Obituaries

Susan Atkins, 61, killer of actress Sharon Tate back in 1969, has died after being incarcerated for 38 years.

Despite pleas for having her released from prison on humanitarian grounds, she never left.

Like most of the so-called "Manson family," Atkins had a rather directionless life, so it was no surprise she would be taken in by some charismatic ex-con:

Born Susan Denise Atkins in San Gabriel on May 7, 1948, she grew up in San Jose, the middle child of three. When she was 15, her mother died of cancer. Her father sold the family home and all their furnishings to pay the hospital bills. Atkins began failing school and her father became an alcoholic who frequently left Susan and her younger brother, Steven, to fend for themselves.

Her father eventually abandoned them for good. Susan and her brother moved to Los Banos, where their grandparents lived. Susan enrolled in high school and got a job as a waitress but was overwhelmed by the stress of trying to care for her brother, work and go to class. At one point, she and Steven were in foster care. Susan dropped out of school in the 11th grade and started drifting.

Years later, she would describe her frame of mind during this period as "extremely angry, extremely vulnerable and directionless."

Of all the Manson family killers, except for Manson, Atkins "had the most unfortunate background," Bugliosi said.

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