Luke Lamana

During that time, he was evicted from his apartment and had to get loans from his family to survive. O'Neal even became an Uber driver to support his investigation. Everyone who had heard about the book was anticipating answers to burning questions, like what actually happened? What was the big reveal? And that's when Tom O'Neill had to take a deep breath. It was like answering a riddle.

During that time, he was evicted from his apartment and had to get loans from his family to survive. O'Neal even became an Uber driver to support his investigation. Everyone who had heard about the book was anticipating answers to burning questions, like what actually happened? What was the big reveal? And that's when Tom O'Neill had to take a deep breath. It was like answering a riddle.

He presented a significant amount of evidence that challenged the official narrative around the Manson murders. However, despite 20 years of extensive reporting and investigation, O'Neill didn't feel like he could definitively prove or disprove one specific theory about the government's role in the Manson murders.

He presented a significant amount of evidence that challenged the official narrative around the Manson murders. However, despite 20 years of extensive reporting and investigation, O'Neill didn't feel like he could definitively prove or disprove one specific theory about the government's role in the Manson murders.

The one thing O'Neill was able to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, is that many of the facts presented to the public about the Manson case were simply not true. He believed the prosecution, led by Vincent Bugliosi, deliberately lied and distorted key details. For example, Bugliosi said Manson was motivated by something Manson called Helter Skelter,

The one thing O'Neill was able to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, is that many of the facts presented to the public about the Manson case were simply not true. He believed the prosecution, led by Vincent Bugliosi, deliberately lied and distorted key details. For example, Bugliosi said Manson was motivated by something Manson called Helter Skelter,

his apocalyptic vision of triggering a race war. But O'Neill thought Bugliosi exaggerated and embellished the extent to which Helter Skelter was a true driving force behind the crimes. In fact, Bugliosi himself later admitted to journalists that he didn't believe Manson truly believed in Helter Skelter, but had used it to manipulate his followers.

his apocalyptic vision of triggering a race war. But O'Neill thought Bugliosi exaggerated and embellished the extent to which Helter Skelter was a true driving force behind the crimes. In fact, Bugliosi himself later admitted to journalists that he didn't believe Manson truly believed in Helter Skelter, but had used it to manipulate his followers.

Beyond that, O'Neill explored the possibility that Manson may have been a product of the CIA's MKUltra mind-control experiments. While this was a likely explanation, O'Neill ultimately could not conclusively prove or disprove this theory to his own satisfaction. In the end, O'Neill felt it was important to present all the contradictory evidence he uncovered,

Beyond that, O'Neill explored the possibility that Manson may have been a product of the CIA's MKUltra mind-control experiments. While this was a likely explanation, O'Neill ultimately could not conclusively prove or disprove this theory to his own satisfaction. In the end, O'Neill felt it was important to present all the contradictory evidence he uncovered,

but leave readers to draw their own conclusions. But ultimately, he believed other forces were at play beyond Manson's paranoid mind. Overall, O'Neill felt confident that his reporting was thorough and professional. He followed every thread as far as it would go and admitted when he came up short.

but leave readers to draw their own conclusions. But ultimately, he believed other forces were at play beyond Manson's paranoid mind. Overall, O'Neill felt confident that his reporting was thorough and professional. He followed every thread as far as it would go and admitted when he came up short.

He had turned over stones and found people connected to the case who hadn't spoken on the record their entire life. But he knew one man whose blood would have boiled if he read it. Vincent Bugliosi. Bugliosi died four years earlier in 2015. Manson died two years later in 2017. It was the end of an era for the Manson saga.

He had turned over stones and found people connected to the case who hadn't spoken on the record their entire life. But he knew one man whose blood would have boiled if he read it. Vincent Bugliosi. Bugliosi died four years earlier in 2015. Manson died two years later in 2017. It was the end of an era for the Manson saga.

Even though Bugliosi had been hostile towards O'Neill's efforts, O'Neill still felt a bit sorry for him. Bugliosi convicted Manson when he was 36 years old. He spent the next 44 years in Manson's shadow, completely unable to escape it. O'Neill took a swig of his drink and watched the sun set into the Pacific. He couldn't help but think a similar fate awaited him.

Even though Bugliosi had been hostile towards O'Neill's efforts, O'Neill still felt a bit sorry for him. Bugliosi convicted Manson when he was 36 years old. He spent the next 44 years in Manson's shadow, completely unable to escape it. O'Neill took a swig of his drink and watched the sun set into the Pacific. He couldn't help but think a similar fate awaited him.

O'Neill's book, titled Chaos, was published on June 25th of 2019. It quickly became a New York Times bestseller. O'Neill had set out to challenge the accepted narrative of the Manson family murders. In the process, he opened a Pandora's box of dark secrets about one of the most complex eras in American history.

O'Neill's book, titled Chaos, was published on June 25th of 2019. It quickly became a New York Times bestseller. O'Neill had set out to challenge the accepted narrative of the Manson family murders. In the process, he opened a Pandora's box of dark secrets about one of the most complex eras in American history.

He had mapped out the way the FBI and the CIA had fought dirty against the hippie movement in the 1960s, resorting to everything from surveillance to harassment to drugs to maintain control over them. The CIA's MKUltra and Chaos, like the FBI's COINTELPRO, were all deeply un-American in their practice, yet designed to defend a fading notion of how the country should be.

He had mapped out the way the FBI and the CIA had fought dirty against the hippie movement in the 1960s, resorting to everything from surveillance to harassment to drugs to maintain control over them. The CIA's MKUltra and Chaos, like the FBI's COINTELPRO, were all deeply un-American in their practice, yet designed to defend a fading notion of how the country should be.