22:10,680 Speaker 1: of his talent. About the same time, Charlie was becoming 321 00:22:10,720 --> 00:22:13,960 Speaker 1: more and more convinced of his own prophecies and moved 322 00:22:14,000 --> 00:22:16,920 Speaker 1: the group to another ranch in Death Valley, the place 323 00:22:16,960 --> 00:22:19,320 Speaker 1: where he believed they would find the bottomless pit that 324 00:22:19,520 --> 00:22:21,560 Speaker 1: was going to save them from the end of the world. 325 00:22:22,720 --> 00:22:26,919 Speaker 1: The group, now leaning increasingly on new arrival, Tex, turned 326 00:22:26,920 --> 00:22:30,640 Speaker 1: to dealing drugs in order to pay for the move. Techs, 327 00:22:31,080 --> 00:22:34,479 Speaker 1: a former honor student and athlete, had been studying at 328 00:22:34,480 --> 00:22:37,960 Speaker 1: the University of North Texas before he dropped out and 329 00:22:38,080 --> 00:22:42,200 Speaker 1: found his way to Los Angeles and eventually Span Ranch. 330 00:22:43,480 --> 00:22:46,320 Speaker 1: One night, Tex claimed he was ripped off in a 331 00:22:46,400 --> 00:22:50,919 Speaker 1: drug deal with a man named Bernard Crow, prompting Charlie 332 00:22:51,000 --> 00:22:55,080 Speaker 1: to drive out to Crow's home and shoot him. Returning 333 00:22:55,080 --> 00:22:58,240 Speaker 1: to Span Ranch, it was clear something had shifted in him. 334 00:22:58,920 --> 00:23:01,719 Speaker 1: He was convinced the crow was a black panther and 335 00:23:01,840 --> 00:23:06,479 Speaker 1: that the organization would come looking for retribution. In short, 336 00:23:06,960 --> 00:23:10,040 Speaker 1: this was the beginning of the race war. He had foreseen. 337 00:23:11,400 --> 00:23:14,800 Speaker 1: Time was fast running out and they would need money 338 00:23:14,840 --> 00:23:19,640 Speaker 1: and protection to survive. Charlie ordered his followers to keep 339 00:23:19,640 --> 00:23:22,919 Speaker 1: a knife on them at all times, and so began 340 00:23:23,480 --> 00:23:28,920 Speaker 1: the creepy crawling. For Susan, it was nothing more than 341 00:23:29,040 --> 00:23:32,439 Speaker 1: utilizing the shoplifting skills she had procured ever since she 342 00:23:32,560 --> 00:23:35,600 Speaker 1: was ten years old, and so it was that in 343 00:23:35,640 --> 00:23:37,800 Speaker 1: the dead of night or even in the middle of 344 00:23:37,840 --> 00:23:41,639 Speaker 1: the day, she and the others began to tiptoe silently 345 00:23:41,880 --> 00:23:45,480 Speaker 1: in bare feet into the homes of the rich and famous, 346 00:23:45,600 --> 00:23:49,320 Speaker 1: armed with knives as they cautiously hunted for things to steal. 347 00:23:51,080 --> 00:23:55,480 Speaker 1: Everything was justified because possession was just a state of mind. 348 00:23:56,560 --> 00:24:01,400 Speaker 1: Nothing belonged to anyone and nothing was real, and if 349 00:24:01,400 --> 00:24:04,000 Speaker 1: they had to exist in a plastic world that they 350 00:24:04,040 --> 00:24:08,840 Speaker 1: didn't choose, this was the only way to survive. The 351 00:24:08,920 --> 00:24:21,480 Speaker 1: next step seemed almost inevitable. Gary Hinman had befriended Susan 352 00:24:21,520 --> 00:24:23,920 Speaker 1: and the rest of the group during their time into 353 00:24:23,920 --> 00:24:27,600 Speaker 1: Panga Canyon. He'd even helped them out, often giving them 354 00:24:27,640 --> 00:24:32,439 Speaker 1: food and money. It was late one afternoon when Charlie 355 00:24:32,440 --> 00:24:35,439 Speaker 1: approached Susan and