For every maniac, there's one A woman with a business plan (4 photos)

In the world of professional psychopaths and serial manipulators, sometimes stories emerge that surpass any fast-paced novel in their cynicism. The story of the final years of Charles Manson's life—the man who became the living embodiment of the chthonic horror of the 1960s—clearly demonstrates that even the most sophisticated predator sooner or later finds a younger, more pragmatic follower.





So who was Charles Manson really? This wasn't just any ordinary prisoner, but the leader of a destructive cult called "The Family," which paralyzed Los Angeles with a wave of brutal murders in the late 1960s. Possessing a frightening charisma, he instilled in a group of young followers the idea of ​​a coming race war, which he called Helter Skelter.

The most notorious crime of his "family" was the murder of actress Sharon Tate, the wife of director Roman Polanski. She was nine months pregnant. Manson didn't personally carry out the murders, but it was on his orders that his fans killed the actress, along with four other people who were in the house. In short, it was a high-profile case, and Charlie ultimately received a life sentence and became America's greatest bogeyman.



He had all sorts of bad things tattooed on his forehead, so as not to hurt you, they blurred it out just in case.

The years passed, and Manson grew old in Corcoran Prison, but his army of female fans never thinned. One of the most devoted was Afton Elaine Burton, who adopted the catchy pseudonym "Star." She began corresponding with her idol at 16, and by 26, she had moved closer to the prison and announced her engagement to the old man. It would seem that this was love, carried through the years and prison. But no. As it later turned out, "Star" and her secret accomplice had a clearly defined business plan.





Afton needed the marriage solely because of a legal loophole. Under California law, a prisoner's body is returned to his legal wife after death. The plan was as foolproof as Chinese underwear:

Wait until Charlie's maniacal grandfather passes away.

Mummify his body using a special technology.

Place the "great and terrible" in a glass coffin and display it in downtown Los Angeles.

Selling tickets to tourists and fans for $20-30 per entry.

Essentially, the woman planned to turn her elderly husband into a private "Lenin Mausoleum," only with a criminal horror twist and a steady cash flow.

The denouement came in 2014. Manson, who had spent his entire life masterfully pulling the wool over the eyes of immature minds, suddenly sensed something was wrong. When rumors reached him that his fiancée was already eyeing a refrigeration unit and discussing the cost of embalming, the old man became furious.



Manson not only called off the wedding, but also mockingly told the press that he was "immortal," meaning their startup was complete nonsense. Ultimately, when he finally died in 2017, Afton tried to claim his body but lost all her legal battles. The body went to his grandson, who rushed to cremate his grandfather out of harm's way and scattered his ashes to prevent the creation of a pilgrimage site.

So, shall we discuss this? Who do you think was more deranged in this couple—the old maniac with his cults or the girl who wanted to take his stuffed body around?