Famed Manson Prosecutor, Longtime Pasadenan Vincent Bugliosi Dead at 80

Long-time Pasadena resident Vincent Bugliosi, who prosecuted cult leader Charles Manson and his followers for the horrific Tate-LaBianca murders and authored numerous books on a variety of subjects, has died at age 80 in a Los Angeles hospital, according to his son Vincent and wife of 59 years, Gail.

Bugliosi is best known for his trial work as the prosecutor in the Manson case and for winning convictions of Manson followers Susan Atkins, Leslie Van Houten and Patricia Krenwinkel in 1971.

Bugliosi later wrote “Helter Skelter,” his account of the trial. Published in 1974, the book became an instant best-seller.

His other books included “Outrage: The Five Reasons Why O.J. Simpson Got Away With Murder,” “Reclaiming History: The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy,” and “The Prosecution of George W. Bush For Murder.”

Bugliosi was born in Hibbing, Minnesota and moved to California with his family as a boy. Ultimately he became an attorney in the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office in 1964.

Bugliosi is also survived by a daughter, Wendy.