told her that if she wanted to 356 00:24:35,480 --> 00:24:38,679 Speaker 1: do something important for the group and their mission, she 357 00:24:38,720 --> 00:24:41,320 Speaker 1: should go to Gary's house and steal the twenty one 358 00:24:41,359 --> 00:24:45,359 Speaker 1: thousand dollars he'd recently inherited, and if she really wanted 359 00:24:45,480 --> 00:24:48,600 Speaker 1: to prove her commitment to the mission, she should kill 360 00:24:48,680 --> 00:24:54,080 Speaker 1: him too. That night, Susan, along with two other of 361 00:24:54,160 --> 00:24:58,800 Speaker 1: Charlie's accolytes, Bobby and Mary, drove out to to Panga Canyon, 362 00:24:59,119 --> 00:25:02,119 Speaker 1: and demanded that Gary give them the money or suffer 363 00:25:02,200 --> 00:25:06,800 Speaker 1: the consequences, but Gary refused, insisting that he didn't have 364 00:25:06,960 --> 00:25:10,920 Speaker 1: the money. Taking the lead, Bobby pulled out a gun 365 00:25:11,200 --> 00:25:13,800 Speaker 1: and tried to shoot him, only for Gary to fight 366 00:25:13,880 --> 00:25:18,080 Speaker 1: back and eventually wrestle the gun away from Bobby. But 367 00:25:18,280 --> 00:25:22,160 Speaker 1: Gary wasn't a violent man. He offered the gun back 368 00:25:22,200 --> 00:25:24,920 Speaker 1: to Bobby, saying he didn't want any trouble and that 369 00:25:25,000 --> 00:25:29,160 Speaker 1: they should take it and leave. Knowing they couldn't possibly 370 00:25:29,200 --> 00:25:32,640 Speaker 1: return to Charlie empty handed, Susan and Mary were told 371 00:25:32,640 --> 00:25:37,360 Speaker 1: to watch Gary while Bobby went to call Charlie. When 372 00:25:37,440 --> 00:25:40,159 Speaker 1: he arrived an hour later, he brought a sword with 373 00:25:40,240 --> 00:25:42,879 Speaker 1: him and used it to slash the right side of 374 00:25:42,920 --> 00:25:47,840 Speaker 1: Gary's face. As Gary ride about in agony, Charlie asked 375 00:25:47,840 --> 00:25:50,800 Speaker 1: the others to make him comfortable, but keep him prisoner 376 00:25:51,000 --> 00:25:54,640 Speaker 1: until he gave up the money. By the third day 377 00:25:54,720 --> 00:25:59,359 Speaker 1: of keeping him hostage, Bobby had had enough. After getting 378 00:25:59,359 --> 00:26:03,040 Speaker 1: Garry ownership of his car over to the group, Bobby 379 00:26:03,400 --> 00:26:07,240 Speaker 1: stabbed him in the stomach, then smothered him to ensure 380 00:26:07,280 --> 00:26:11,720 Speaker 1: he was dead. In a panic, the group tried to 381 00:26:11,760 --> 00:26:14,080 Speaker 1: make it look as though the murder had been committed 382 00:26:14,080 --> 00:26:18,600 Speaker 1: by political revolutionaries by writing political Piggy on the wall 383 00:26:18,720 --> 00:26:24,000 Speaker 1: in Gary's blood. By then, Charlie's group, often referred to 384 00:26:24,119 --> 00:26:28,040 Speaker 1: now as the Family, had become scattered between Spahn Ranch, 385 00:26:28,520 --> 00:26:32,120 Speaker 1: Death Valley, and a house in Canoga Park known as 386 00:26:32,119 --> 00:26:36,720 Speaker 1: the Yellow Submarine. When news of Gary's murder began filtering 387 00:26:36,800 --> 00:26:40,160 Speaker 1: back to them all, many were shocked and immediately ended 388 00:26:40,160 --> 00:26:43,720 Speaker 1: their association with the group. Many of the others who 389 00:26:43,800 --> 00:26:47,400 Speaker 1: chose to stay, like Susan, only became more and more 390 00:26:47,440 --> 00:26:52,359 Speaker 1: convinced by Charlie's teachings, Helter Skelter was coming