Debra Tate has long opposed the release of Manson supporters from prison.
Jul 15, 2023 6:05 am ET
• 5 minutes reading
Debra Tate, the sister of murdered actress Sharon Tate, has for years publicly advocated keeping members of the Manson family cult behind bars, even though they are eligible to apply for parole.
That includes Leslie Van Houten, who was released on parole Tuesday after serving 53 years in prison for the murders of Leno and Rosemary LaBianca.
According to her lawyer, Van Houten is currently in a “transitional facility”. She was paroled and “will have a maximum of three years probation, with a parole review at one year,” the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said.
Although Manson did not commit the murders himself, he ordered his followers to do so. Manson died in prison in 2017.
Now, for the first time since Van Houten’s release, Debra Tate speaks in an exclusive interview with Nightline.
Debra Tate, sister of murdered actress Sharon Tate, is shown during an interview with Nightline. ABC News
“Is she a nice girl? No. is she an animal I think she was then, and I’m afraid she still is,” said Debra Tate.
Van Houten was 19 when she was involved in the August 10, 1969 murders of Leno LaBianca, a wealthy grocer, and his wife Rosemary LaBianca at their Los Angeles home. The LaBiancas were both stabbed and the word “war” was engraved on Leno LaBianca’s stomach – authorities say it was all on orders from cult leader Charles Manson. Van Houten was convicted of the murders in 1971.
“I prayed until I gritted my teeth with every kiss, smile, or pleasant action [Van Houten] “When she’s at liberty, she gets a flashback to the screams, the grunts, the blood,” Debra Tate said.
The LaBianca murders came a day after Manson supporters killed actress Sharon Tate and four others at the California home Tate shared with her husband, filmmaker Roman Polanski. Sharon Tate was 26 years old and pregnant at the time of her murder. Van Houten was not involved in the Tate murders.
Leslie Van Houten attends her parole hearing at the California Institution for Women in Corona, California on September 6, 2017. Stan Lim/AP, FILE
Van Houten was sentenced to death in 1971 for the LaBianca murders, but her sentence was later reduced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after the state banned the death penalty.
Van Houten was on parole for more than 20 times before her release earlier this week. California Gov. Gavin Newsom and his predecessor previously blocked her parole four times.
At her 19th parole hearing, Van Houten said, “As a rehabilitated woman, I wish to state that the insight I have gained is not intended to excuse any of my actions.”
Debra Tate says the killing of her beloved sister had a profound impact on her life.
“My father retired from the military. He went in search of the killers. My college money went to other things. It affected everything I did. It had catastrophic direct effects,” said Debra Tate.
Debra Tate has appeared at every parole hearing for every Manson family member since the murders.
“We’re talking about one of the most murderous cults in America. Is it worth giving him a free pass? There are a lot of people I would give a free pass to, but these people aren’t one of them,” said Debra Tate.
In a statement to Nightline, Cory LaBianca, the victims’ daughter, said: “[Van Houten’s] While the release may be considered legal, it is ethically and morally wrong for me and my family.”