Nobody gets to choose their families. No one knows this more than Charles Luther Manson and the other sons of the cult leader and killer Charles Manson. Charles Manson, who died peacefully in 2017, was the evil psychopath who led a drug-fuelled cult on a horrific murder spree in the late 1960s.
The Manson Family worshiped him as their Messiah. Under his leadership, it is believed they killed up to 35 people, including the talented Sharon Tate. How did the aftermath of his actions affect Charles Luther Manson, and is there anything more to him?
Keep reading to find out.
Charles Luther Manson Bio
He was born on September 24, 1960, in the USA. His father has claimed that he does not know the number of kids he fathered, but Charles Luther was confirmed to be one of his sons.
The late cult leader shared him with Candy Stevens, formerly Leona Rae Musser. According to Jeff Guinn, author of “Manson, The Life and Times of Charles Manson-Simon & Schuster,” she was born around 1940.
Details about who she was are unclear, but some biographers believe she worked as a prostitute in Los Angeles, California when she initially met Charles Manson.
Charles Luther Manson’s Parents
Luther’s parents tied the knot in 1959. However, it was all a sham, an act to prevent Leona from testifying against him. At the time, a law forbade wives to speak against their husbands. Nevertheless, Leona attested, and Manson went to prison again.
Reports claim she did it to get her charges dropped, thereby becoming a “material witness.” She got pregnant with Charles Luther Manson in 1960 and officially left his father in 1963.
Fortunately, she also got full custody of their son, Charles Luther. The boy was raised by his grandmother and never met his father, as the killer was already behind bars when he was born. As he grew up, Manson was in and out of prison, and they never got to meet until his demise in 2017.
What Happened to Charles Luther Manson?
Charles Luther Manson has no love for his father or pride in the blood that flows in his veins. Like his brothers, he has done his best to distance himself from the family name and has chosen a life far from the spotlight.
As such, details on his life are scarce. Reports claim that he has changed his name to Jay Charles Warner.
Where Is Candy Stevens Now?
Like her son, Stevens wanted little to do with her ex-husband after the divorce. Sources claim she channeled all her energy into hiding herself and her son from infamy and public attention.
She avoided doing anything that would put her in the headlines, including marriage. Manson was not so worried. He got engaged again in November 2014 to a 26-year-old woman from Illinois, Afton Elaine Burton.
Ultimately, Manson and Burton did not make it to the altar, as he suspected she only wanted to marry him for publicity. Afton claimed the wedding couldn’t happen because Charles’ marriage license had expired.
Manson passed away on November 19, 2017.
What Happened to Charles Luther Manson’s Siblings?
Luther’s older half-brother, Charles Jr., was the first among the three to become aware of what his father was known for, and he did not take it well.
Charles Jr. changed his name and stayed out of his child’s life to spare him the stigma. His son, Jason Freeman, said, “He just couldn’t let it go. He couldn’t live it down. He couldn’t live down who his father was.”
The troubled man eventually chose to take his own life, unable to live down what his father had done. Luther’s younger half-brother, Valentine, also changed his name to Michael Brunner, but unlike Charles Jr., he feels far removed from his family drama.
He spoke about his upbringing in a 1993 KCBS-TV interview, saying: “I was too young to remember anything way back in California, and it’s really not part of my life. There’s no reason to treat me differently than the next guy just because of my biological father, and I think people do.”
The surviving brothers live private lives and, for the most part, enjoy being able to fade into obscurity now that Manson has passed on.