and there 391 00:26:52,480 --> 00:26:55,640 Speaker 1: was nothing any of them could do about it. Nor 392 00:26:55,840 --> 00:26:59,119 Speaker 1: was there any reason to fear what was happening. Guilt, 393 00:26:59,520 --> 00:27:03,000 Speaker 1: like everything else, was just an illusion, And when even 394 00:27:03,080 --> 00:27:07,120 Speaker 1: you are an illusion, there is only one and everything 395 00:27:07,640 --> 00:27:19,040 Speaker 1: is part of it. On Friday, August eighth, nineteen sixty nine, 396 00:27:19,280 --> 00:27:21,600 Speaker 1: La was in the middle of an intense heat wave. 397 00:27:22,640 --> 00:27:25,280 Speaker 1: Up at Sharon and Roman's home at one hundred and 398 00:27:25,320 --> 00:27:29,639 Speaker 1: fifty Yellow Drive, Sharon, by now eight months pregnant, was 399 00:27:29,720 --> 00:27:33,040 Speaker 1: overseeing the painting of what was to be her baby's nursery. 400 00:27:33,880 --> 00:27:36,760 Speaker 1: At the time, Sharon was sharing the house with Abigail 401 00:27:36,800 --> 00:27:39,399 Speaker 1: and Voytek, who Roman had asked to stay on and 402 00:27:39,480 --> 00:27:41,679 Speaker 1: watch out for her while he was away in London. 403 00:27:42,920 --> 00:27:45,879 Speaker 1: After going for a swim in the morning, Sharon received 404 00:27:45,920 --> 00:27:48,520 Speaker 1: a call from Roman, who had been delayed coming back 405 00:27:48,560 --> 00:27:50,840 Speaker 1: to La, to let her know that he would be 406 00:27:50,880 --> 00:27:56,520 Speaker 1: returning the following Tuesday. Around five thirty that afternoon, Sharon's 407 00:27:56,560 --> 00:28:00,239 Speaker 1: ex boyfriend Jay left his home on Eastern Drive and 408 00:28:00,359 --> 00:28:04,359 Speaker 1: arrived at Sharon's house a short time later. The pair 409 00:28:04,600 --> 00:28:07,359 Speaker 1: had been due to attend at dinner party at Sharon's 410 00:28:07,359 --> 00:28:11,120 Speaker 1: friend Sheila Wells's house that night, but when Sheila called 411 00:28:11,160 --> 00:28:14,879 Speaker 1: about it that afternoon, Sharon tied out from the heat, 412 00:28:15,240 --> 00:28:20,640 Speaker 1: declined the invitation. Instead, When Abigail and Foytech, having been 413 00:28:20,680 --> 00:28:24,359 Speaker 1: out all day, returned home at seven, Jay suggested the 414 00:28:24,400 --> 00:28:27,080 Speaker 1: four of them go to El Coyote for dinner, a 415 00:28:27,160 --> 00:28:31,840 Speaker 1: trendy restaurant at the time located on Beverly Boulevard. It 416 00:28:31,920 --> 00:28:34,959 Speaker 1: had just gone ten when the group arrived home, a 417 00:28:35,000 --> 00:28:38,360 Speaker 1: little high and drunk with the exception of the pregnant Sharon, 418 00:28:38,840 --> 00:28:43,000 Speaker 1: and tired from the long hot day. As they approached 419 00:28:43,000 --> 00:28:46,640 Speaker 1: the property, all was dark save for a light by 420 00:28:46,640 --> 00:28:49,920 Speaker 1: the side of the garage and those bright colorful Christmas 421 00:28:50,040 --> 00:28:54,000 Speaker 1: lights strung out across the front of the house, and 422 00:28:54,160 --> 00:29:04,840 Speaker 1: then the four of them made their way inside. Earlier 423 00:29:04,880 --> 00:29:07,760 Speaker 1: that day, Susan was lounging around the board walk at 424 00:29:07,840 --> 00:29:13,760 Speaker 1: sparn Ranch when Charlie appeared, calling for Linda, pat Tex 425 00:29:14,000 --> 00:29:18,720 Speaker 1: and Susan. He asked to speak to them individually. Susan 426 00:29:18,760 --> 00:29:22,040 Speaker 1: watched