Vanessa Richardson

To make that happen, he headed across the bay to San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury district. Charles loved going to the Haight, as it was known. It was a hippie neighborhood with easy access to sex, drugs, and plenty of New Age thinking. While the district had its fair share of opportunities for street musicians like him, that's not what brought Charles there.

He liked Haight because it was a hotspot for street preachers. But Charles was fascinated by the hold some of these gurus had on their followers, and after everything he'd learned in prison, he felt like he could build a flock of his own. So he found an open stretch of sidewalk and started preaching. A lot of it was the same hippie philosophy all the others were spouting.

He liked Haight because it was a hotspot for street preachers. But Charles was fascinated by the hold some of these gurus had on their followers, and after everything he'd learned in prison, he felt like he could build a flock of his own. So he found an open stretch of sidewalk and started preaching. A lot of it was the same hippie philosophy all the others were spouting.

He liked Haight because it was a hotspot for street preachers. But Charles was fascinated by the hold some of these gurus had on their followers, and after everything he'd learned in prison, he felt like he could build a flock of his own. So he found an open stretch of sidewalk and started preaching. A lot of it was the same hippie philosophy all the others were spouting.

Self-love, limitless possibility, New Age spirituality, that sort of thing. But Charles delivered it better than anyone else. It wasn't long before his sermons attracted a devoted audience. Along with the attention he was getting, Charles enjoyed the easy access to drugs in the hate, particularly LSD.

Self-love, limitless possibility, New Age spirituality, that sort of thing. But Charles delivered it better than anyone else. It wasn't long before his sermons attracted a devoted audience. Along with the attention he was getting, Charles enjoyed the easy access to drugs in the hate, particularly LSD.

Self-love, limitless possibility, New Age spirituality, that sort of thing. But Charles delivered it better than anyone else. It wasn't long before his sermons attracted a devoted audience. Along with the attention he was getting, Charles enjoyed the easy access to drugs in the hate, particularly LSD.

As his mind became increasingly divorced from reality, he started to equate himself with none other than Jesus Christ. He thought that if he could get a few devoted followers, they could recruit more exponentially, just like the apostles did for Jesus.

As his mind became increasingly divorced from reality, he started to equate himself with none other than Jesus Christ. He thought that if he could get a few devoted followers, they could recruit more exponentially, just like the apostles did for Jesus.

As his mind became increasingly divorced from reality, he started to equate himself with none other than Jesus Christ. He thought that if he could get a few devoted followers, they could recruit more exponentially, just like the apostles did for Jesus.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

In May of 1967, 32-year-old Charles gained his first disciple, Lynette Fromey, an 18-year-old runaway he met on a trip to Venice Beach. Like with Mary Brunner, Charles made Lynette feel loved and appreciated. He gave her the meaning she was searching for, and she was eager to accompany him back to Berkeley.

In May of 1967, 32-year-old Charles gained his first disciple, Lynette Fromey, an 18-year-old runaway he met on a trip to Venice Beach. Like with Mary Brunner, Charles made Lynette feel loved and appreciated. He gave her the meaning she was searching for, and she was eager to accompany him back to Berkeley.

In May of 1967, 32-year-old Charles gained his first disciple, Lynette Fromey, an 18-year-old runaway he met on a trip to Venice Beach. Like with Mary Brunner, Charles made Lynette feel loved and appreciated. He gave her the meaning she was searching for, and she was eager to accompany him back to Berkeley.

Lynette moved in with Charles and Mary, and by the end of the summer they were joined by two women named Patricia Krenwinkel and Susan Atkins. But it wasn't all love and sunshine. Between the moments of bliss, Charles was always looking to test his followers' devotion. Sometimes he made them stand in front of a tree while Charles threw knives around them.

Lynette moved in with Charles and Mary, and by the end of the summer they were joined by two women named Patricia Krenwinkel and Susan Atkins. But it wasn't all love and sunshine. Between the moments of bliss, Charles was always looking to test his followers' devotion. Sometimes he made them stand in front of a tree while Charles threw knives around them.

Lynette moved in with Charles and Mary, and by the end of the summer they were joined by two women named Patricia Krenwinkel and Susan Atkins. But it wasn't all love and sunshine. Between the moments of bliss, Charles was always looking to test his followers' devotion. Sometimes he made them stand in front of a tree while Charles threw knives around them.

He wanted to see if they would trust him with their lives. And they did. That wasn't enough for him, though. He needed their focus on him at all times. If Charles felt like someone's attention was drifting during one of his sermons, he could get physically violent. By the end of the summer, Charles may have decided he needed more discipline in the group.