Much is known about the Tate murders; yet, many crucial questions still linger. Little, however, is known about the LaBianca murders.
Whenever I read any book on the Manson family, I am always disheartened at how little the murder of Leno and Rosemary LaBianca features in any narrative.
This could be because we know less about the couple, but it could also be due to the upsetting truth that they were less famous, so the general public was not as interested in their murder as they were in that of Sharon Tate and her rich, influential friends.
There is some information available about the couple, and some of it crosses into the realm of conspiracy theory, but just because something may be considered a conspiracy does not mean it is entirely untrue.
August 10th
As Leno and his wife woke on the morning of the 10th, they must have seen the shocking news about the murders the night before. The crime was a big story in most of the newspapers that day.
Newsstand owner, John Fokianos, remembers discussing the case with one of his regular customers, Leno. It would be that very evening that the couple would be killed similarly.
On the night of the murder, Charles Manson drove with several members of his “Manson Family” to the LaBianca residence. Manson and Tex Watson initially entered the house, restraining the couple and covering their heads with pillowcases secured by lamp cords.
After securing the victims, Manson departed, leaving Watson, Patricia Krenwinkel, and Leslie Van Houten to carry out the killings. Leno LaBianca, a supermarket executive, was stabbed 26 times with a bayonet and a two-pronged carving fork, and the word “WAR” was carved into his stomach.
Rosemary LaBianca was taken back to her bedroom and fatally stabbed multiple times by Watson, Krenwinkel, and Van Houten. Before leaving the scene, the perpetrators used the victims’ blood to write cryptic and ominous messages on the walls and refrigerator, including “RISE,” “DEATH TO PIGS,” and the misspelt “HEALTER SKELTER.”
Not the Same Crime
Initially, when the Los Angeles Police Department investigated the murders, they did not think the two crimes were related. Despite the startling similarities between the cases, they decided to look for two separate killers.
Although it soon became obvious that the murders were by the same killers, no one could say how the two sets of victims were connected. The police initially theorised that the LaBianca murders were a copycat crime of the Tate murders. The copycat theory has also been mentioned in connection with the murder of Gary Hinman. (The subject of our Monday article.)
Most popular information on the case states that the two sets of victims had never met, and the LaBiancas were randomly targeted on the second night.
However, evidence has become available that states that this narrative might be as untrue as that of the ‘Helter Skelter’ theory. This is where we step into the world of conspiracy theory.
Beyond “Helter Skelter”
Investigator Tom O’Neill uncovered evidence that stated that Leno LaBianca had been embezzling his family’s money to pay off gambling debts. This theory was investigated by the police but largely dismissed once the focus of the trial became the ‘Helter Skelter’ theory.
The most consistent alternative theory seems to be that the motive for the murder was a debt owed to the Straight Satans Motorcycle Club, which Manson was trying to associate with for protection or influence.
Testimony from the time suggests that a member of the Straight Satans named Al Springer told detectives that Manson had bragged to him about “knocking off” five people. This confession could point to the fact that Manson was either trying to impress them or was directly connected to them through an existing obligation, like a drug or money debt that could have involved LaBianca.
While prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi included testimony about Manson’s contact with the Straight Satans in his final trial summation, he omitted the financial speculation from his book, Helter Skelter. This omission is the gap that later investigators (like O’Neill) filled by arguing the real motive was money and not the race war.
If Leno LaBianca had embezzled, his financial records would have been a focus of the investigation. The fact that the official narrative moved away from this suggests the story was not true, or it was deliberately dropped to simplify the prosecution’s case.
There are even stories on the internet that state Jay Sebring was Leno LaBianca’s hairdresser, so the victims were connected, if only tentatively. However, this evidence is hard to substantiate.
Whether there was a connection between the victims or there is more to the murder of the LaBiancas than a random attack may never be proven, as much of the evidence is not public knowledge and many of the perpetrators are either dead or not speaking.
Regardless, it is our duty to recognise their names when speaking about Manson rather than focusing on the killings of people that make better media headlines.
Be sure to check out our deep-dive article on Gary Hinman this Monday.
Until next Wednesday: Stay safe, stay curious.
The murders wouldn't be directly connected until the police realized that they were really dealing with the cult headed by Manson and not individual killers.