as he spoke quietly to the others until finally 427 00:29:22,080 --> 00:29:26,479 Speaker 1: he approached her. It was a simple request to go 428 00:29:26,560 --> 00:29:31,160 Speaker 1: with Techs and do whatever he did. The four of them, 429 00:29:31,280 --> 00:29:34,600 Speaker 1: each carrying a knife and dressed all in black as 430 00:29:34,640 --> 00:29:38,560 Speaker 1: per Charlie's request, piled into a beat up forward galaxy, 431 00:29:38,880 --> 00:29:41,680 Speaker 1: where Susan noticed a rope and a pair of bolt 432 00:29:41,720 --> 00:29:45,720 Speaker 1: cutters on the back seat, Asking Techs where they were heading, 433 00:29:46,280 --> 00:29:50,920 Speaker 1: he replied to Terry Melcher's house, and with that they 434 00:29:50,960 --> 00:29:54,000 Speaker 1: pulled out of the ranch and headed off on their way. 435 00:29:55,360 --> 00:29:58,560 Speaker 1: After getting lost en route, the four finally arrived at 436 00:29:58,560 --> 00:30:01,560 Speaker 1: the base of the steep private road that led toward 437 00:30:01,640 --> 00:30:06,320 Speaker 1: the house, turning into it. Text then parked up close 438 00:30:06,360 --> 00:30:09,200 Speaker 1: to an electricity pole and ordered the others out of 439 00:30:09,200 --> 00:30:13,240 Speaker 1: the car. The women watched as he took the bolt cutters, 440 00:30:13,720 --> 00:30:16,600 Speaker 1: climbed up the pole and cut two wires that led 441 00:30:16,640 --> 00:30:18,840 Speaker 1: out toward the house at the end of the drive, 442 00:30:20,440 --> 00:30:23,280 Speaker 1: Ordering everyone back into the car. They then parked it 443 00:30:23,320 --> 00:30:26,320 Speaker 1: at the bottom of the road before getting out and 444 00:30:26,480 --> 00:30:31,959 Speaker 1: making their way barefoot toward the house. As they approached, 445 00:30:32,200 --> 00:30:35,040 Speaker 1: Susan caught sight of a long line of Christmas lights 446 00:30:35,360 --> 00:30:38,440 Speaker 1: stretched out across the front of the property and wandered 447 00:30:38,480 --> 00:30:41,360 Speaker 1: for a moment what kind of people might live there. 448 00:30:43,000 --> 00:30:46,040 Speaker 1: At the front gate in case it was alarmed, Susan 449 00:30:46,120 --> 00:30:48,800 Speaker 1: headed toward the fence just to the right, put her 450 00:30:48,880 --> 00:30:52,480 Speaker 1: knife between her teeth, and shunted up over it, falling 451 00:30:52,480 --> 00:30:56,400 Speaker 1: heavily into an ivy bush on the other side. Dusting 452 00:30:56,440 --> 00:30:59,760 Speaker 1: herself down, she waited for the others, after which they 453 00:31:00,160 --> 00:31:02,920 Speaker 1: dropped to their hands and knees and had just begun 454 00:31:02,960 --> 00:31:06,400 Speaker 1: crawling toward the house when a pair of lights flashed 455 00:31:06,400 --> 00:31:12,040 Speaker 1: across the ground. A car was approaching. Text told them 456 00:31:12,080 --> 00:31:15,880 Speaker 1: to lie down and stay quiet, then disappeared into the 457 00:31:16,040 --> 00:31:26,560 Speaker 1: night halt. The voice was Texts and had come from 458 00:31:26,560 --> 00:31:29,840 Speaker 1: somewhere out of the darkness in front of them. Then 459 00:31:29,880 --> 00:31:33,840 Speaker 1: another voice was heard, Please don't hurt me. I won't 460 00:31:33,880 --> 00:31:37,640 Speaker 1: say anything. Then there was a brief pause followed by 461 00:31:37,640 --> 00:31:41,760 Speaker 1: the sound of four gunshots. Text returned a few moments 462 00:31:41,840 --> 00:31:45,640 Speaker 1: later