Ted Rowlands
CNN correspondent
We’re up in the remote Barker Ranch in Death Valley for day two of the search for human remains. This is a big day on a lot of people.
For Charles Manson fanatics it may be the day that rumors of murder at the Barker ranch will be verified.
For forensic scientists from the national lab in Oak Rridge, Tennessee, it may be a confirmation of the soil data compiled that prompted them to recommend a dig.
For Sgt. Paul Dostie, the local police detective who along with his dog Buster found the five dig sites a year ago, today may be the day that he feels vindicated for pushing authorities to dig or as he puts, he may end up “feeling like a fool”.
Program Note: Are there more victims buried on a remote ranch in Death Valley where Charles Manson and some of his cohorts were arrested nearly 40 years ago? Watch Ted Rowlands’ report tonight on 360° 10p ET
Ted Rowlands
360 Correspondent
One person that should know if there are bodies behind the Barker Ranch is Charles “Tex” Watson, Manson’s right hand man. Watson was one of the first 30 some family members to relocate to the ranch in Death Valley after the Tate Labianca murders. Watson, who’s now a quasi preacher at Mule Creek state prison in Northern California, is serving a life sentence for the Helter Skelter murders. He admitts being largely responsible for the actual killing of actress Sharon Tate and six others in 1969.
About a month ago we contacted Watson by mail asking for permission to come visit. Usually when we send letters to prisoners we don’t get a response, but about a week later we got a letter back from Watson! He didn’t want to meet, but he did say in his two page hand written letter that he didn’t know anything about bodies at Barker Ranch. Read Watson’s letters to CNN
After traveling to the insanly remote Barker Ranch (read Gabe Ramirez blog) its hard for me to believe that Watson wouldn’t know about any other murders, unless he’s lying, which seems unlikely considering he’s a 60 something man who’s already admitted to hacking seven people to death, and is serving a life sentence.
We also wrote to the other Manson family members in prison (including Charlie) but have not heard anything.
If there are bodies behind the Barker Ranch, its unlikley we’ll ever know who they are without some help from the Manson family.
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