Leslie Van Houten, Follower of Charles Manson, Released from Prison After 53 Years of Life Sentence

Leslie Van Houten, a follower of Charles Manson, was released from prison on Tuesday, March 29, 2022, after serving 53 years of a life sentence for her participation in two infamous murders.

Van Houten, now in her 70s, was driven to transitional housing after her release from prison in the early morning hours, according to her attorney Nancy Tetreault. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation confirmed that Van Houten “was released to parole supervision.”

Van Houten was convicted of helping Manson’s followers carry out the 1969 killings of Leno LaBianca, a grocer in Los Angeles, and his wife, Rosemary. Her release comes days after California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced he would not fight a state appeals court ruling that Van Houten should be granted parole.

The decision to grant parole to Van Houten was initially made by a parole board in January 2020, but Newsom reversed the decision in October 2020. The reversal was overturned by the California Supreme Court in February 2021, and Newsom announced he would not fight the ruling.

Van Houten’s release marks the end of her 53-year sentence for her involvement in the infamous murders. It is unclear what her future holds, but she is now under the supervision of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.