and told the others to follow him. As they 463 00:31:45,720 --> 00:31:49,400 Speaker 1: neared the house, Susan could see the rambler car now 464 00:31:49,440 --> 00:31:52,360 Speaker 1: parked up in the middle of the drive and the 465 00:31:52,440 --> 00:31:57,960 Speaker 1: young man slumped dead in the front seat. Text reached 466 00:31:58,000 --> 00:32:01,360 Speaker 1: in and turned off the lights, and together they quietly 467 00:32:01,400 --> 00:32:05,560 Speaker 1: pushed the car off the driveway, Turning their attention back 468 00:32:05,560 --> 00:32:10,600 Speaker 1: to the house. The group continued silently toward it, Arriving 469 00:32:10,640 --> 00:32:14,600 Speaker 1: at a window, Tex opened it and crawled inside, telling 470 00:32:14,600 --> 00:32:18,040 Speaker 1: the others to wait where they were. A moment later, 471 00:32:18,440 --> 00:32:21,360 Speaker 1: hearing the front door open, they turned to see Tex 472 00:32:21,640 --> 00:32:27,440 Speaker 1: standing there, ushering them inside. Susan and Pat stepped softly 473 00:32:27,480 --> 00:32:30,760 Speaker 1: into the house, while Linda was told to wait outside. 474 00:32:32,320 --> 00:32:36,160 Speaker 1: Continuing further in, the two women stopped suddenly at the 475 00:32:36,200 --> 00:32:39,080 Speaker 1: sight of Techs standing over a couch on which a 476 00:32:39,160 --> 00:32:44,240 Speaker 1: man was lying fast asleep. Just then the man began 477 00:32:44,280 --> 00:32:48,640 Speaker 1: to stir, stretched out his arms and slowly opened his eyes. 478 00:32:50,320 --> 00:32:54,560 Speaker 1: What time is it, he asked sleepily. Tex jumped in 479 00:32:54,600 --> 00:32:58,280 Speaker 1: front of him and held out his gun. Be quiet, 480 00:32:58,720 --> 00:33:02,240 Speaker 1: don't move, or you're dead, he said. Who are you? 481 00:33:02,760 --> 00:33:07,240 Speaker 1: What are you doing here, said the man, terrified. I 482 00:33:07,440 --> 00:33:11,600 Speaker 1: am the devil, replied Tex, and I'm here to do 483 00:33:11,720 --> 00:33:23,960 Speaker 1: the devil's business. If you enjoy Unexplained and would like 484 00:33:24,000 --> 00:33:26,920 Speaker 1: to help support us, you can now do so via Patreon. 485 00:33:27,480 --> 00:33:31,160 Speaker 1: To receive access to add three episodes, discount or merchandise, 486 00:33:31,360 --> 00:33:34,400 Speaker 1: as well as brand new video and audio content exclusive 487 00:33:34,440 --> 00:33:37,960 Speaker 1: to Patreon members. Just go to patron dot com, forward 488 00:33:38,000 --> 00:33:41,320 Speaker 1: Slash Unexplained Pod to sign up, or if you'd like 489 00:33:41,400 --> 00:33:43,720 Speaker 1: to make a one time donation, you can go to 490 00:33:43,800 --> 00:33:48,520 Speaker 1: Unexplained podcast dot com. Forward Slash support All donations, no 491 00:33:48,560 --> 00:33:52,760 Speaker 1: matter how large or small, are greatly appreciated. Unexplained, the 492 00:33:52,760 --> 00:33:56,320 Speaker 1: book and audiobook, featuring ten stories that have never before 493 00:33:56,360 --> 00:33:59,920 Speaker 1: been covered on the show, is now available to buy worldwide. 494 00:34:00,360 --> 00:34:03,760 Speaker 1: You can purchase through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Waterstones, 495 00:34:03,880 --> 00:34:08,879 Speaker 1: among other bookstores. All elements of Unexplained, including the show's music, 496 00:34:09,000 --> 00:34:12,520 Speaker 1: are produced by me Richard McClane smith. 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